Toronto Evergreen Brick Works | ?m | ?s | Evergreen | DTAH

everything there has been parachuted in and is artificial
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I think that's an appropriate and concise description. The thing that I don't like about the DD is that the crowd - more than the restaurants and retail - is so uniformly upscale. I felt as though I should have expensive sunglasses and an expensive haircut and be hip and trendy.

Still, can we really expect much else from a development that went from no population to an instant neighbourhood? How can it not be artificial? It needs a better mix of people, but with the condo boom, the DD has no rental portion so everyone has the same socioeconomic status. I like it, but I don't want to live there.

* * * * *

Back to the Brick Works, I can totally see this place becoming an attraction. It may not be TTC-accessible (right now), but it's a short bike ride or easy drive from a lot of residential areas (e.g., Rosedale via Rosedale Valley Rd., North Toronto via Bayview, and the Broadview area via Pottery Rd.). It's unique, and a lot of us are looking for something different.
 
While the crowd and the retail at the DD is yuppie-ish and upscale, it's still a pleasant place to spend a summer day. I don't avoid Bloor West/Yorkville just because I'd never buy anything there.
 
The thing that I don't like about the DD is that the crowd - more than the restaurants and retail - is so uniformly upscale.
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Maybe not so much "upscale" as "middlebrow"...

Who'd a thunk it. Balzac's as a Beavertails proxy...
 
dont forget

Dont forget that right across the street from the DD there building that new cummunity which will help to connect DD to people living in the area, its not even close to being finished the whole area there. This is just a snap shot in time that we are witnessing, Patience
 
Don Valley Brick Works

From The Town Crier

By Lorianna De Giorgio

Proving that two heads are better than one, two top architectural firms have been chosen to bring Evergreen’s transformation of the derelict Don Valley Brick Works site to life.

Evergreen, a non-profit organization that promotes green spaces in populous cities, announced in early November the group of architects who will undergo the task of turning the historic site into a crowning jewel for the city.

The team is headed by local firms Joe Lobko Architect Inc. and du Toit Allsopp Hillier, and includes landscape architect Claude Cormier of Claude Cormier Architectes Paysagistes Inc. of Montreal, Diamond + Schmitt Architects Inc. and E.R.A. Architects Inc.

The group is also comprised of a handful of engineers, heritage preservation specialists and Toronto-based artist Ferruccio Sardella.

Nineteen North American architect firms participated in the bidding for the chance to work on the project.

Evergreen decided to go with Lobko and the other architects because they clearly reflected what the Brick Works’ plan is, said Geoff Cape, executive director of Evergreen.

While the group of architects and engineers come from diverse backgrounds, they share Evergreen’s goal of changing the site while staying true to its past, said Cape.

"The diversity of experiencing is amazing," he said, arguing the team is well versed in everything from landscape design to preserving the historic elements of the Brick Works. "Five lead archi-tecture firms coming together to work on one program is almost unheard of.

"The team doesn’t come with their own vision for the site. The team takes (Evergreen’s) and makes it real."

In addition to restoring 15 derelict buildings at the brickyards, Evergreen plans to create a viable community facility that appreciates the heritage and natural assets of the 116-year-old site, Cape said in an earlier interview.

From 1889 to 1984, the Brick Works manufactured bricks for some of Canada’s finest buildings, including Massey Hall. Three years after it shut down, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority purchased the site. Evergreen became involved in 2003. Last year, Evergreen began on-site programming at the Brick Works, including tree plantings and a summer camp for children.

The plan includes a restaurant, offices, a market and conference facilities. All along Evergreen has maintained that the plan will respect the surrounding parklands, including the Weston Quarry Garden, wetlands and parklands, said Cape.

Lobko, who has spearheaded such architectural projects as the West Don Lands Precinct project and the current transformation of the Wychwood Green Arts Barns, said he wanted to work on this project because, once completed, Evergreen at the Brick Works will celebrate both the history and future of the city.

"(The plan) is about exploring ideas and transforming this magical place into something that more welcoming to people," he said. "But still keeping the magic of it."
 
The bricks works area really is cool. When my sister from Calgary was here I walked her from the Dupont Station to the Danforth via St. Clair, the cemetery and the Brickworks. She was terribly impressed with it all.

It's good that they should re-use the buildings down there.
 
In addition to restoring 15 derelict buildings at the brickyards, Evergreen plans to create a viable community facility that appreciates the heritage and natural assets of the 116-year-old site, Cape said in an earlier interview.
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EVERGREEN AT THE BRICK WORKS
Source: www.evergreen.ca

What will you find at The Brickworks?

