To the surprise of waterfront residents, the city is taking steps to build an aquatic centre on the Rees Street parking lot, on one of the last — and best — empty stretches of land on Queens Quay West.

“There just hasn’t been a lot of information,” said Ed Hore, co-chair of the York Quay Neighbourhood Association. “There’s been no, even preliminary, quiet meetings with the people from the community about what they think about it.”