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On Wednesday, April 6th, a series of small presentations introduced the big ideas that could shape Downtown Toronto in years to come. Hosted by CBC Radio One's Mary Wiems, phase 2 of the City of Toronto's TOcore: Planning Downtown initiative launched with 'Pecha Kucha' presentations by prominent city-builders—from Toronto and beyond—setting the stage for an open exchange of ideas about building a prosperous, inclusive, and livable Downtown.
The evening began with a lighthearted video introduction of the TOcore initiative, introduced by Ward 20's Joe Cressy.
Following DT's feel-good coming of age story, a keynote address by Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat underlined Downtown's dramatic residential growth, with a recent report predicting a near doubling of the population by 2041 in the area from the Lake north to the CPR corridor, and from Bathurst Street east to the Don. Currently home to roughly 250,000 people, the City estimates that the next 25 years will see the Downtown population swell to 475,000, with a current Downtown baby boom already challenging the core's social infrastructure. As the population expands, creating new public spaces will be crucial to Downtown's success, Keesmaat told the audience.
The evening's other presenters included representatives from the City, including Parks Director Richard Ubbens, Cycling Infrastructure & Programs Manager Jacquelyn Hayward Gulati, and Urban Design Manager Leo DeSorcy. In addition, a presentation by acclaimed urban designer Ken Greenberg focused on integrating forgotten spaces into the public realm, while Evergreen CEO Geoff Cape also presented three ideas to transform the city.
A presentation by Gehl Architects' Geoff Dyck provided a useful international frame of reference. The New York-based urban designer spoke about the experience of transforming Times Square into a more pedestrian-oriented, "people first" civic space.
The Pecha Kucha presentations were followed by a Q & A session, where members of the audience shared their thoughts with a panel that included all of the evening's presenters, as well as a number of prominent Toronto city-builders, including Public Work's Adam Nicklin and the City of Toronto's Director of Urban Design, Harold Madi. Issues raised ranged from smog to child-friendly infrastructure to flexible workspaces and precarious employment.
We will return with more coverage as Phase 2 of the TOcore study continues, with a more detailed look at the Pecha Kucha presentations also coming soon. By 2017, City Planning's TOcore initiative aims to create a new Downtown Secondary Plan to better address the challenges—and opportunities—of rapid growth. The City is encouraging online participation, with a survey available via the City's official website. Residents are also welcome to share their thoughts by using the #DTadvice and #TOcore hashtags on Twitter.
