COMMUNITY WORKSHOP #3 PROJECT 21. Tuesday, June 23 rd, 2015 Ralph Thornton Centre, 765 Queen Street East Toronto, Ontario

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1 COMMUNITY WORKSHOP #3 PROJECT 21 W O R K S H O P S U M M A R Y Tuesday, June 23 rd, 2015 Ralph Thornton Centre, 765 Queen Street East Toronto, Ontario

2 This workshop summary is a compilation of questions and comments received during Community Workshop #3 held on June 23 rd, 2015 from 7:00PM 9:00PM at the Ralph Thornton Centre to discuss First Gulf s Project 21. If you have any questions or comments regarding the summary, please contact either: Dana Roebuck Development Coordinator First Gulf Phone: droebuck@firstgulf.com OR Julia Bubrin Public Consultation Coordinator Hardy Stevenson and Associates Limited Phone: ext. 224 juliabubrin@hardystevenson.com Contents 1. Welcome and Agenda Discussion Period Infrastructure Gallery Walk and Group Synthesis Next Steps... 9 Appendix A PowerPoint Presentation Appendix B Photos Appendix C Gallery Walk Post-it Notes Appendix D Group Synthesis Appendix E Comment Forms 2

3 1. Welcome and Agenda Dave Hardy introduced Dr. Charlotte Young as a facilitator and Derek Goring as the Vice President, Development of First Gulf. Dave outlined the agenda and discussed meeting roles and meeting courtesies. Derek Goring provided a recap overview of First Gulf s Project 21 employment development. The Power Point slides used in the presentation can be found in Appendix A. Dave Hardy then recapped the comments on the vision that had been discussed during Community Workshop #2 on April 29 th and in Stakeholder Committee Meeting #2 on May 27 th. He also referred to the list of community assets and deficits that had been identified in these meetings. 2. Discussion Period Dave Hardy provided an overview of the five main elements for the project and related these to infrastructure. These elements are sustainability, mobility, connectivity, public amenities, and public realm. Derek then gave an overview of what on-site infrastructure is and why it is important, and encouraged the attendees to give their input during the discussion period. Dave then opened the floor to any questions or concerns regarding either the Gardiner Expressway or infrastructure. The following questions and comments were noted. Question What has already been done and what are the steps moving forward? I have seen the Keating Channel Precinct develop a plan with really good community input. And now, there has been great damage from the Gardiner decision. I will need a personal care worker although I will likely want to work until I drop. You need to test some of the modern planning concepts. If city s goal number is 4-5K employees and you re talking 50K employees, this is a problem. First Gulf can build trust by fostering community penetration throughout the site that will deliver better day care and other services. First Gulf Response There are several more meetings coming up, including the meetings to develop the Masterplan, which will happen after the summer. There will be an application for an Official Plan Amendment this summer followed by a rezoning application in 2016, and First Gulf will follow the city s planning approval process. We will also continue our comprehensive community engagement program. First Gulf is interested in working with the various stakeholders to make the Gardiner alignment closer to the rail corridor to make it better for the Keating Channel Precinct Plan. Comment noted Comment noted 3

