jeicow
Active Member
Ratepayers envision new Lakeview
http://mississauga.com/article/11323
By: John Stewart
February 19, 2008 01:55 PM -
Instead of just imagining the wonderful things that could be done with the 500-acre Lakeview Generating Station property in their community, the area's ratepayers have put the vast potential of the property into a stunning vision they will present to City councillors next week.
That vision uses computer modelling to show the possibility of dropping the Distillery District, the parkland at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in Winnipeg, the Chicago Bears football stadium, Exhibition Place and Ontario Place, Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco or the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) campus onto the Lakeview property.
The residents believe that the "blank canvas" of the former power plant lands, one of the few giant undeveloped pieces of land anywhere in the GTA, offers a dizzying array of possible scenarios that can meet the Ontario government's requirements for higher-density development, prevent a wall of condominiums on the north side of Lakeshore Rd. E. from blocking historic local neighbourhoods from the lake, create a stunning mainstreet promenade along Lakeshore and provide for major destination attractions such as a baseball or football stadium — all at the same time.
"This could be the poster child for the province's smart growth strategy," says John Danahy, a professor of architecture and landscape design at the University of Toronto who, with the help of many of his students, has helped create the document the Lakeview Ratepayers' Association calls the "Lakeview Legacy Project."
A Lakeview resident since 1984, Danahy believes the site of the former coal-fired generating station can become a model community for transit-friendly green living with the extension of light rapid transit (LRT) along Lakeshore Rd. and development of its own commercial core to create live-work opportunities that significantly reduce car travel and resulting emissions.
Ratepayer president Jim Tovey, who was inspired to develop a grand redevelopment plan as far back as 1994, says the site can absorb 5 million square feet of residential development and take the pressure off established Mississauga communities battling intensification efforts.
The setbacks of about 200 ft. along the south side of Lakeshore offer the possibility of three lines of mature trees, with cycling paths and an LRT line.
By concentrating densities immediately south of Lakeshore Rd. (computer models have dropped double and triple the density of Port Credit into the space comfortably) the waterfront can be retained for significant public uses.
"It's amazing how the residents had the same consensus," Tovey said in an interview. "Everyone wanted to know how come it's called Lakeview but it doesn't really have the lake now. We want to put the lake back in Lakeview."
The presentation, scheduled to take place at the Feb. 27 council meeting, includes carefully-modelled financial estimates that predict the City will receive $30-$35 million annually in property tax from the plan.
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I agree in part with most of this vision, though the reality of whether it will happen or not is another question. Lakeview is an area with loads of potential that needs someone to take some initative to help it to live up to what it can be. The 200 feet is over the line of excessive, but this plan overall leads into the right direction in a way. Especially with the current Lakeview District plan currently in development, this sort of way of thinking is getting better. After going to one of the session and the big thing being "nothing over 3 floors", I'm glad that some people aren't all stuck up on height
http://mississauga.com/article/11323
By: John Stewart
February 19, 2008 01:55 PM -
Instead of just imagining the wonderful things that could be done with the 500-acre Lakeview Generating Station property in their community, the area's ratepayers have put the vast potential of the property into a stunning vision they will present to City councillors next week.
That vision uses computer modelling to show the possibility of dropping the Distillery District, the parkland at the forks of the Red and Assiniboine Rivers in Winnipeg, the Chicago Bears football stadium, Exhibition Place and Ontario Place, Fisherman's Wharf in San Francisco or the University of Toronto at Mississauga (UTM) campus onto the Lakeview property.
The residents believe that the "blank canvas" of the former power plant lands, one of the few giant undeveloped pieces of land anywhere in the GTA, offers a dizzying array of possible scenarios that can meet the Ontario government's requirements for higher-density development, prevent a wall of condominiums on the north side of Lakeshore Rd. E. from blocking historic local neighbourhoods from the lake, create a stunning mainstreet promenade along Lakeshore and provide for major destination attractions such as a baseball or football stadium — all at the same time.
"This could be the poster child for the province's smart growth strategy," says John Danahy, a professor of architecture and landscape design at the University of Toronto who, with the help of many of his students, has helped create the document the Lakeview Ratepayers' Association calls the "Lakeview Legacy Project."
A Lakeview resident since 1984, Danahy believes the site of the former coal-fired generating station can become a model community for transit-friendly green living with the extension of light rapid transit (LRT) along Lakeshore Rd. and development of its own commercial core to create live-work opportunities that significantly reduce car travel and resulting emissions.
Ratepayer president Jim Tovey, who was inspired to develop a grand redevelopment plan as far back as 1994, says the site can absorb 5 million square feet of residential development and take the pressure off established Mississauga communities battling intensification efforts.
The setbacks of about 200 ft. along the south side of Lakeshore offer the possibility of three lines of mature trees, with cycling paths and an LRT line.
By concentrating densities immediately south of Lakeshore Rd. (computer models have dropped double and triple the density of Port Credit into the space comfortably) the waterfront can be retained for significant public uses.
"It's amazing how the residents had the same consensus," Tovey said in an interview. "Everyone wanted to know how come it's called Lakeview but it doesn't really have the lake now. We want to put the lake back in Lakeview."
The presentation, scheduled to take place at the Feb. 27 council meeting, includes carefully-modelled financial estimates that predict the City will receive $30-$35 million annually in property tax from the plan.
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I agree in part with most of this vision, though the reality of whether it will happen or not is another question. Lakeview is an area with loads of potential that needs someone to take some initative to help it to live up to what it can be. The 200 feet is over the line of excessive, but this plan overall leads into the right direction in a way. Especially with the current Lakeview District plan currently in development, this sort of way of thinking is getting better. After going to one of the session and the big thing being "nothing over 3 floors", I'm glad that some people aren't all stuck up on height
