#CodeBlueTO: Supporting Toronto's Port Lands

CodeBlueTO supports NoJetsTO statement

Sat, 04 May 2013 12:50:11 -0400

Statement of Support
written by NoJetsTO

City Council will have before it a request from Robert Deluce, President and CEO of Porter Airlines, to undertake a study on the feasibility of amending the Tripartite Agreement.

The Tripartite Agreement was established to protect the City’s interests on the waterfront. As such, it specifically prohibits lengthening runways and use of jet aircraft at the Island Airport.

The organizations and individuals signing below respectfully request that Council vote against commissioning a feasibility study and reconfirm the City’scommitment to protect our waterfront by enforcing the Tripartite Agreement’s existing restraints.

RATIONALE

We believe that Toronto’s waterfront is a unique natural PUBLIC resource that should be protected for in order to protect the residential, leisure and recreational uses of our waterfront for present and future generations.

The Tripartite Agreement was signed to protect the City’s interests on the waterfront. As such, it specifically prohibits lengthening runways and jet aircraft.

If approved, this proposal will affect:

Our environment (water and air pollution)
Development (Waterfront TO, Ontario Place and others) and projected growth on the waterfront
Traffic, already congested at Bathurst Quay

A decision to allow jets will profoundly and permanently damage our waterfront’s potential, in favour of a noisy and polluting industrial use.

Pearson has the capacity to accommodate this growth. With the Metrolinx fast rail link from Union Station to Pearson, now under construction, jets belong at Pearson.

Top 10 Smartest Cities in North America & Casinos

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 11:45:57 -0500

The following cities were featured in the Fast Company story “The Top 10 Smartest North American Cities” — this article was linked to on Toronto.ca’s “casino consultation” web page

1. BOSTON: no casino
Massachusetts state government is considering applications to open a casino in
Springfield — a zero-growth small city across state from Boston.

2. SAN FRANCISCO: no casino
There are Native American casinos and “poker rooms” in suburban and exurban locations.

3. SEATTLE: no large downtown venue
Several suburban “house-banked card rooms” calling themselves “casinos” exist in bowling alleys, malls, etc. (e.g. Roxy’s Bar & Grill).

4. VANCOUVER: Edgewater Casino — “boutique” slots and table games facility on False Creek
Vancouver Council has refused all requests by the casino to enlarge its operations. Other venues are near suburban race tracks etc.

5. NEW YORK: no Manhattan casino
Suburban casino facilities at race tracks — Aqueduct and Yonkers Raceway.

6. WASHINGTON D.C.: no casino
There are no casinos in the District of Columbia.

7. TORONTO:
?

8. CHICAGO: no downtown casinos
There is a small casino near O’Hare Airport (Des Plaines) and others exist in farther suburbs and exurbs — “riverboat” floating casinos are in small cities (Elgin, Joliet, Aurora, etc.).

9. LOS ANGELES:
Hosts poker rooms and small suburban casinos, centred on the municipality of Commerce CA.

10. MONTREAL:
Casino de Montréal is sequestered from the city on otherwise undevelopedÎle Notre-Dame. Montreal media reports the casino has had effectively no impact on tourism and primarily attracts lower income Montrealers.

… And CodeBlueTO’s #11 …

PHILADELPHIA:
SugarHouse Casino is the only North American, major city casino that closely resembles the location and downtown linkage of a proposed Toronto casino. It was built on a brownfield, on the Delaware River waterfront, close to downtown. (Philadelphia, despite its size, is on no one’s list of “smart” cities.)

Here is a sample of reviews on Yelp.com for SugarHouse Casino – accessed 1/3/2013.
Overall rating 2 stars out of 5. (86 reviews.):

“You can definitely smell and FEEL the desperation in the room. From the looks of the patrons around the table games that I was involved in, lots of rent money and child support were being gambled and lost … It’s full of people who struggle, and for those that do, they smoke.”
— Keith O., New York NY (2 stars)

“It’s going to be hard to make the riverfront a true mixed use Mecca if this is the best they can do.”
— Collin S., Tampa FL (2 stars)

“… [H]as a clientele that probably should be doing something else with their money. The heartbreak and despair in the room is palatable. Not an upbeat place at all. SugarHouse is an excellent example of why casinos in a city aren’t really a good thing.”
— Brian M., Devon PA (2 stars)

(Our emphasis.)

Toronto Casino Consultation – Have Your Say

Wed, 16 Jan 2013 10:46:40 -0500

Time is running out! But there are still different ways to let the city know how you feel about having a casino in Toronto.

The last two community discussion will be held:

Thursday January 17
Scarborough Civic Centre Rotunda
150 Borough Drive
6:00 pm - 9:00 pm

Saturday January 19
Bluma Appel Salon at Reference Library
789 Yonge Street
1:00 pm - 4:00 pm

The city’s online feedback form must be submitted by Friday January 25, 2013.

You can find more information about ways to participate, as well as background information on the City of Toronto’s “Have Your Say” page.

CodeBlueTO deputation to Executive Committee of Toronto City Council

Mon, 10 Sep 2012 22:14:04 -0400

City Hall, Committee Room 1
September 10, 2012

Mayor Ford and Councillors, thank you.

Well, what a difference a year makes!

Today, the City of Toronto is back at the working table with its citizens, Waterfront Toronto and TRCA [Toronto and Region Conservation Authority] on the waterfront. This shows in the quality of the Staff Report and recommendations before this committee.

A year ago, CodeBlueTO came into existence as a virtual citizens’ watchdog of the city’s intentions in the Port Lands. We joined other citizens’ groups, landowners and users of the Port Lands to help move the Lower Don Lands forward from vision to solid planning and – hopefully soon – to reality.

CodeBlueTO supports the recommendations in this report. We are excited to move ahead with finalizing the Don Mouth Environmental Assessment and precinct planning within the terms of this report. We are convinced that realization of the Port Lands vision is beginning, and we are looking forward to specific next steps:

1. Work needs to begin on an overall Port Lands planning framework with full, transparent, public engagement to the high standard of Waterfront Toronto and this process. There is an overall planning document attached as an appendix to the Staff Report, but we think that it did not receive the rigorous public debate and engagement that the Lower Don Lands plans received, and it needs to be confirmed through similar public consultation. Precinct planning will need clear direction as to how transit, pedestrian and vehicle connections will be made to the rest of the city. And precinct developers and the public will need certainty on what will be planned in the precincts next door and how people will move about as development phases in.

2. The naturalization of the Don River and the financing and completion of the river’s connection through the River Precincts to the Lake need to be accelerated. These critical elements – the central features of the Lower Don Lands – cannot be left to the indefinite future. If financing and building the naturalized Don River is not made more certain, it cannot be said to be done, and the key to city-building is the district is indistinct.

3. We need clarity and commitment that all current and future revenues from leases, land sales and other development revenues in the Port Lands will be directed towards Port Lands revitalization and city-building.

Naturalization, a transparent planning regime going forward, and a commitment to expedient, excellent public transit connections will form the backbone of a full Port Lands planning framework that will provide certainty for the public, the private sector and future government players at all government levels.

Thank you. We will be watching and engaged.

After the deputations: the Executive Committee recommendations. These will be considered at the October 2 City Council meeting.

Our response to the Round 3 consultations about the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative

Thu, 07 Jun 2012 13:22:26 -0400

CodeBlueTO has a number of concerns, questions and comments about progress on the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative (PLAI) that we wish to express at this stage.

However, we first want to indicate our gratification that the PLAI review of the Environmental Assessment’s flood protection options has confirmed that the preferred alternative (4WS) continues to be the optimal approach to flood protection of the Port Lands – albeit with suggested realignments. We also recognize the value of the additional phasing and costing analysis, which has identified a potential strategy for staged implementation for flood protection and development. Although few details have been made available, it also appears that there is some optimism that the process will lead to concrete funding or financing strategies that can start to make the first steps of Port Lands revitalization feasible, even in these challenging economic times.