4 Question If this site is intended to be a village with a unique identity, would First Gulf lean toward higher density so that people can feel as though they belong? St. Lawrence has a centre that is multi-purpose and connects with the remainder of the site on foot. Density pods of housing provide a sense of belonging and this helps with energy management. Include, for example, hospitals. Has the vote on the Gardiner soured First Gulf s relationship with the public? Council made the wrong decision. First Gulf has claimed that they have been neutral; however, they exerted some influence. If First Gulf really did not have a preference between the proposed options, why did they lobby for hybrid? The weighted poll that was paid for by First Gulf was leaked and influenced the decision. Were there any considerations of the impacts of the delays associated with the hybrid option? First Gulf did not consider the community when lobbying for the hybrid option for the Gardiner. Why did First Gulf spend so much money on lobbyists and StrategyCorp to lobby for the hybrid option if there was no preference? Did First Gulf propose both the previous and current hybrid option? The StrategyCorp polling questions were biased and leaned heavily First Gulf Response Many of those issues are related to the Masterplan and will be discussed at further meetings. Going forward, energy management will be a priority and mobility will also be emphasized. We are hoping for this site to be progressive, and we welcome all input. First Gulf will do what we can to work with Councillors on the plan and keep the public involved as much as possible moving forward. The only stance taken by First Gulf was against the maintain option. There was no preference of hybrid over removal. First Gulf only wanted a decision to be made promptly so that we could move forward. The only priority was the removal of the Logan offramps, which was consistent in both the hybrid and removal options. First Gulf did not lobby for hybrid. Most conversations with councillors happened prior to the issues of the delays being known, which is unfortunate. The poll was not leaked by First Gulf. First Gulf did not lobby for hybrid. First Gulf did not consult with the community about the Gardiner as the Gardiner is not First Gulf s project. The EA is being run by the City and Waterfront Toronto. First Gulf did not lobby for hybrid. No, the version that was chosen was not proposed by First Gulf. The hybrid option proposed by First Gulf pushed the highway up against the rail corridor. First Gulf did not intend for the questions to be leading or to create a push-poll. First Gulf only met with one ward councillor 4

5 Question towards the hybrid option. These stats were shown to the Councillors right before the vote and had a major influence this was clearly pushpolling. (Cindy Wilkie then read the questions and pointed to one that came across as a leading question) According to First Gulf, removal would have been a win-win, so what was the point of the poll? How can we expect to work with First Gulf in the future? How exactly will transit work? First Gulf Response about the poll, and the poll was never supposed to be public, it was only meant to be used to convey the opposition for the Maintain option. The poll was not leaked by First Gulf. The timing of the leak was unfortunate. 85% of people will get to the site without their cars. Many will walk to work, and it will be connected to existing bike trails to ensure that cyclists can access the site with ease. Streetcars and GO Train access will also be provided. The GO Train service (15 minute allday service; more than double capacity in peak times) combined with enhanced TTC service will provide the greatest transportation capacity. Below is a summary of the recommended action items. The summary is broken into three columns: 1. Yes This indicates that the information will be formally integrated into the community engagement plan or future engagement activities. 2. No This indicates that the information will not be integrated into the community engagement plan, and provides a rationale for that response. 3. Exploring This indicates that the idea will be further explored over the course of the community engagement program to see how best to integrate or use the information. Item Yes No Exploring Ensure that the site is not a single purpose development. It must be more than a 9:00AM 5:00PM site. Senior homes and all-day/allnight amenities need to be provided. First Gulf is looking at this site in a larger context, not just from the defined boundaries. From this perspective, it is not single purpose because there are already existing housing and neighbourhood amenities in the area and there are several residential developments. It will be a mixed-use community focussed on employment, 5

6 Item Yes No Exploring especially seen on a larger, neighbourhood-scale. Interact with the rest of the city. The site is currently boxed in, like a prison. Emphasize live-andwork. Develop a solution to deal with the estimated 7500 new commuters that will be expected. First Gulf is actively interacting and collaborating with the rest of the city. We are getting involved with projects that are being run by other organizations in order to improve the site and the community (i.e. Don revitalization project). We plan on continuing these collaborative relationships. The transportation study could not be done until a decision on the Gardiner was made. The study will be beginning shortly and a solution will be developed. Residential uses are not permitted. The scope of the site is much larger than the 60 acres that we are developing; it will be a live-and-work area because of the existing residential communities that are already located in the vicinity and public transit.. 3. Infrastructure Gallery Walk and Group Synthesis Derek opened with a discussion of the PowerPoint slide explaining what infrastructure is. He stated that infrastructure is any physical element that allows the site to function properly and effectively. For this meeting, First Gulf wanted input regarding onsite infrastructure, which includes both hard and soft infrastructure, and infrastructure that is connected to offsite infrastructure. Dr. Charlotte Young then introduced the gallery walk to the group. There were stations around the room representing the 5 main elements (sustainability, connectivity, mobility, public amenities, and public realm), as well as one station focussed specifically on criteria. Photos were place at each station to depict an image of what the infrastructure element might involve. The photos can be found in Appendix B. Dr. Young then asked the what other ideas work for you?, how would infrastructure enhance community assets and minimize deficits?, how would infrastructure either help or detract from achieving the vision?, and what about these images would work for this site? Workshop participants 6

