Heisey was a member and then chair of the Toronto Parking Authority from 1992 to 2001. He oversaw the introduction of the world's first wireless, solar-powered pay-and-display consoles that accept credit cards on Toronto streets.[7] Toronto was the first North American city to replace its parking meters with pay and display machines. After removal of the meters, the remaining posts had bicycle parking rings installed on them, significantly increasing the supply of bicycle parking.[8]
He was retained by the City of Toronto government to represent the environmental group 'Save the Rouge' in the Oak Ridges MoraineOntario Municipal Board hearing in 2000–2001.[9] The hearing was stopped by the passage of the Oak Ridges Moraine Conservation Act[10] in 2001, which preserved the Moraine from development.
Toronto Police Services Board
Heisey was appointed by City Council to the Toronto Police Services Board for the period from March 2001 to October 2004, and he concerned himself with issues such as racial profiling and the police complaints system.[11]
He was appointed as acting chair of the board on December 11, 2003, after Norman Gardner stepped aside as chair in June 2003 following allegations that Gardner had accepted a gun as a gift from a firearms manufacturer and 5,700 rounds of police ammunition from Toronto police officers.[12][13] Heisey was made chair in January 2004.[14] He declined to use the city's chauffeur-driven limousine, preferring public transit and his bicycle.[15][16]
A week after becoming chair, Heisey was the target of a smear campaign that began with the leak of an internal police memo. Heisey refused to resign from the board, and Justice Sydney Robins of the Ontario Court of Appeal agreed that the memo was leaked to smear his name.[17][18]
Gardner's suspension reduced the board to six members, paralysing the board as votes on important issues often ended in ties.[19] Heisey publicly suggested that the province might have to take over the board when two board members left a meeting to deprive it of quorum.[20][21][22][23] Heisey had said he would resign if the "dysfunctional" board did not regain its composure. In June 2004, he announced that he would not be seeking a renewal of his board appointment[24] and told the media "The police board job is kind of like being a general. There's a peacetime general and there's a wartime general. And I think the peacetime chair job would have been quite manageable with my other responsibilities." The board later in June voted not to renew Chief Fantino's contract, with media reporting Heisey had voted against renewal.[25][26][27]
The board unanimously endorsed Heisey's recommendations to reform the Ontario Police Complaints system in September 2004.[28] Heisey's proposal for a single tribunal to determine all disputes, civil actions and complaints concerning police, other than criminal charges,[29][30] was not accepted in the 2005 Patrick LeSage Report on the Police Complaints System.[31]
He was elected vice-chair of the TTC Board in May 2015.[34][35][36][37][38] He was acting chair of the TTC Board for the period October 2019 - May 2020.[39][40]
Toronto Cycle Track Network
Heisey in 2017
Heisey is an avid cyclist and an advocate for safer bike lanes.[41] He was instrumental in the creation of the first network of physically separated bicycle lanes in the Toronto between 2010 and 2015 on Sherbourne Street, Wellesley Street, Hoskin Avenue, Richmond Street and Adelaide Street.[42][43]
In recognition of his contributions to the creation of the network, Toronto City Council ceremonially named the Sherbourne Street cycle track after him on February 10, 2015.[44] On September 18, 2019, the City of Toronto officially named the cycle track in his honour.[45]
^"Police story: with allegations of shakedowns, payoffs and cover-ups, 2004 was not a great year for the cops. Alan Heisey, as chair of the Toronto Police Services Board, aimed to clean up the mess. But one week into his tenure, he found himself the target of a brutal smear campaign. Things went downhill from there." by John Lownsbrough, Toronto Life, March 2005
^"Campbell names QC appointments", The Montreal Gazette, 31 Dec 1992: B6
^"1999 and 2000 Annual Reports of the Toronto Parking Authority"
^"The Alan Wrench: Why is Alan Heisey smiling? Because after a tough half year, he's leaving the police board" by Peter Kuitenbrouwer, National Post, July 10, 2004
^"Developers' theory 'not tested'; But moraine's water supply protected, OMB hearing told" by Gail Swainson, Toronto Star, October 31, 2000; 'Vast subdivision tract' feared; 'Nature's laws' should be heeded, moraine hearing told" by Gail Swainson, Toronto Star, May 31, 2000;"Battle to save moraine not over yet" by David Lewis Stein, Toronto Star, October 4, 2002; "It will be a sad day when the OMB is abolished" by David Lewis Stein, Toronto Star, January 18, 2001
^"Darts and Laurels", Toronto Star, Jan. 8, 2004, A.24
^"Veteran lawyer takes over at police services board; Heisey wants complaints review; Agenda includes racial profiling" by Jack Lakey, Toronto Star, January 7, 2004
^"Judge Report clears Police Board boss", Toronto Sun, March 26, 2004, Rob Granatstein
^"ABOVE BOARD? A history of Toronto police board reformers being hounded, smeared and spied upon", JONATHAN GOLDSBIE, Now Magazine, DECEMBER 19, 2014
^Mike Smith, "In a Familiar Rut", Now Magazine, August 5, 2004.
^"Changes to the Complaints System - Final Recommendations and Addendum" by Alan Milliken Heisey Q.C., July 20, 2004.
^"Heisey Offers Good Sense on Police Complaints" by Rosie diManno, "Toronto Star", July 28, 2004
^"Police Board makes peace:meeting unusually friendly;Members cordial at final meeting Several proposals pass unanimously" by Catherine Porter, Toronto Star, September 24, 2004, F.01