While important progress has been made on the business planning side of the initiative, we are concerned that the analysis is seriously underdeveloped in areas that are critical to the success of the PLAI – both for building broad support for the work in the short run, and for achieving the important city-building goals of the Central Waterfront Plan over the longer term. As a result, we have a number of questions, concerns and comments about the work that has been shared to date, as well as some specific suggestions as to what steps might be taken over the next phase.

1. Naturalization and River Design

… to establish and sustain the form, features, and functions of a natural river mouth within the context of a revitalized City environment while providing flood protection up to the Regulatory Flood.
— Terms of Reference: Goal of the Don Mouth Naturalization Project Environmental Assessment

NATURALIZATION: First, CodeBlueTO wants to stress thatnaturalizing the Don River in the Lower Don Lands is a separate and distinct issue from resolving the issue of flood protection for surrounding areas. Indeed, we know from the work on the West Don Lands Flood Protection Landform that the engineering requirements for flood protection can, in fact, stand in the way of habitat restoration.

No evaluation of naturalization potential for the realigned 4WS (4WSR) proposed by the PLAI has been provided. However, we feel that the proposal’s reduction of the size of the flood plain, combined with a reduction in the overall green space, will limit aquatic habitat value while also drastically reducing the potential terrestrial habitat value – unless the open space devoted to active recreation is severely curtailed, which no one would wish to see. Simply put, a naturalized Don River mouth with virtually no tree canopy would be a serious choke point for migration of neotropical passerine (perching) birds, the very birds that currently pass through. Even as compared to existing conditions in the Port Lands, such a revision could pose a negative effect on bird migration.

Members of CodeBlueTO are also very concerned that construction of a naturalized river mouth will have to wait until phases 4 and 5 of redevelopment, which requires waiting until the agreement with the adjacent landowner over use of the dock wall expires – i.e., until the adjacent landowner moves from its present location. This leaves us wondering whether a naturalized river mouth will be achieved in our lifetimes. Indeed, we wonder what the impact of dock wall uses will be on adjacent aquatic and terrestrial habitat in the interim.

Although an extended and detailed discussion of naturalization choices and strategies for the river mouth was an important part of the public consultation and technical work under the existing Environmental Assessment, there has been no similar discussion as part of the PLAI. It is essential that the specifics of naturalization be addressed as part of the current initiative. Each phase of development of the river and its related ecosystems – whether in three phases or in five – must include a specific commitment to naturalization. In other words, completing part of the overall naturalization plan should be a commitment in each phase of the development, with associated costs identified in the plan.

The recommendations that go forward must address how a naturalized river will be achieved – including technical details as to how a realigned 4WS will be designed and implemented in order to:

Optimize aquatic and terrestrial habitat;
Improve linkages between habitats;
Enhance biodiversity of aquatic and terrestrial species;
Accommodate future changes in the environment.
— Terms of Reference: Don Mouth Naturalization Project Environmental Assessment

This would require articulating a comprehensive definition of “naturalization” to determine whether or not modifications of existing plans for the Lower Don Lands conform to the EA’s requirements.

We recommend that a series of stakeholder workshops be convened over the next two months to evaluate the capability of a realigned 4WS to meet the naturalization goals set out in the EA Terms of Reference. These workshops should consider:

The options for terrestrial and aquatic habitat creation along the course of the realigned river mouth, The Don Greenway, and in upland areas;
The implications of proposed dock wall retention where the river meets the Lake; and,
Options for implementing naturalization components at each phase of development.

RIVER DESIGN: As was noted repeatedly in the stakeholder and public meetings, there is significant concern that, in optimizing for cost and development potential, the current river design has lost the “magic” and transformative power of the existing design by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA). There has been repeated criticism of the decision to reduce green space along the river course – moving it instead to mid-development blocks. There has been criticism of the river path itself, which appears to reproduce the same unnatural 90° turn as the Keating Channel. There are concerns that bringing the river out in its final stretch saves a few acres of development land at too great an expense to naturalization and place-making.

We believe a better result can and must be achieved from an urban design perspective. We are recommending that a design process be initiated immediately with stakeholder involvement from the outset to enhance the river design and integrate work from the naturalization workshops. We further recommend that the MVVA team be invited back to lead this design process, as they have already worked extensively with all of the parties, including community stakeholders, and have advanced knowledge of aspects of the relevant technical requirements. This process could start with an interactive planning event resembling the Don Greenway charrette, which provided a productive and creative opportunity for education, visioning and consensus building.

2. Transit

We share the concerns of many at the SAC/LUAC and public consultation meetings that planning for transit has not been adequately undertaken.

As the PLAI research has indicated, high quality rapid transit in the Lower Don Lands and Port Lands is essential to attract the kind of private sector investment that is necessary to achieve the City’s aspirations for economic revitalization. Creating quality of place through the provision of viable, rapid, high quality transportation is a critical necessity for creating livable new mixed-use neighbourhoods. In our view, a bus right-of-way – even as a stop-gap measure – does not constitute adequate planning for the area. The negative reaction of investors in East Bayfront to the failed delivery of the promised Queen’s Quay LRT should confirm this point.

As with plans for other infrastructure for the area, we expect that a detailed plan for funding and implementation of high-quality rapid transit – transit that can support the concentration of workers and residents projected for the area – will be included in the next round of public and stakeholder consultations.

3. Business Plan

A great deal of work has been accomplished on the business plan side of the PLAI. Many consultants have been retained to analyze infrastructure implementation and phasing costs, potential development pace, potential revenues, potential financing and funding mechanisms. The SAC/LUAC and public have been given a very high-level report on the results of this work, but the information received to date has tended to raise more questions than it has answered.

For example:

When comparing the PLAI realigned 4WS with the EA’s preferred course for the river, has there been an evaluation of whether the revised version improves or diminishes potential land value? Is there a loss of economic value to having development on only one side of Don Roadway and Commissioners Street?
Is a “main” street with retail at grade best served from an urban planning viewpoint by single loading it? Commissioners and the Don Roadway may not be envisioned as this kind of street but, if this is the case, what are the “main” streets?
Is there any reason why the EA preferred course could not have been phased in a way that is similar to the phasing being proposed for the realigned version?
Has naturalization along the river course and within the Don Greenway been included in the infrastructure costing? If so, what has that costing been based on?
How would the costs and phasing strategy change if some part of river naturalization were included in each development phase?
What and where is the land that is being reserved for a future “transformational” use?
Will it be recommended unequivocally that any revenues or development charges from the Port Lands will be reinvested in Port Lands infrastructure costs? How will those arrangements be secured? Will the arrangements include any kind of contribution towards the “River Precincts” and “River Mouth” phases of the flood protection?
Given fiscal constraints, does it make sense to rule out Tax Increment Financing and other value capture tools completely, when jurisdictions around the world have found ways to use such tools for sine qua non projects like transit-building?
And, of course, the big unanswered question: Where does the first instalment of funding come from?

Again, we are requesting that one or more technical briefings be conducted on the business plan issues to allow stakeholders to review the analysis in more detail and to explore questions about the analysis. We recommend that one briefing be held relatively soon to deal with questions coming out of the SAC/LUAC and public meeting, and that a second briefing be held toward the end of the summer to allow a more in depth discussion of the specific funding or financing recommendations.

4. Comprehensive Planning for the Port Lands

At the beginning of this process, it was understood that the PLAI was intended to look at the Port Lands as a whole – a goal that has had broad support from a public that did not want to see one-off developments approved without an overall road map in place.

To date, some very preliminary steps have been taken in the form of identifying possible planning precincts and articulating certain values – such as the Central Waterfront Plan “core principles” – that are intended to guide planning. But it seems fair to say that, so far, what has been shared with the public has been very rudimentary.

We are aware that implementing comprehensive planning for the whole Port Lands is a daunting task – particularly given that for much of the Port Lands, the development horizon is a long way off. At the same time, there is a need to move quickly to a greater level of specificity in areas that might be ripe for development. An example can be found in the film precinct, where private land owners / leasees have begun to put together precinct planning proposals on their own. There is a need to integrate that process with initiatives in other areas, such as South Riverdale, in order to seize every opportunity to create better connections between the Port Lands and the rest of Toronto.