7 were then invited to visit each station and comment on the scope and type of infrastructure that should be considered. Comments were written on Post-it notes and then placed on the wall. This activity lasted approximately 30 minutes. The full list of Post-it notes can be found in Appendix C. Following this, Dr. Young instructed participants to sit at tables assigned to specific elements. There were five tables in the room with tent cards on them. Each tent card listed one of the 5 main elements, and participants at each table were invited to synthesize the Post-it notes from Appendix B in order to determine any over-arching themes that were present for each element. Comments were also provided for Criteria. Below is a summary of the recommended action items that were proposed during the group synthesis activity. The full list of synthesized element comments about infrastructure and criteria can be found in Appendix D. Public Amenities Yes No Exploring Create public amenities for people of all ages and all abilities. Use a new approach that could help make this a destination for more than just employment. Mobility Yes No Exploring Create car-free zones on site. Design service roads that keep large vehicles segregated. Recognize the needs of those with disabilities. Ensure that there is lots of bike parking onsite. Emphasize complete streets. Create Woonerfs [a road in which devices for reducing or slowing the flow of traffic have been installed]. Use overhead archways for pedestrian and vehicle use. 7

8 Public Realm Yes No Exploring Provide movable furniture in public areas. Design large sidewalks. Provide fitness trails and recreation space. Ensure that there is a focus on urban agriculture. Create a community hub or a central park that might also be used as an event space. Sustainability Yes No Exploring Work towards zero carbon emissions. Create a community energy plan. Design the site as a live-and-work environment. Provide affordable creative spaces. Use green roofs where possible. This site is zoned for employment lands. The surrounding local community provides live/work opportunities. Generate solar power onsite. Recycle water onsite. Provide daycare for the old and young. Have schools present on site. 4. Next Steps Dave Hardy closed the workshop by thanking all participants for attending. He stated that there would be a Community Workshop and Stakeholder Committee Meetings held in the fall, between late September and early November. He also stated that members of the public will be meeting with technical team experts at that time. He reiterated that First Gulf would be open to any and all thoughts at any time by contacting Derek directly, and anything that wasn t able to be said during the workshop could be recorded on a comment form. The full list of comments from the comment forms can be found in Appendix E. 8

9 Derek Goring thanked attendees for their input and suggestions. Appendix A: PowerPoint Presentation (See attachment) Appendix B: Photos (See attachment) Appendix C: Gallery Walk Post-it Notes Connectivity Use surrounding water to make connections. North-south connections for bikes and pedestrians along the west side of the site community and recreational route. Ditto for the hoped extension of Broadview and other north/south [connection] from South Riverdale. Pedestrian and cycling. Connections/bridges across DVP, railway line, Lakeshore Boulevard. Ensure the nearby residents can easily access the side-bridges. Tunnels and safe routes to walk and cycle. Connect to the nearby communities. Community centres, sports facilities (link!), employment hubs, theatre. Removal of Gardiner will help improve connectivity by having a boulevard. Talk to the teachers/pension fund Re: Fairview Mall. GO Train stop. Connect sustainability through Smart City approach. Fine-grained street grid. Gardiner hybrid (drawing of elephant). Mobility Give Broadview dedicated streetcar lanes for easier/faster access north and south. 85% non-car trips? Can we set a goal of 90%? 95%? Set other mode-share goals. Woonerfs! Please aim for much better than AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act) standards. Treed Streets. Universal Accessibility. This is an opportunity to plan for radical accessibility. City falls very short on this. Transit, bike, sidewalks, buildings, parks; amenities could be model for integrating and celebrating variety of abilities. Knock down barriers. Recognizing needs of those with disabilities and their access. Canoes and kayaks on the river. 9

