GREEN STREETS TO Complete Streets Forum October 1, 2015 Sheila Boudreau, Urban Design Patrick Cheung, Toronto Water
Green Streets Status Key Objective: Moving green infrastructure from special projects to BAU Needed: Staff and funding Commitment Capacity-building Strategy /Work Program Sr. Management Advice
Why Green Streets TO?
Next Generation Infrastructure Integrated City Building with Green Infrastructure / Watershed / Biodiversity Green + Grey Multifunctional Decentralized
Environmental Drivers: Climate, Biodiversity, UHI, SWM July 8, 2013 126mm in 3 hours
Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing 2014 Provincial Policy Statement Infrastructure and Public Service Facilities:0 Planning authorities should promote green infrastructure to complement infrastructure. (1.6.2) Def n: natural and human-made elements that provide ecological and hydrological functions and processes. Green infrastructure can include components such as natural heritage features and systems, parklands, stormwater management systems, street trees, urban forests, natural channels, permeable surfaces, and green roofs.
Policy Drivers
Toronto Drivers Council Direction, Oct. 2013
Toronto Drivers 1. Manage rain where it falls. 2. Watershed / natural systems approach. 3. At-source, conveyance, then end-of-pipe solutions. 4. Citizen awareness / involvement.
City of Toronto Official Plan Trees Stormwater
Toronto Drivers
Implementation Challenges City Planning Toronto Water Transportation Services Engineering & C.Services Parks, Forestry & Rec. Economic Development Facilities & Real Estate ABCDs
What went wrong Knowledge Gaps
What went wrong Contract Delivery
What went wrong Quality Control
BABEL FISH (Credit: Matthew Mobbs)
What went right Successes
What went right Policy on the Ground
WWFM Toronto Water Policy Wet Weather Flow Management Guidelines Sets Performance Objectives with respect to: Water Quality Quantity Control 1. Peak Runoff and Flood management (Rate Control) 1. Water Balance (Volumetric control)
Early Success Sustainable Sidewalk Research into sustainable boulevard designs to: reduce cost of utility installation and restoration reduce time and impact of installations promote healthier trees Treat road storm run-off New Standard is 30 cubic meter of un-compacted soil per tree
Early Success Sustainable Sidewalk Queensway Pilot Project Two set of cells in the parking lay-by on the north side of the street. The stormwater runoff routed through the easterly set soil cell will be monitored. The westerly set will be used as a control. We also have the capability to measure moisture in the City. Standard tree pit adjacent to the site.
Sustainable Sidewalk Queensway Pilot Project Early Success
Early Success (Fall, 2014) Without Stormwater Capture With Stormwater Capture (Summer, 2015)
Expectations Toronto Parking Authority Green P Plus Program John Street, Six Points, Stanley Green, Portlands Revitalization
Getting to Green Streets
WATER ECOLOGY AIR QUALITY co-benefits What are Green Streets for Toronto? The Toronto Green Standard for the right-of-way.
Program development
Major Tasks Standards Skills / Knowledge Permeable Concrete Interlocking Paver Staff Training Cross-disciplinary Projects
Foundational Work High Priority: Process analysis and modification Cost-benefit analysis / Triple-bottom Line Funding sources and budgets
New Technical Guidelines
Collaboration CORE GROUP Toronto Water / City Planning CORGR (3) WORKING GROUP City Planning / Toronto Water Parks, Forestry & Recreation Transportation Services Engineering & Construction Services (22) ADVISORY GROUP (in progress ) TRCA, CVCA MOE Universities BIA Office TTC TPA NGOs Utilities Industry (20+)
Complete(r) Streets
Partnerships and Outreach External : TRCA, CVCA TDSB Sustainability Office Green Communities Canada Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition LEAF Local Municipalities Parks People Evergreen City Works ROM The Bloom Centre for Sustainability (ongoing )
Policy in the Ground Projects Dundas Ave. E. /Coxwell Ave. Raindrop Place
Timeline
What is needed? Interdivisional collaboration: Toronto Water City Planning Engineering & Construction Services Transportation Services Parks, Forestry and Recreation Economic Development Energy and Environment Division
What is needed? Staff and funding Commitment Capacity-building A Strategy / Work Program