We note that developments in the concrete campus area are in varying stages of approval. Vacancies on the Hearn site, the Lever site and Cascades site present large-scale immediate opportunities for public open space and transportation infrastructure. These projects need to have a bigger planning framework to establish promontories, pedestrian and cycling networks, and view corridors and to connect in with the longer-term plans for development and open space centred on Cherry Street. As well, a framework is required to formalize needed connection improvements at Cherry Street, Carlaw and Leslie. Such a framework will provide some certainty for employment uses that will continue to exist in order to secure well paying jobs in the Port Lands. They need buffers and safe passageways through to ensure compatibility with existing and future uses.

By the end of the PLAI, we expect to see a program for advancing high-level framework planning for the full Port Lands, with a specific time table for initiating precinct planning in key precincts. And, as with all waterfront planning and development processes, we expect confirmation that Waterfront Toronto will continue to be the planning, development, and implementation lead for the Port Lands.

CodeBlueTO would like to thank you for the opportunity to comment on this phase of the PLAI initiative.

≈

Friday June 8 is the deadline to submit responses to Round 3 of the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative. This is a chance to outline visions for the waterfront’s Port Lands district, and what our priorities should be there.

To find out how to send comments, please go to http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/.

In August, there will be a final public meeting about the PLAI before a report is submitted to City Council. Details to come.

Key background material:

Explore Projects: The Port Lands, Waterfront Toronto (web page)
Planning the Lower Don Lands, Waterfront Toronto (web page)
Making Waves: principles for building Toronto’s waterfront(summary), City of Toronto (PDF)
Port Lands Consultation, “your portal for learning about and participating in the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative”(PLAI website)
Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project, (PDF)
See option 4 of Table E-2. “Alternative Discharge Points and Descriptions” on Pg 13 (ES11), later named 4WS. This table offers comparisons with the other original options that were considered for the naturalized river mouth.

Matt Elliott: Build waterfront transit now – or pay later

Thu, 31 May 2012 09:28:16 -0400

Matt Elliott: Build waterfront transit now – or pay later:

Metro’s Matt Elliott raises a number of excellent points in his latest piece, Build waterfront transit now – or pay later:

Right now, most of the land Waterfront Toronto is responsible for developing is barren and empty.
As a result, construction workers can tear up streets without having to worry much about affecting sewage lines, gas and water – the complicated city infrastructure that can bog down similar projects. Building transit before developing the properties also means there won’t be many affected residents or businesses.
Delaying waterfront rapid transit infrastructure will only result in expensive headaches down the track.
Laying track on the eastern waterfront and into the port lands will never again be this cheap.
Compared to the billions of dollars Queen’s Park is spending to build needed light rail lines in North York, Etobicoke and Scarborough, the infrastructure needed to kickstart transit on the waterfront is a bargain.

If we wait until after redevelopment happens to tackle transit, we’ll end up paying far more for the exact same result. Even worse, these delays could threaten the viability of redevelopment in the first place.

After all, what would be the appeal of a new waterfront address for businesses and residents without solid transit connections?

CodeBlueTO agrees: adequate, early funding to build transit needs to be a priority as we move forward on the Port Lands.

Be a contender on the waterfront!

Mon, 28 May 2012 16:30:55 -0400

At Public Meeting #3 last Thursday, we learned that time has not run out for public consultation on the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative (PLAI). Instead, work is being extended, so another public meeting is going to be held sometime in August. CodeBlueTO will announce the date as soon as it is known. The PLAI project team has decided to delay submitting its report to council – from early June, as originally planned, to this September.

This means the people of this city can still have a say about what we want to see happen in the heart of the waterfront, at the mouth of the Don River.

If you weren’t able to attend the May 24 meeting, information is available online about what happened:

Be part of round #3 of the consultation process by commenting online.

THIS IS WHERE YOU CAN LET THE CITY KNOW WHAT YOU WANT:

Port Lands Consultation Feedback

There are two themes for this round:

Public response for this round will be closed JUNE 8.

CodeBlueTO is currently working on our own official response. We will make it public as soon as it is complete. In the meantime – as a guide to thinking about the issues at stake – you can take a look at the questions we asked before last week’s meeting:

Questions about the next steps for Toronto’s Port Lands

Fri, 18 May 2012 10:44:21 -0400

This is a critical time for our waterfront. On Thursday, May 24, the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative (PLAI) heads into its final public meeting before a report about the future of the area is submitted to Toronto’s City Council.

Members of CodeBlueTO want to share some of the questions that we feel the meeting should address. Please let us know if you feel there are other matters to consider. And speak up about what you’d like to see in the Port Lands. Details about how you can get involved and informed are included at the end of this document.

CodeBlueTO would like to acknowledge the value and importance of public involvement as Toronto moves forward. Together, we are shaping the future of our city. It is crucial that this evolution comes from the people of this city, and not just a few well-positioned players.

We are here to be heard.

Has the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative resulted in concrete strategies for acceleration?

Does this include acceleration of the naturalized river mouth and other key elements of public infrastructure such as transit?
Will all development be structured so as to secure appropriate and dedicated contributions to the cost of infrastructure, including flood protection, naturalization of the river mouth and transit?

Has the PLAI process added value to the City Council-approved plan for the Lower Don Lands?

Does the proposed amendment of the original, approved “4WS” treatment of the river course, green-way, and naturalization deliver a comparable or improved plan for public space?

How does the parkland component of the now-amended river mouth compare to the parkland in the approved plan?

Is there still a priority to ensure that parkland has a direct relationship with the river and lake?
What has been gained, from a public-use perspective?
Has anything been lost?
Will the award-winning MVVA team that developed the approved Lower Don Lands plan be invited back to work on any proposed modifications to the river naturalization and related green space?

Assuming that the revised 4WS model is recommended to Council, would this option require amendments to the Lower Don Lands Framework Plan? And, if so, will the City commit to incorporating the four core principles for building Toronto’s waterfront as set out in the Central Waterfront Plan? These include:

removing barriers and making connections;
building a spectacular network of waterfront parks and public spaces;
promoting a clean and green environment; and
creating dynamic and diverse new communities.

Is the proposed sequence of the phasing appropriate?

In what order should we protect south Riverdale, naturalize the mouth of the river or provide flood protection for the quays?
Is there anything about the phasing that could not be achieved under the approved Lower Don Lands Framework plan?

Has there been any significant attention paid to the Port Lands beyond the Lower Don Lands?

Will there be a transparent, public-oriented precinct planning process for areas such as Keating Channel East and the Pinewood studio precinct?
Will Waterfront Toronto be the lead in planning throughout the Port Lands?

Has the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative fully identified the costs and benefits of modification to the approved Lower Don Lands plan?

Has this process provided a clear comparison of the cost of flood protection under the City Council-approved Lower Don Lands plan and the proposed changes?
What are the net savings, and how significant is that saving in relation to the estimated total $2.5—$3 billion needed for infrastructure?
Does this cost saving make reclamation, naturalization and development of the Port Lands easier to finance and/or phase?
Is there a summary of the costs and benefits for both the original, approved 4WS plan and the proposed revised 4WS now being considered by the PLAI?
Do we run the risk of cheapening an iconic, award-winning design for a relatively insignificant practical benefit?

Has this process moved the infrastructure financing discussion ahead?

Have value capture methods such as TIFs, TIEGs or a Community Revitalization Levy been taken off the table?
If so, why – can we afford to ignore these as sources of revenue?
What is the status of thinking about site-specific development charges?
Has consideration been given to granting Waterfront Toronto the power to borrow and raise capital in other ways?
Will the financing structure include securing funds committed to completion of the naturalized river mouth?

What is the process going forward for approval of the Environmental Assessment by Ontario’s Minister of the Environment?

Will there be additional public consultations before the EA study recommendations are finalized?

The final public consultation meeting about the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative is:

Thursday, May 24
6:30pm – 9pm
Metro Toronto Convention Centre, North Building, Room 105, Constitution Hall, 255 Front Street West

May 24 is your chance to say what you want to see for the waterfront’s Port Lands district, and what our priorities should be there. If you are unable to attend this final meeting about the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative in person, you can also participate online: http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/.