10 Lots of bike parking. Complete streets inside the site. 5-6 months of the year [we have] are winter; therefore mobility needs to deal with winter! Troubled that even in mobility, people with disabilities aren t explicitly listed. No free parking as that encourages people to drive. Try to create as many car-free zones as possible. Design service roads to keep large vehicles localized. #minimumgrid. Bike share. Use a consistent street design to create a distinct neighbourhood feel. The path (walking image) is terrible. Pedestrians need sunlight and oxygen. I see no images of dealing with people with disabilities. Walking path(s). Bike lanes. Thousands and thousands of new car journeys will strain already-full infrastructure. Transit is great, but needs to be funded and built. $2.6 billion is great show me the money! Walking and Cycling are both transportation and recreation. If you provide well for them, you will also encourage sustainability. Public Amenities Many of your images at all stations look like mixed-use communities. Social enterprise space. Flexible incubator space. Healthcare Doctors, dentist. Public amenities can become destinations. Therefore, can vitalize the area beyond employment. Doggy daycare. Highlight heritage features, including industrial heritage. I have not heard enough discussion about the heritage aspects of the project. Whose heritage are you aiming to represent? What aspects of heritage will be maintained for the community and how? What efforts are being made to preserve a sense of heritage? Affordability for creative spaces. Rehearsal studio/space for artists. Multi-culturalism. All learning spaces should be community hubs. Food is a great teacher. Public housing project? Community hub school, daycare, library, art spaces. Nursing homes fit daycare standard. 10

11 Seniors are a growing population. Sandwich generation (employees) would benefit from support of parents with needs for support near workplace. i.e. day-activities, care. Continuous education space support for lifelong learning. Child care, seniors. Support for career development. College campus satellite. Co-op programs. Universal accessibility physical spaces, programs, and employment. Make this a new model. Health-enhancing amenities yoga space, swimming pool, exercise space, fitness space. All in many locations. Play areas for office workers. Not just gyms, but places to go have fun but also relieve stress e.g. tennis/badminton courts. Or golf practice zones. Or pool/billiards. Public Realm Queens Quay! Yes! Look at: Fish/water plants and help clean Don River. Vertical parks create symbolism with storm water management = water reuse. Aqua-culture on the roof tops should be encouraged. Get the Copenhagen architect/planner to formulate public realm. Jan Gehl? Creating event spaces that can animate the district all year round! Inter-generational public realm uses are important. Why do all pictures represent summer? Winter is not so appealing! Connect to live/work. Movable furniture (patio chairs and tables). Refreshing space to encourage getting outside. Fitness trails. What about a dog park so people can bring their dogs to work? Why>? If not mixed-use? (context: placed on Complete Streets photo). Lots of open space and wide sidewalks/plazas similar to Front Street in the West Don Lands. I like urban agriculture. Great community feature. Water features should be prominent. Design one large central park/public space and will be a community hub. Public art/open space that incorporates servicing requirements and sustainability. For example, as happens at Sherbourne Common water filtration/treatment. If this is primarily an employment district, there are some problems with this area becoming vacant for parts of the day (evening) (i.e. financial district). Therefore, need to ensure 24 hour uses for safety. Vibrance of connection to the residential in area mean by amenities that vitalize the street scape past business hours. Complete streets sidewalks are more relevant to parkland than transportation Make sure they have great width, many amenities make sidewalks great, diminish roads. 11

12 Sustainability Site has poor air quality. Improve it (Trees, technology). Ground source heating (moving ground water good cold, heat transfer). Strive for zero carbon footprint (see South Korea s new towns). Zero carbon emissions. Stormwater reuse as much as possible within building envelopes. Solar is now near market price (see German green roof with solar). LEED on every aspect. How will the effects of climate change influence developments. Consider dividing properties and uses with hedge grows rather than fences to enhance biodiversity. This is one area where you should do everything bleeding edge world class always at the forefront. Permeable pavers and other surfaces. Add LEED buildings and green roofs. Happy to see grey water! The Gardiner East maintain/ hybrid First Gulf has lobbied for will result in 12% higher greenhouse gas emissions, worse air and water quality, and less tree canopy nearby (vs. a boulevard). There are not the actions of a company that cares at all about sustainability. Try harder. District energy Solar, wind generation. Cogeneration: Waste to energy. Net zero release. Flood protection. Don mouth naturalization. District energy + microgrid. Do not neglect sustainable transport options including cycling and walking. Criteria A leading edge model of ingenuity 12