THE DISCOVERY CENTRE As the largest new structure on site, the family-friendly Discovery Centre will be an elegant and exciting space that will act as a point of arrival and orientation. Colourful tactile displays will describe the history of the site and its importance to Toronto. Starting with the local past and moving towards the global future, visitors will learn through interpretive displays about geology, industrial heritage, ecology, urbanization and how all of these subjects come together as we rethink the future of our cities. The Discovery Centre will be a unique destination for asking challenging questions and working together to find solutions.

DEMONSTRATION GARDENS Allowing Evergreen to reach a wider audience than ever before, the demonstration gardens will showcase the latest innovations in school ground greening, restoration projects on public lands and the pesticide-free landscaping of residential properties. Children and youth groups will participate in planting native species and growing organic food, helping them to better understand where food comes from, healthy eating and the impact we can have on our local ecosystems. Engaging visitors in Evergreen’s urban greening programs will create a culture of environmental stewardship that can be replicated in cities around the world.

NATIVE PLANT NURSERY Inspired by the demonstration gardens, visitors will find a selection of trees, shrubs, wildflowers, grasses, heritage vegetables and berry bushes for sale at the Native Plant Nursery. Tips for getting started on your own naturalized or organic food garden will be readily available. In collaboration with the YMCA, the nursery will offer youth-at-risk jobs and skills training. Revenue from the nursery will contribute to the ongoing maintenance of the site.

GATEWAY TO THE RAVINE SYSTEM Every city has its treasures, the cultural and natural landmarks that define a place and give it meaning. The Brick Works will be the jewel in the necklace of restored parks along the Don River, connecting the headwaters to the waterfront. The Brick Works Trail Centre will demystify Toronto’s ravine systems and open them to one and all.

FOUR SEASONS OF OUTDOOR FUN The breath-taking parklands contain 4 kilometres of walking trails, natural wetlands and wildflower meadows. In the winter, the Brick Works will have three outdoor skating rinks, and all the exhilaration and authenticity that skating in the great Canadian outdoors can bring.

A NEW APPROACH TO SOCIAL RESPONSIBILITY The Brick Works is an innovative project is that will deliver on three bottom lines: economic, environmental and social. The business model for the Brick Works has been developed to achieve a goal of cost recovery by year two. The revenue streams will be diverse (ranging from rent to the sale of native plants) and expenses will be tightly controlled. As a provisional measure, an endowment will be put in place to ensure financial sustainability.

THE LATEST IN GREEN DESIGN From the gardens to the parking lots, green design will be incorporated into all aspects of the site. Through interactive displays that show real examples of green roofs, photovoltaic panels, biomass heating, living walls, naturalized landscapes and more, visitors will take away the knowledge and inspiration to incorporate green design into their own homes and workplaces.

PROGRAMMING SPACE FOR SUSTAINABLE ORGANIZATIONS Evergreen’s national headquarters will be the anchor tenant in a space that is dedicated to social, environmental and economic sustainability. Evergreen will be joined by other socially-responsible organizations, whose coming together will create new opportunities for collaboration and efficiency. All tenants will sign a values charter that defines a shared vision of inspiring social change by demonstrating leadership and innovation. Rental income from programming space will contribute to the on-going maintenance of the site.

A REFRESHING FOOD EXPERIENCE The Brick Works will offer food and beverage services that integrate with the values and ethics of the site. The organic restaurant will incorporate herbs and produce from the adjacent gardens into their menu. The family-friendly cafe will emphasize fresh, healthy alternatives to fast food at affordable prices. The Organic Farmer’s Market will be a shopping destination for locally-grown produce, environmentally-friendly products and fair-trade goods such as coffee and chocolate.

SOPHISTICATED AND CULTURAL SPACES For events, theatre, art exhibitions, film, conferences, music and weddings
 
Article

Ottawa gives $20M to Brickworks

December 20, 2006
Christopher Hume
Staff Reporter

The federal government’s new-found interest in Toronto and the environment paid off today to the tune of $20 million.

The money will go to Evergreen at the Brickworks, a $55-million project that will see the 16-hectare former industrial site, west of Bayview Ave. and south of Pottery Rd., transformed into a mixed-use complex that will be a model of heritage preservation and sustainable development.

Federal finance minister Jim Flaherty and Lawrence Cannon, minister of transport, infrastructure and communities, were on hand to make the announcement.