Key background material:

Explore Projects: The Port Lands, Waterfront Toronto (web page)
Planning the Lower Don Lands, Waterfront Toronto (web page)
Making Waves: principles for building Toronto’s waterfront (summary), City of Toronto (PDF)
Port Lands Consultation, “your portal for learning about and participating in the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative”(PLAI website)
Environmental Assessment Executive Summary, Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project, (PDF)
See option 4 of Table E-2. “Alternative Discharge Points and Descriptions” on Pg 13 (ES11), later named 4WS. This table offers comparisons with the other original options that were considered for the naturalized river mouth.

RESCHEDULED final public Port Lands meeting May 24!

Thu, 03 May 2012 09:10:00 -0400

The date for this has been changed to Thursday, May 24. It will also be held in a different room than originally planned. This will be the last public meeting to discuss planning for the Lower Don Lands and the Port Lands before a written report is prepared and submitted to City Hall.

Date: Thursday, May 24
Time: 6:30 pm – 9 pm

Metro Toronto Convention Centre
North Building
Room 105, Constitution Hall
255 Front Street West

If you are unable to attend this final meeting about the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative in person, you can also participate online: http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca/.

CodeBlueTO will send out further information about our position on the plans in advance of the meeting. For late-breaking news and comments, follow the Twitter hash tag #CodeBlueTO. Specific to the Port Lands consultation process, follow #portlandsconsult.

Background material is also available through Waterfront Toronto:

http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/port_lands
http://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/explore_projects2/lower_don_lands

SUNDAY: Jane's Walk of the West Don Lands Parks and River Walk

Wed, 02 May 2012 10:53:48 -0400

SUNDAY: Jane's Walk of the West Don Lands Parks and River Walk:

Want to get a better sense of what a Waterfront Toronto project looks like? Please join the West Don Lands Committee this Sunday at 11 am as it guides you on a tour of the West Don Lands site. Meeting Place: 573 King St East, Southwest corner of King and St Lawrence Streets.

The tour includes: Toronto Community Housing and River City development sites; Lawren Harris Square; the intriguing and innovative Underpass Park; the stunningly beautiful Don River Park, and; the site that will be home to the Toronto 2015 Pan Am Games Athletes’ Village. This portion of the walk will be lead by James Roche, Director of Parks for Waterfront Toronto. Dogs are welcome but must be on a leash. This section of the walk is Fully Accessible.

Then we will take a short walk back up to the Queen St. bridge and take the staircase down to the path along the Don River. Our guide to the history, present and future of the river will be Mark Wilson, former chair of the Task Force to Bring Back the Don and current chair of Waterfront Toronto. We’ll be able to watch canoes in the annual Paddle the Don event as they and we approach our destination at the Keating Channel where refreshments will be available. The long staircase down to the river from Queen St. could present accessibility problems.

Check out this great video Ken Greenberg talks about the...

Fri, 13 Apr 2012 13:05:52 -0400

Check out this great video

Ken Greenberg talks about the balanced, beautiful vision being created for Toronto’s waterfront.

The video was produced by My City Lives and was first posted by Spacing Toronto.

Ken Greenberg is an architect and urban designer residing in Toronto. Instead of redevelopment, Greenberg believes in revitalization, and the protection of Waterfront’s historic identity. In the video, Greenberg addresses the importance of redefining the Waterfront neighbourhood in terms of ecology, economy, and society. Greenberg realizes that this community is in need of an integrated set of solutions, that involves creating local shopping spots, schools, playgrounds, and other locations that can shape Waterfront into a real community.

Hey Toronto! Your Feedback on the Port Lands is Needed!

Wed, 11 Apr 2012 11:26:00 -0400

You have until April 15 (yes, that’s this Sunday) to comment online or by email about the work done to date for the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative.

Why? Because, as we explain below:

Accelerating development on the Port Lands isn’t possible.
Prime parkland is at risk.
Flood protection should not be compromised.
Naturalizing the Don River might well be set aside.
The integrity of the Environmental Assessment is now in question.
What kind of catalyst will “spur development”?

Maybe you thought debate about the future of the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project and development of the Port Lands was resolved last fall. What really happened was that a review process – the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative – was started. The review has been underway for several months and final recommendations are going to City Council in July.

There are lots of questions to be asked about just where the Acceleration Initiative is going. Here are just a few of the things that concern CodeBlueTO:

1. Accelerating development on the Port Lands isn’t possible. We’re happy that the review’s “market soundings” have confirmed there’s only so much development on the Port Lands that the market can absorb at any given time. As CodeBlueTO always maintained, it is not wise to expect that a site as large as the Port Lands can be developed within a decade – nor is it possible. (See slide 15 in this presentation to see how big the Port Lands actually is.) In fact, the development of the Port Lands will take decades to complete. That’s why the Port Lands need a well-planned, sequential planning and development process informed by an overall vision – and by high-quality public consultation. This is the kind of process that Waterfront Toronto has used so far in all its projects.

2. Prime parkland is at risk. The “revised” plan for the Don River realignment removes approximately 40 acres of prime public parkland as it was positioned in the council-approved plan. Again, a reminder: this original plan went through years of public input, public consultation, and expert design that won several awards of excellence, in Canada and around the world. Prime parkland next to the river and the lake cannot be substituted with parkettes scattered throughout the interior of the Port Lands.

Here’s a great comparison of the original, approved Lower Don Lands plan and the new proposal from the Globe and Mail.
And check out the Lower Don Lands image gallery for more views.

3. Flood protection cannot be compromised. The consultants have determined that flood protection can be done in stages, through a phased plan for building the new Lower Don Lands and Don River Mouth (see slides 17-22 in this presentation). But the phasing plan could leave residents and businesses in South Riverdale unprotected for a number of years, since the greenway and berm are only built in phase 2. And it could also mean that naturalization of the mouth of the Don River never gets done – after phase 2 is built, the impetus to getting the rest accomplished may well wane. Comments made during one of the public meetings by a Waterfront Toronto official indicate that phasing could cost 50-100% more than if the entire Don Mouth Naturalization and Flood Protection project is built all at once.

Flood protection for South Riverdale is long overdue. Flood protection is the key that unlocks the ability to develop the Port Lands. The political will must be found to get the job done. And done properly.

4. Naturalizing the Don River might well be set aside. The original plan for revitalizing and naturalizing the new Don River contemplated a 10- to 20-year timeframe (after the funding is found). Now, with the new phasing plan, it’s unclear how long, if ever, it will take before the Don River actually becomes a proper river again. It’s not until Phase 5 of the plan that the mouth of the river emerges. Until then, we are left with a greenway that can channel storm water when needed, and a river mouth that empties into a shipping slip.

In regards to the reconfiguration for the Don River, CodeBlueTO believes that what is now identified as phases 3, 4, and 5 should in fact be approached as one cycle from beginning to end, ensuring that the Don River is built to meet Lake Ontario.

5. The integrity of the Environmental Assessment is now in question. The changes to the originally approved 4WS realignment for the Don River (see this presentation) might well be more than “tweaks.” We wonder whether losing 40 acres of prime parkland conforms to the requirement for “city building” in the original Environmental Assessment (EA). We also wonder whether having the river enter the lake through a narrow green space with no surrounding wetlands or transitional areas conforms to the requirement for “naturalization.” And we wonder whether delays to flood protection meet the terms of the EA. We wonder if this new plan has to go back through another Environmental Assessment for its findings to be valid.

6. What kind of catalyst will “spur development”? There’s been lots of talk of creating a “catalytic development” that would act as the springboard to developing significant portions of the Port Lands. Some kind of major project that would bring all levels of government together with the private sector to get the job done, and done quickly.

CodeBlueTO would like to remind the City that a catalyst has already been found: the approved plan for revitalizing and naturalizing the Don River was supposed to spur development on the Port Lands. And Waterfront Toronto is configured to make this happen: with all three levels of government working together through an agency dedicated to ongoing public consultation, with the mandate to attract private sector interest in developing the city’s long-neglected Central Waterfront.