13 Appendix D: Group Synthesis Public Amenities Lifelong approach. o Intellectual. o Physical activities. o Health and wellbeing. o Work/play/food. Stimulation and support o For all ages. o For all abilities. A new comprehensive approach could help make this a destination beyond employment. Mobility Canoes and kayaks on river. Use consistent urban design standards to create neighbourhood feel. Create car-free zones. Design service roads to keep large vehicles segregated. Troubled that even in mobility, people with disabilities are not explicit. Recognize needs of those with disabilities. Lots of bike parking. Complete streets. Include (support and fund) bike share. Thousands of new cars will strain already full infrastructure (roads). This is an opportunity for radical accessibility. Transit, bike, sidewalks knock down barriers. The path is terrible, pedestrians need sunlight, air. Transit is great, but needs to be funded and built. First gulf should pay for transit infrastructure and maintenance. I see no images of people with disabilities troubling. Make it a model for integrity and celebrating a variety of disabilities. Car free zones. No free parking. Bike parking/bike share. Higher goal for non-car, bike lanes trips. Fund transit. Woonerfs. Minimum grid. Give Broadview dedicated streetcar lines. More overhead archways for pedestrian and some vehicle use. 13

14 Public Realm Public realm needs to be supported by different types of uses (i.e. Mixed-use) Examples of public space programming. o Movable furniture. o Fitness trails/recreation. o Plazas/wide sidewalks. o Urban agriculture. o Water features. Community hub/central Park which might also be an event space (i.e. Dundas square). Streets should be complete streets. Sidewalks should be generous and appealing. Sustainability Zero carbon emissions. Community energy plan. Build an engagement community. Live and work Toronto district. Work has changed and will change more. Creative affordable space. Community hub. Transit hub. Street grid. Green roofs. Ground source space conditioning. Solar is getting cheaper. Onsite water recycling. Walk ratio at 90% and up. 24/7 life. New masterplan. Schools. Daycare for old and young. Connectivity No submission by connectivity group. 14

15 Appendix E: Comment Forms I did not have a chance to say: Look at employment goals and then assure the City that mixed-use is a better model. See Don Mills, ELAD, Tridel, Monarch. Leads to very successful mall and transit hub. Heritage should be added to the discussion. Infrastructure that should be included or considered on the site: Enrique Penalosa (Mayor of Bogota) once said that sidewalks are not about transportation (i.e. mobility) so much as about an extension of a city s parks (i.e. the public realm ). Please be certain to consider this concept as you plan the development = sidewalks should be enormous and roadway reduced. Plant trees on the street, create numerous places to sit and loiter along the sidewalks. Encourage strolling and walking for pleasure. Rail/bus hub with retail leads to mixed-use precinct. Elder care, nursery, schools. Additional criteria to evaluate the infrastructure elements Sustainability requires energy use limitations. Community energy generation and ground source space conditioning. Build an engagement community. Miscellaneous comments What are market studies for employment types personnel, numbers in your proposal and how is this project integrated with planning requirements in the City of Toronto, for the short, medium and long term and your own timelines for occupancy? 15

16 Engagement Process So Far Review of Recommendations / Workshop # 1 (March 3) Summary Input from Stakeholder Committee # 1 (April 20 th ) Description of community assets and deficits - Stakeholder Committee #2 (May 27) and Community Workshop #2 (April 29) Input on Vision - Stakeholder Committee #2 (May 27) and Community Workshop #2 (April 29) Input on Infrastructure - Stakeholder Committee #3 (June 17) and Community Workshop #3 (June 23) 1

17 Meeting Courtesies Listen curiously and respectfully Speak one at a time Leave status and stereotypes at the door Treat each other with respect Build upon, add nuances to help inform everyone s best thinking Speak only for yourself Turn off electronics 2