Conspicuous in their absence were federal environment minister Rona Ambrose, Toronto mayor David Miller and a representative of the provincial government, which has pledged $10 million to the scheme.

Though detailed designs won’t be ready until next spring, they will include a farmers’ market, restaurants, school programs, a performance space, demonstration gardens, a plant nursery, nature trails, wetlands and meadows.

The 15 heritage buildings on the property will also be cleaned up and re-used.

Active between 1889 and 1984, the site was one of the largest brick works in Canada. It produced up to 42 million bricks annually.

In its new incarnation, however, it will be a showcase of environmentalism and of nature in the city.

Construction is expected to begin in a year and be finished early in 2008.
 
Looks like the movers and shakers close to Evergreen have real sway with Flaherty. The Young family have been hitting up the Rosedale types for some time for cash and lean on the feds and Flaherty for the funding. This was an inside job witnessed by the absence of David Miller and a representative of the provincial government.
 
Or that the Conservatives, embattled on the environment front, needs a photo-op to boster their image?

Evergreen might be rocking the cradle with the provincial snub, considering they're also the part-funder of the project. Ditto the city.

AoD
 
Was this a national or international competition?

This project not-withstanding, it seems as though whenever there are international competitions, the foreigners generally lose out- is it a Canadian bias- or the fact that Diamond Schmit or KPMB and company are able to produce superior plans?

p5
 
p5:

Or maybe the jurors rely on the known quality of the local firms proposing something that can 1. be built and 2. be within budget?

AoD
 
From the Globe:

Ottawa promises Brick Works millions
Former factory site to be transformed into ecofriendly mixed-use venue

MARY GAZZE

Plans to transform an abandoned brick factory in the Don Valley into an ecofriendly entertainment destination are closer to reality after the federal government announced up to $20-million to fund the project yesterday.

Finance Minister Jim Flaherty and Transport Minister Lawrence Cannon went to the Don Valley Brick Works on Bayview Avenue at Pottery Road to present a cheque to Evergreen, the group spearheading the transformation, which labels itself as having "an entrepreneurial approach to social responsibility."

With the cash infusion, Evergreen will be able to house a plant nursery, skating rink, theatre performances, camps and a restaurant by celebrity chef Jamie Kennedy that serves organic food grown on-site. A farmers market is set to open next year and construction is expected to be completed by 2008.

"I think it has potential locally to be the most important destination for young families and people who care about investing in our city," said Geoff Cape, Evergreen's executive director.

"This project shows how innovative design and environmental technology can help make living in cities more enjoyable for Canadian families," Mr. Cannon said.

Plans to rejuvenate other historically significant sites in Toronto are too early in the development stage and tend not to receive funding until they have clear plans for how to approach the project, said Michael McClelland, an architect who was a founding member of the Canadian Association of Professional Heritage Consultants.

"The city still hasn't really got yet a group that has been able to say 'Yes, we can do this.' That's what Evergreen has [done] . . .. They've put together a business plan to say 'This is what will work,' " he said.

The plan will transform the buildings, including the quarry, located behind the factory, which is one of the most significant geological sites in North America showing evidence of three ice ages and prehistoric beaver fossils.

The Don Valley Brick Works, one of the oldest brick factories in Ontario, was founded in 1889 and was open for more than a century, producing the clay bricks used to construct many Toronto landmarks including Queen's Park and Casa Loma. It produced up to 43 million bricks a year.

By the 1980s, most of the clay was extracted from the site. Brampton Brick, the last lessor, ceased production in 1989 and ran a retail brick outlet at the site until 1991.

After years of abandonment, the Brick Works was designated a heritage site under the Ontario Heritage Act in 2002. There are 15 heritage buildings on the site that house artifacts including a brick press.

Mr. Cape says that Evergreen plans to keep the heritage value of the artifacts as close to their present state as possible, even if that means keeping all the rust intact.

The site is reminiscent of a Dickens novel. The windows that aren't smashed are filled in with different coloured sand-limestone, or clay bricks. Some of the bright reds have faded -- covered by green moss and black mould in the cracks.

A faint light breaks through a crack in the roof, and as eyes adjust to the absolute darkness of one of the largest buildings, the 110-metre kilns where the bricks were baked dry become more visible. The gears of the brick-making machine are covered in dust and sport a thick layer of grease. The building is littered with spray-paint cans. The walls of some buildings are collapsing, and only one of the four original chimneys remains intact, the word "valley" etched into its sides.