During this latest round of discussions, CodeBlueTO members have heard about the Port Lands possibly featuring a major shopping complex, or big box stores (see slide 9 here), or maybe a casino that acts as an anchor for a “golden mile” – an entertainment district on the waterfront. It is our belief that any catalyst for development can only be developed based on the direction of the people of Toronto, created through a transparent public process. It can’t be imposed by outside interests – whether they be developers, the provincial or municipal government, or from any other party insisting on shaping the Port Lands without hearing from Torontonians first.

CodeBlueTO also wonders – and we hope you do too – if the slight cost savings ($175 million in a total revitalization budget of $2.5 to $3 billion) is worth minimizing the original vision for the Lower Don Lands and the Don Mouth naturalization project. We know many of you will agree that losing 40 acres of prime parkland, increasing the size of the development lands, unnecessarily delaying flood protection, and putting off naturalizing the Don River aren’t what Torontonians expect for their waterfront.

We want you to be heard during this process. It’s very important that the voice of the people of Toronto is heard on what we want for the future of this jewel on the waterfront.

BE HEARD! Your comments are needed by April 15 for this second round of the Port Lands Consultation.

CONTACT:
Online: https://portlandsconsultation.ideascale.com/
Email: info@portlandsconsultation.ca
Fax: 416 572 3736
Mail: Neutral Community Facilitator’s Office, 720 Bathurst Street, Suite 308, Toronto, Ontario, M5S 2R4
Phone: 647 723 6648

And stay engaged – the final public meeting is scheduled to be held some time in late May.

FOR MORE INFORMATION:

Get more details from the Acceleration Initiative information open houses and feedback workshops.

Information about the Port Lands, Lower Don Lands, and Don Mouth projects:

Waterfront Toronto Port Lands – Waterfront Toronto
Lower Don Lands Planning - Waterfront Toronto
Mouth of the Don River - Waterfront Toronto
Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project - Toronto and Region Conservation Authority

Check these recent media stories:

Proposed revisions to Lower Don Lands plan risks repeating mistakes that created Toronto’s infamous wall of condos, by Ken Greenberg in the Toronto Star
On the waterfront: Swapping green space for development lands a lousy trade, by Matt Elliott in Metro
Doug Ford and the Port Lands: That sinking feeling, by Christopher Hume in the Toronto Star

CodeBlueTO is a coalition of individuals, organizations, and groups who have come together in the shared belief that Toronto’s waterfront should be revitalized in the most beautiful, ecologically sensitive, and financially astute ways possible, using processes that are transparent and engage the broader community.

Answers to Important Questions About Port Lands Acceleration

Thu, 16 Feb 2012 09:10:06 -0500

After the December 12 public meeting on the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, a CodeBlueTO member sent a number of questions to Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, and the TRCA looking for clarification on some very important aspects of the project. We’ve just received these responses:

Q: The status of the findings and conclusions of the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project needs clarification.

A: With respect to the current status of the Don Mouth Environmental Assessment (EA), the Ministry of Environment has agreed to the request from the City, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Waterfront Toronto for a pause to September 30, 2012. The pause was requested to enable the Council endorsed review process to further examine the options under the EA and to fully cost them.

Q: The preamble to the documents for the meeting uses the phrase “further options”. What does this mean?

A: The council approved protocol signed off by Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and Toronto Port Lands Company, directs that the parties “further examine the options for the Don Mouth EA and the Lower Don Lands to ensure that the plan, or any options to the plan are accurately costed, funded and consistent with the Terms of Reference for the Don Mouth EA and will look also at possible economic models” to deliver on those options. The review process is currently doing that – reviewing the options under the EA consistent with Terms of Reference. The review of the “options” outlined in the current EA will be informed by costing and economic analysis from the business and implementation plan currently being developed as part of the review.

Q: Will the current exercise produce proposals for different routes for the river or for different interpretations of the meaning of “naturalization” with different proportions of the site being given to marsh, green space, etc.?

A: The review is looking at optimization of the alternatives in the EA. Any optimization / tweaking to the alignments of the river options will be consistent with the Terms of Reference of the EA (as outlined in the signed protocol); i.e. 1. Naturalization of the Don Mouth 2. City Building and 3. Flood protection in a valley.

Q: If sites outside the flood protection zone are to undergo “accelerated development” will this be conditional on first producing a master plan for the whole port lands, especially for the routing of roads, utilities and other infrastructure? If this is not the case, the danger exists of servicing for a quickly-developed site being in the way of ideal overall development in the long term. (Toronto would presumably not have built the Gardiner Expressway if the current waterfront revitalization had been imagined in the 1950s.) Does this exercise threaten long-term optimal development by permitting short-sighted installation of roads and other infrastructure to support development of isolated sites?

A: The objective of the review over the next several months is to deliver an integrated report on methods to accelerate development of the Port Lands. At this time, any accelerated development would occur in such a manner as to not preclude an integrated and comprehensive approach to infrastructure development.

Q: What will be the status of the report of the financial consultants soon to be engaged?

A: There will be opportunity for the public to offer feedback on this report. Our intent is to ensure that any report to council will have broad public input. The report and analysis contained within it will be an important component of any City Staff report that does go to council. The Financial Consultants have been chosen and include Scotia Capital, Cushman Wakefield, and Urban Strategies. Their scope of work is to deliver a report on how to accelerate the development/financing of the Port Lands while adhering to the protocol and the terms of reference for the Don Mouth EA.

Q: If they recommend other means of financing the public realm, including the renaturalization of the river and the infrastructure plans in the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project, will these be adopted in place of accelerated development of other sites or will they be shelved as politically unacceptable?

A: One of the key objectives of this review is to identify financial tools to finance the infrastructure needs of the Port Lands so development can occur and potentially, be accelerated. This includes financing for flood protection as well as other required servicing if indeed the entire Port Lands are to be unlocked for development.

Q:Are the three governments involved prepared to make any necessary administrative or legislated adjustments if the consultants find that Waterfront Toronto should be given authority to borrow or for Waterfront Toronto or some other authority to issue bonds or for the city to use Tax Increment Financing?

A: It is premature to presuppose the outcome of the review and what the governments might do in response. Notwithstanding, if the report recommends the use of a mix of innovative financing tools that would help meet the objectives of acceleration we would hope governments would consider the appropriate governance, legislative and regulatory changes necessary to ensure the timely implementation and revitalization of the Port Lands and Lower Don Lands.

First SAC Meeting on Port Lands Acceleration

Mon, 13 Feb 2012 11:45:48 -0500

The Port Lands Acceleration Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) held its first meeting on February 1, 2012, and CodeBlueTO was there.

Representatives from 35 of the 39 member groups were in attendance, and each of us were given the opportunity to introduce ourselves and the groups we represent. We were told that the selection of SAC groups was done in order to achieve the following balance of representation:

One third community / resident groups, including several umbrella groups, representing areas not only in the vicinity of the Port Lands but from across the city;
One third business groups and industry associations, representing construction, real estate, film, small business, and others; and,
One third “other” groups, including groups concerned about issues as varied as the environment, transit and transportation, youth, parks, cycling, etc.

We were also told that there is also a separate advisory group made up of landowners and leaseholders in the Port Lands. They have an observer attending SAC meetings, and SAC will have an observer at their meetings.

As posted previously, the Terms of Reference for the SAC can be found here.

After SAC member introductions, the meeting started with John Campbell, CEO of Waterfront Toronto, and John Livey, Deputy City Manager at the City of Toronto, welcoming participants and providing their perspectives on the job at hand.

Campbell highlighted the work of Waterfront Toronto generally, and on the Lower Don Lands and Port Lands more specifically. He noted Waterfront Toronto’s development approach to date – i.e., phasing development west to east based on what the market can absorb, strategic public investment in infrastructure, and a master plan that provides development certainty and guides implementation. He also noted that the work of Waterfront Toronto is guided by the City’s Official Plan and Secondary Plan for the Central Waterfront, and that the existing planning framework for the Lower Don Lands and the Port Lands includes the Don Mouth Naturalization and Flood Protection Project Environmental Assessment (see more below). In addition, he reminded SAC members that finding the funding to prepare the Port Lands for development has long been a problem. Waterfront Toronto has understood for many years that the original $1.5 billion in seed money from the municipal, provincial, and federal governments would not cover the costs of the Lower Don project.