18 Recap of the Project Description 3

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20 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: Connect the site to the river Connections Install several bridges over the river Car-free zones or plaza, getting trucks, couriers and taxis off the roadway Fine grained street network of short blocks Consider non-drivers Go big and functional with vision for transit Consider shuttle to other transport hubs (i.e. Union Station) Make the spaces walkable Consider future innovations in delivery of goods (i.e. drones) Consider other options to keeping the Gardiner 5

21 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: Consider how to provide opportunities for a balanced work life Economic Development Have a business incubator mindset 6

22 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: Urban Amenities Start with a clean slate anything is possible. Amenities should include public bathrooms Plan for outdoor spaces and recreational amenities, both summer and winter seasons Provide free public WiFi 7

23 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: Modern and flexible office and retail spaces Include different types of shops. Mom and pop start-ups and market square should be part of the retail mix Consider market or food vendors Offer spontaneous and exciting shopping options (e.g. Business out of the Box) Make office spaces flexible 8

24 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: Include canals that link parks and public spaces to the water Spectacular parks and public spaces Integrate vertical parks into the building design Consider all season uses as part of the park planning (i.e. Include a covered dome space for year-long use) Offer passive and active recreational park activity Construct multiple exits from office towers on different levels 9

25 Recap of Feedback on Vision What we heard: New elements Include an element on the energy footprint and reducing the carbon footprint Include an element on Ecological Design and Low Maintenance Cost 10

26 Infrastructure Basics What is infrastructure? How does infrastructure make the site function? 11

27 Onsite Infrastructure Includes physical works that are required to make a site function. Includes hard and soft infrastructure. Is connected to offsite infrastructure. 12

28 Offsite Infrastructure 13

29 Criteria What are the top 3 important criteria in assessing infrastructure options? Are there any missing criteria that First Gulf should be using to assess infrastructure? Meets regulatory standards and requirements High performance in achieving its objective Have been used successfully elsewhere Integrated into the broader plan Can perform multiple functions Design excellence Sustainability Cost effective (capital and operating) Adds value 14

30 Infrastructure Infrastructure Elements: Connectivity Mobility Sustainability Public Amenities Public Realm **Note that these are categories for convenience we recognize that infrastructure elements are interconnected and overlapping. 15

31 Gallery Walk Stations At the wall, you ll see examples/ options for each infrastructure element On a post-it, add your thoughts using one idea per post-it: What additional ideas does it spark for this site? How does this idea apply or not apply to the site (feel free to diagram, draw, add narrative to your post-it, etc.) 16

32 Gallery Walk Stations At the wall, you ll see examples/ options for each infrastructure element On a post-it, add your thoughts using one idea per post-it: What additional ideas does it spark for this site? How does this idea apply or not apply to the site (feel free to diagram, draw, add narrative to your post-it, etc.) Don t forget to comment on the infrastructure criteria! 17

33 Small Group Synthesis Determine Common themes from each station what have people said Identify unique thoughts Prepare a 1-minute summary for sharing and record main points on your flipchart paper Use Upper & Lower Case Print Big! Choose a presenter 18

34 Report Back What are the main points and unique ideas for: Connectivity Mobility Sustainability Public Amenities Public Realm 19

35 Closing Notes Upcoming Workshops and Stakeholder Committee Meetings Making notes and other information available Status of project website 20

36 26/06/2015 Connecting to Street Grid Connecting to Pedestrian and Cycling Paths Pedestrian & Cycling Bridge Wireless Broadband 1

37 26/06/2015 Transit Hub Local Transit Regional Transit Cycling Walking PATH Network Driving 2

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40 26/06/2015 Flood Protection Stormwater Management Bioswale Grey Water Recycling Renewable Energy Carbon Neutral Deep Lake Cooling Micro Grid 5

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42 26/06/2015 Employment Services Market Child Care Heritage Learning Co-Working Space Conference Space 7

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44 26/06/2015 Passive Active Events Complete Streets Urban Agriculture Rooftop Activation Recreation Leisure Landscape Urban Civic Vertical Parks Public Art Water Feature 9

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