The quarry is now filled. Fine beige gravel trails zigzag throughout and the sun sparkles over Mud Creek, which flows through the site. It is home to wildflowers and thousands of bulrushes. Hawks and herons are spotted regularly. The quarry is a popular dog-walking destination for people from Rosedale and East York.

Raffaele Mendez-Arauz, 62, out walking his dog, Juanito, said he is looking forward to the revamping of the site. "It will be gorgeous. It should be something all Torontonians, not just dog owners, enjoy."

The site will be a cheap day of entertainment -- most attractions will be free, others will charge about $5 for admission to cover costs. The kilns will be transformed into an interpretive centre, where people will be able to learn the history of the site while strolling through gardens.

There is no TTC service on Bayview Avenue, making the Brick Works a hard-to-reach destination. Evergreen is lobbying the city for buses on Bayview and plans to provide shuttle buses to the site if the efforts fail.

"This investment in the ravine system is what will put Toronto on the international scene," Mr. Cape said in an interview before the announcement. An environmentalist with business savvy, Mr. Cape has a master's degree in management from McGill, was voted one of Canada's top 40 under 40 years of age and has received the Governor-General's Golden Jubilee medal for significant contributions to Canadian society.

It was under his leadership that the site gained attention from Mr. Flaherty and the federal government. "We got them to the site, and had a chance to have them tour the buildings," Mr. Cape said.

"You can hear about it in words, and it has some magic, but it's when you get down here, wander the buildings and see the quarry that you really understand it. They appreciated its potential."

AoD
 
And John Barber's take on the political dimensions, from the Globe:

A skeptic might ask, How green is their valley?
John Barber
The Globe and Mail
Dec 21, 2006. pg. A14

'Somebody's smiling on this project in the Don Valley Parkway," federal Finance Minister Jim Flaherty stumbled cheerfully on the podium yesterday morning, the project in question -- the revitalization of the Don Valley Brick Works -- being near but mercifully not in the highway. But he was right about the smiles, and the person smiling hardest was him.

It's the new green grin of the Conservative government, which not one but two senior ministers practised at yesterday's reannouncement of federal support for the initiative to transform an old industrial site into an innovative park. Transport and Infrastructure Minister Lawrence Cannon also came to promise "up to $20-million" for what he called "an inspiring and educational nature experience right here in urban Toronto" -- what others called "the greenest project in North America."

But where was Rona Ambrose? The embattled Environment Minister, who was scheduled to attend the announcement as of Monday, spent yesterday in deepest Saskatchewan, for reasons neither of her colleagues could explain. Even more than the actual attendees' earnest expressions of support for urban greenery, the third minister's absence suggested Canada's new government is seriously seeking new policy on the environment.

"The economy and the environment work hand in hand, as they do here," the Finance Minister said.

And where was David Miller, another scheduled speaker who noticeably failed to appear at the federal announcement? His absence suggested just as strongly that not everybody believes in the new green line emerging from Ottawa.

The mayor's excuse is that he was too busy announcing the purchase of a new landfill, a formality that has been anticipated for months but, like Ms. Ambrose's sudden excursion to Saskatchewan, still managed to conflict with the only other political event he had scheduled this week.

When the Prime Minister's Office phoned Toronto late in the afternoon one day last month, requesting civic support for an initiative to tighten bail for those accused of gun crimes, Mayor Miller was standing at Stephen Harper's side the next morning, fulsomely commending Tory policy. When a more timely call came to make the same gesture in favour of the government's new great cause, the environment, he just as quickly found something else to do. He didn't even send a representative.

It's not easy being green, especially when you're a Tory in Toronto.

Perhaps that is why the new government is following so closely in the footsteps of the old, which, when called upon to do something for Toronto, generally responded by reannouncing support for a new park -- first Harbourfront and then Downsview. It's no wonder local worthies are steering clear of the latest move.

But the Tories at least know their crowd. The Brick Works project is the darling of Rosedale, the wealthy enclave on which it borders. While saving the planet, the renovation will also provide neighbours with a whole new place to buy organic cheese. It enjoys the support of several prominent establishment figures and, unlike Downsview, might actually get built.

In the meantime, it's a great place for the new government to show its new colours. Virtually nobody attended when Mr. Flaherty came here last summer to make his second announcement of support for the project (the first announcement occurring in his spring budget speech), but half-frozen Rosedale convened impressively yesterday, applauding enthusiastically as Mr. Flaherty extolled the government's controversial Clean Air Act and savouring the prospect of a new Jamie Kennedy restaurant in the 'hood.

The battle for hearts and minds is on.

AoD
 
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