Livey’s comments focused primarily on funding for the existing Lower Don Lands plan. He stressed that no public funding is currently designated for the plan, and that the current estimate of $634 million to build the new mouth of the Don River is only about one-third of what will be needed to revitalize the entire Lower Don Lands area. He estimated that up to $2 billion will be needed to cover all aspects of infrastructure provision that will be necessary, including transit, sewers, water, soil remediation, etc. He also stressed the importance of looking for private investment to help pay for whatever happens in the Port Lands.

Campbell and Livey are two of the three co-chairs of the Executive Steering Committee for the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative – the third is Brian Denney, Chief Administrative Officer of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA). The TRCA was, along with Waterfront Toronto, a proponent of the Environmental Assessment for Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project. Through this Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, the City of Toronto has been added as a third proponent.

The Environmental Assessment identified one preferred option for naturalizing the mouth of the Don River, protecting against flooding in the Port Lands (and thereby opening up the lands to further development), and city building efforts.

Information about the project as a whole is here.

Christopher Glaisek, Waterfront Toronto’s VP of Planning and Design, gave an overview of Port Lands Planning and the Lower Don Framework Plan. Glaisek drew attention to high-level studies for the Port Lands, including the 2005 Port Lands Implementation Strategy and the 2008 Waterfront Community Improvement Plan. He noted that, within the Port Lands, plans for the Lower Don area are much more fully developed. Planning for the Keating precinct, just north of Keating Channel, has been completed through the Precinct Plan stage (i.e., all four stages of the Municipal Planning Environmental Assessment are complete). Planning for the Lower Don Lands proper, just south of the Keating Channel and north of the Shipping Channel, involves the complete Don Mouth Environmental Assessment (which was “paused” by Waterfront Toronto and the TRCA at the request of the City of Toronto) as well as the Lower Don infrastructure plans, which are complete through stage 2 of the 4 stages of the full Municipal Planning Environmental Assessment.

David Kusturin is Waterfront Toronto’s Chief Operating Officer and the Project Executive of the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative (i.e., he reports to the Executive Steering Committee and oversees the work of the project’s Working Groups and consultants). He spoke next, describing the six Working Groups that have been set up to undertake different aspects of the work involved. The Working Groups and their various public members are:

River Design and Constructability – City of Toronto, Waterfront Toronto, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Toronto Port Lands Corporation, Toronto Port Authority
Planning and Infrastructure – City, WT, TRCA, TPLC, TPA, TTC, Utilities
Business / Financing Implementation Plan – City, WT, TRCA, TPLC, TPA, provincial Ministry of Infrastructure
Governance – City, WT
Public Consultation and Communication – City, WT, TRCA
Project Management – City, WT

A number of consultants have been hired through competitive RFP processes to undertake various parts of the work of these six Working Groups:

Market soundings (i.e., what the market will realistically bear in terms of development) – PriceWaterhouse Coopers.
Development, economic analysis and finance – Cushman & Wakefield, Scotia Capital and Urban Strategies.
Facilitation – LURA and SWERHUN.
Constructability (i.e., heavy civil / construction) – AECON.
Urban planning, infrastructure engineering, and urban design – not yet hired.
Cost consultanting – Hanscombe.
Legal – Goodmans

Joe Berridge of Urban Strategies is coordinating the work of the consultants.

Note that a staff report went forward to the City of Toronto Executive Committee on January 24 that outlines the Working Groups and the work of the consultants, as well as the cost of the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative.

We were told that the EA itself will be reviewed focusing on the current preferred option and the other options to determine if there are ways to phase or stage the Lower Don Lands / Don Mouth project to free up parts for early implementation, and what these changes would generate in economic terms.

The outcome of all the work being done by the Working Groups and consultants will be a number of reports – on market economics, technical studies of land use, infrastructure, the Lower Don Lands Environmental Assessment, constructability, and a business and implementation plan. We have been told that the SAC will be given the opportunity to review these reports and comment on their methods and conclusions.

After all the presentations were complete, a number of SAC members were able to ask questions. CodeBlueTO asked if anyone in the room was able to provide a clear “problem statement” – i.e., what problem the Acceleration Initiative is intended to resolve and what are all of us who are working on it intended to accomplish? John Campbell’s response focused on undertaking the task of making the Don Mouth project doable, whereas John Livey’s response focused on finding the funds to get the project done.

Two very important issues were made clear at the meeting:

The Port Lands Acceleration Initiative is just that – an initiative investigating how to accelerate development on the entire Port Lands. In other words, it encompasses much more than the Lower Don Lands area and so various other parts of the Port Lands may be looked to to provide developable opportunities that would assist in moving the Lower Don Lands / Don Mouth project forward.
Financing may be the issue that is up for the most debate and review in this process. The lack of public funding for the Lower Don Lands / Don Mouth project, the need to explore alternate financing tools, and a desire to involve the private sector more heavily in what is a model that relies on public sector funding of “green infrastructure” (like Don Mouth renaturalization) to spur private investment in surrounding

The SAC will meet twice (Feb 29 and Mar 21) before the next Public Meeting, which has not yet been scheduled but is expected to take place at the end of March. The next meeting will review the market soundings and analysis.

Port Lands Acceleration Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC)

Tue, 31 Jan 2012 20:04:00 -0500

Last week, CodeBlueTO got an email confirming that we have been selected to join the Port Lands Acceleration Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) – see the email below and terms of reference that follow.

SAC is expected to provide feedback on ideas for speeding up development in the Port Lands, as well as on any new ideas for land use and flood protection the Lower Don Lands.

As you know, the Acceleration Initiative arose as a compromise at a Toronto City Council meeting held this past September. The Initiative was discussed briefly at the public meeting held December 12 by Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto. But what the Initiative is intended to achieve is still not well understood.

The first SAC meeting is tomorrow – February 1. We’ll be posting information here on the website and sending emails through our email list, to let you know what was discussed and what the work of the SAC will actually entail.

You can also check the official Port Lands Consultation website, which is at http://www.portlandsconsultation.ca, for information.

Our major concern is to make sure that this process unfolds in a way that is transparent and accountable.

We want to ensure that the Acceleration Initiative does not discard the years of work and millions of dollars that have already been invested into the Lower Don Lands Plan.

And we want to make sure that the principles of the existing Environmental Assessment - which include flood proofing the Port Lands and South Riverdale, renaturalizing the mouth of the Don River, and city building - are not lost.

We will also work to ensure that all Torontonians have the opportunity to know about the work of SAC and all elements of the Acceleration Initiative.

- CodeBlueTO

The email follows below:

“Welcome to the Port Lands Acceleration Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC).

Having received responses from the majority of SAC members, we can now confirm that the first SAC meeting will be held on Wednesday February 1^st.

We received over 80 applications to the SAC and the final membership will reflect about half that number. Many SAC members are umbrella organizations that represent much larger constituencies. There has been some interest in bringing more than one representative from an organization to SAC meetings and/or bringing observers - unfortunately we will not be able to accommodate these requests. There are two key reasons for this:

Firstly, Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto worked hard to ensure the SAC membership reflected a range and balance of interests in the Port Lands - both locally and from across the city - and believe the SAC membership reflects an excellent cross section of organizations for a focused discussion of key issues related to the Port Acceleration Initiative.

Secondly we need to keep the SAC membership small enough to ensure a meaningful opportunity for a rich dialogue involving all participants at SAC meetings. There are several mechanisms that we encourage non-SAC members to use to stay connected to the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, including the remaining rounds of public consultation, the project website (portlandsconsultation.ca), and through updates from SAC members to their respective constituencies.

Please see the attached Terms of Reference that will guide the SAC’s work. The SAC membership list and the agenda for our kick-off meeting next week will follow prior to the meeting.”

The Port Lands Acceleration Initiative Stakeholder Advisory Committee

TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Purpose of the SAC Terms of Reference

This document outlines the role of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) for the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, and includes guidelines for how the SAC will operate and when meetings will take place. This document may be amended as the project progresses. Any amendments to the Terms of Reference (TOR) will be done in consultation with the Project Team and SAC members.

2. Mandate

The mandate of the Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) is to provide a forum for feedback, guidance and advice to the Project Team at key points during the public consultation process. The SAC will be a non-political advisory committee. Specifically, the role of the SAC is to:

Act as a sounding board for the Project Team to share and discuss ideas and findings;
Provide guidance, critiques and suggestions on proposed study approaches, concepts and materials (including materials to be presented at public meetings);
Provide a sense of the broader community’s reactions and concerns and explore how these might be addressed;
Communicate the perspectives of members’ organizations and constituencies at SAC meetings, and SAC discussions back to members’ organizations and constituencies; and
Provide feedback on any other relevant matters that the Project Team refers to the SAC for comment.

3. Project Overview

At its September 21, 2011 meeting, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted a protocol for the review of development opportunities in the Port Lands. This work is in keeping with the tri-government approach to revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront, and is based on the following key points:

Looking at new ideas for development and opportunities to accelerate progress in the Port Lands;
Ensuring a robust and comprehensive public consultation process; and
Acknowledging that the Port Lands represent an opportunity for Toronto to create one of the world’s great waterfronts.

Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority are working together to create a development and implementation plan for accelerating development in the Port Lands. This work includes:

Further examining options for the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Environmental Assessment (EA) within the EA’s terms of reference;
Identifying financial and policy tools, incentives, and delivery mechanisms that may enable development and offset or reduce the initial public sector investment for required infrastructure;
Exploring opportunities to increase private sector investment; and
Ensuring that the plan contributes to city-building and delivers a great waterfront, consistent with the standard set in the designated waterfront area.

While the Initiative will build on the large body of work produced to date on the Port Lands and Lower Don Lands, it will also take a fresh and wide-ranging look at potential challenges and opportunities in accelerating development in the Port Lands.

Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and several other agencies have already commenced work on developing an approach to completing the development and implementation plan for accelerating development in the Port Lands. A series of technical working groups have been set up to examine key issues including land use and design, infrastructure and constructability, and real estate development and financing. These technical working groups will be assisted by experts retained through competitive procurement processes and with advice from civic leaders in fields such as urban planning and design, real estate development, economic development and investment.

4. SAC Work Plan

The Project Team has planned for up to six meetings with the SAC over a period of about 6 months. Several of these meetings may be planned as workshops, providing additional time for more in depth discussions and feedback. In addition, SAC members may be invited to review and comment on presentation materials in advance of public consultation events.

5. Membership

The SAC is composed of approximately 40 interested and affected stakeholder organizations representing a balance of geographic and sectoral interests (applications from individuals were not considered). The SAC is not intended to address specific property issues or concerns and consultations with Port Lands area landowners, leasees, and port users will be undertaken separately by the Project Team.

The SAC is comprised of stakeholder representatives from the following sectors:

Business and Economics sector – having an economic or business interest.
Community sector – involvement in neighbourhood, resident or community associations.
Other sectors – involvement in other organizations that advocate on behalf of other interests that may be impacted by the development of the Port Lands.

6. Term of Membership

Membership in the SAC is for the duration of the project (approximately 6 months) coinciding with the commitment to report to City Council in June 2012.

7. Decision Making

As an advisory committee, the SAC will operate using a consensus-based approach, where members seek general agreement on guidance and advice to the Project Team. A consensus-based approach is where participants openly discuss ideas, perspectives and viewpoints, and seek to develop common ground and narrow areas of disagreement to the best of their ability. Where differing viewpoints and opinions exist, these will be documented in the SAC meeting notes.

8. Roles and Responsibilities

The SAC reports its advice and recommendations to Waterfront Toronto, City of Toronto and the Project Team with the assistance of an independent facilitator.

SAC members will:

Advise the Project Team of their organization’s/community’s/constituency’s perspectives relating to this project;
Provide advice, feedback and perspectives on proposals/reports tabled by the Project Team, SAC members, or others;
Help the SAC operate effectively by offering suggestions and alternatives to issues, concerns and problems;
Attempt to anticipate potential problems and offer options for resolving them;
Communicate SAC discussions back to members’ organizations and constituencies;
Review all relevant project materials and provide feedback, advice and perspectives;
Attend the SAC meetings whenever possible; and
Review the results of SAC discussions to ensure the meetings are accurately recorded in the meeting records, or in additional reports that members may determine are needed.

Project team members from Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto, the TRCA, and other participating agencies will:

Strive to provide accurate, understandable information to SAC members, such that they can contribute informed advice and recommendations;
Help the SAC function effectively by providing information, suggestions and alternatives to issues, concerns and problems being discussed;
Ensure that appropriate Project Team representatives (or other resource people) are present at discussions on specific issues or components of the process;
Listen carefully to the advice and perspectives of members and, where feasible, incorporate advice into the Initiative; and
Provide material for review in advance of SAC meetings where possible.

The independent facilitation team will:

Provide facilitation and secretariat services for SAC meetings;
Develop meeting agendas in consultation with the Project Team and the SAC;
Facilitate SAC meetings;
Keep a record of SAC discussions and prepare meeting records; and
Post summary reports of each SAC meeting on the project website.

Secretariat services will include organizing SAC meetings, distributing meeting notices and materials, and SAC contact list management. The point of contact for all SAC correspondence is:

Alex Heath

SWERHUN | Facilitation & Decision Support

720 Bathurst Street, Suite 308

Toronto, ON M5S 2R4

Website: www.portlandsconsultation.ca

9. Meeting Management, Agendas and Reporting

The following procedures will be used in convening meetings of the SAC:

Meetings will be scheduled at the start of the SAC process, and subject to confirmation based on the Acceleration Initiative schedule. The Independent Facilitator may convene additional meetings, or postpone scheduled meetings at the request of the Project Team or members of the SAC, upon approval from the Project Team.

Meetings will generally be held in the early evening, with a duration of 2-3 hours. If more discussion time is required (such as for a workshop), members may consider holding a weekend or extended daytime session.

In consultation with the SAC and Project Team, the Facilitator will develop the SAC agendas and coordinate accompanying materials to be distributed prior to each meeting.

SAC members will be consulted on agenda items for future meetings at the conclusion of each SAC meeting.

The Facilitator will prepare draft and final summary reports from SAC meetings, including action items. Meeting reports will be prepared within one week of each meeting for review and finalization by the SAC. Once finalized, the summary reports will be made publicly available on the project website.

SAC meetings will generally take place at Waterfront Toronto’s office at 20 Bay Street, Suite 1310. However, meeting locations may vary depending on the size and composition of the SAC. Flexibility will be maintained and SAC members will be consulted on meeting locations. To the extent possible, meeting locations will be accessible by public transit.

10. Advisors and Experts

The SAC may wish to invite or request additional advisors, experts or members of the Project Team to attend at various points during the Initiative. Considerations will be given to each request by Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto and will be subject to timing, availability and budget considerations.

11. Resources

On behalf of the co-proponents for the project, Waterfront Toronto will provide the resources needed to support operation of the SAC, including: facilitation and secretarial support; meeting venue and refreshments; and meeting materials and supplies.

12. Reporting Relationship

The SAC is acting in an advisory capacity to the Project Team, and is not responsible for the decisions made by the Project Team or their boards or City Council. By participating as members of the SAC, members are not expected to waive their rights to participate in the democratic process, and may continue to participate through other channels.

13. Media Contact

Individual SAC members’ opinions are not necessarily representative of the views of the entire SAC. In the event that individual SAC members receive media enquiries, such inquiries should be referred to

Michelle Noble, Director of Communications and Marketing, Waterfront Toronto or Wynna Brown, Manager of Media Relations and Issues Management.

14. Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy

Please note that all information will be used in accordance with the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act and the Access to Information Act. With the exception of personal information, all information provided through the SAC process will form part of the public record including the names of SAC member organizations.

Help Shape the Future of the Port Lands – December 12th Public meeting

Mon, 05 Dec 2011 15:54:00 -0500

From Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto:

Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto are working on a development and implementation plan to accelerate revitalization of the Port Lands, and want the public to be part of the process. We are interested in hearing your views and want to keep you informed as we create a go-forward plan for accelerating development and maximizing the value of the Port Lands as a city legacy.

Please join us for the first public meeting on:

Date:
Monday, December 12, 2011

Location:
Toronto Reference Library, 789 Yonge Street
Bram & Bluma Appel Salon, 2nd floor

Time:
6:30pm to 9:00pm

The meeting will include a summary of the process and goals for the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative, and will invite members of the public to ask questions and discuss their ideas for the Port Lands.

For more information, please visit www.waterfrontoronto.ca or contact info@waterfrontoronto.ca or 416-214-1344 ext. 248.

On Wednesday, City Council voted unanimously to pass a motion...

Thu, 22 Sep 2011 08:44:34 -0400

On Wednesday, City Council voted unanimously to pass a motion that reaffirms Waterfront Toronto’s role and plan on our waterfront. The consensus is consistent with the three-point statement released by CodeBlueTO over the weekend.

Thank you Toronto for standing up and making your voice heard - calling councillors, signing the petition, and spreading the word. Over 7,300 signatures were presented by Councillors Fletcher and McConnell at City Council. Councillor after Councillor spoke and reflected on the thousands of Torontonians that contacted them and told them to stay the course.

We’ve passed this hurdle, but we must remain vigilant. We, the people of Toronto, are the guardians to the future success of our waterfront.

Stay tuned.

News Roundup

http://www.thestar.com/opinion/editorials/article/1057614—waterfront-saved-by-an-energized-public
http://www.thestar.com/news/article/1057658
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/21/how-exactly-did-the-consensus-on-the-port-lands-happen/
http://www.citytv.com/toronto/citynews/topic/the_big_story/article/155905—council-reaffirms-waterfront-toronto-as-port-lands-lead-agency
http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/toronto/story/2011/09/21/toronto-waterfront-compromise.html
http://www.nowtoronto.com/daily/news/story.cfm?content=182804
http://toronto.ctv.ca/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20110921/agreement-waterfront-toronto-ford-administration-110921/20110921/?hub=TorontoNewHome
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/national/toronto/toronto-mayor-casts-port-lands-retreat-as-a-victory-for-all/article2175053/
http://www.thestar.com/news/torontocouncil/article/1057465—applause-as-port-lands-plan-passes-unanimously?bn=1
http://news.nationalpost.com/2011/09/21/quote-of-the-day-rob-ford-says-hes-no-bully/
http://toronto.openfile.ca/blog/curator-blog/curated-news/2011/waterfront-toronto-wins-day-unanimous-vote
http://theclamshell.blogspot.com/2011/09/port-lands-timeline.html
http://fordfortoronto.mattelliott.ca/

City Council Meeting: Wednesday @ 9:30 a.m.

Tue, 20 Sep 2011 20:17:10 -0400

There have been reports tonight that have #CodeBlueTO optimistic ahead of tomorrow’s City Council meeting. Here’s a wrap up of stories reporting on a potential “consensus” on the issue:

The Star: Ford gives up goal of seizing Port Lands

Toronto Sun: ‘Consensus’ reached on Port Lands revitalization

The item is still scheduled to be debated and voted on by City Council tomorrow. The meeting starts at 9:30 a.m. The item could be debated as the Mayor’s Key Item, which would be considered at the very beginning of the meeting, it could become a timed item, or it could proceed in its current place in the agenda.

Stay tuned to the meeting monitor at http://www.toronto.ca/council to track them item (EX9.6) or @CodeBlueTO on Twitter or updates on the website once we know when the item will be considered.

We encourage everyone to come out to Council tomorrow, wear blue!

Thank you again, Toronto, for taking the time to sign the petition. We beat our original target of...

Mon, 19 Sep 2011 15:15:00 -0400

Thank you again, Toronto, for taking the time to sign the petition. We beat our original target of 2,500 in just 6 days and we’ve now doubled that just four days later! Toronto has spoken loud and clear in opposition to back room attempts to undermine the Lower Don Lands Plan and threaten the leadership of Waterfront Toronto.

However, despite the concerns of thousands of Torontonians like you, we are not assured of victory.

This Wednesday - only two days from now - Council will be voting on the motion from Executive Committee. That motion would sever the City’s relationship with Waterfront Toronto and hand all of the Port Lands to the Toronto Port Lands Company. This would let a small number of Councillors direct development on the waterfront and sell off the Port Lands – and our waterfront’s future – at fire-sale prices to plug their budget hole.

We can’t let this happen.

We know negotiations are underway to make a deal that would let Council move forward from this debacle. We agree a solution has to be found. But it can’t come at the expense of the principles that lie at the heart of good waterfront development. Yesterday, CodeBlueTo sent an email to the Mayor and Council saying three principles cannot be compromised and must be defended. You can see what we wrote to them here.

Now we’re asking for your support one more time:

write an email to the Mayor and Council telling them not to compromise our waterfront (contact information)
share the news – call friends and neighbours, send out emails, post on Facebook, tweet about it … get others to sign our petition and let them know what’s going on at City Hall this week!
come to Council on Wednesday to bear witness and show Councillors that Toronto is watching

Supportive Councillors are working to ensure that the waterfront item comes before Council at a time when many of us can be there. Some of us will be in the main Council Chambers when the meeting begins at 9:30 am. We will use Twitter and the website to broadcast details about the timing for discussion regarding the future of the Port Lands. If you’d like to come to City Hall Wednesday and want to know what time to come, check the #CodeBlueTO stream on Twitter.

It’s OUR waterfront. Let’s tell Council who’s boss.

RELEASE - CodeBlueTO statement: "Don't compromise our waterfront!"

Sun, 18 Sep 2011 11:46:49 -0400

Since the Executive Committee agenda was posted on August 26th, CodeBlueTO, representing a coalition of community groups and citizens concerned about the future of Toronto’s waterfront, has opposed any measure to undermine the approved plan for the Lower Don Lands and Port Lands. Our campaign has found traction: over 6,000 Torontonians have signed our petition online and in person and we have engaged Councillors, community groups, and ordinary Torontonians to learn more about the approved plans and take a stand on our waterfront.

In advance of the City Council meeting on September 21, when this item will be debated and voted on, CodeBlueTO has released this statement addressed to the Mayor, all Toronto City Councillors, and the CEOs of Waterfront Toronto and the Toronto Port Lands Corporation.

DON’T COMPROMISE OUR WATERFRONT!

Torontonians have spoken. We oppose backroom attempts to undermine the Lower Don Lands Plan and threaten the leadership of Waterfront Toronto.

1. The approved vision for the Lower Don Lands Plan cannot be compromised

The three key principles – flood proofing the Port Lands and South Riverdale, renaturalizing the mouth of the Don River, and building urban neighbourhoods – are essential and must be kept.
The Environmental Assessment involved an open, transparent process and rigorous technical assessment. It’s an award-winning plan that has been recognized internationally. It’s benefitted from the input of some of the most creative urban designers and city builders in the world.

2. Waterfront Toronto must lead the Lower Don Lands and Port Lands revitalization

Plans for the Lower Don Lands already have the flexibility to accommodate new ideas, and Waterfront Toronto has built-in mechanisms to include the expertise of all its partners.
Giving control of any area in the Port Lands – or any review of the processes so far – to a competing agency will lead to bureaucratic gridlock and could compromise the principles of the entire Central Waterfront Plan.
Waterfront Toronto must remain the lead developer on both the Lower Don Lands and Port Lands if the overall vision of Toronto’s waterfront is to succeed.

3. The value of years of hard work and millions of dollars spent must not be wasted

We have the right plan already.
Thousands of Torontonians built this plan in an open, transparent process. Don’t start over. Let’s move forward.

Any contravention of these core principles will harm waterfront development as much as the proposal approved by Executive Committee on September 6.

Council’s decisions will ultimately have long-lasting impacts on our waterfront and our city. The City cannot afford any action that would further alarm the public and investors, create more disagreement among its partners, unnecessarily spend public money, and unacceptably delay moving forward.

As we move closer to Council’s vote on the proposal, we know there will be attempts to find a resolution on this issue. We continue to insist on these basic principles, and we caution councillors to be wary of any resolution that contradicts them.

We urge City Council to stay the course. Don’t compromise our waterfront.

-CodeBlueTO