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Waterfront chief smiling
Oct. 19, 2006. 06:22 AM
CHRISTOPHER HUME
If the pressure — or frustration — of running the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp. is getting to John Campbell, he's doing a great job of hiding it.
Sitting in his office high overlooking the downtown core, Campbell can hardly stop smiling. A veteran of the Toronto development scene, he long ago learned the virtue of patience. And as far as he's concerned, waterfront regeneration is happening much faster, and better, than most of us realize.
"We're on the cusp of great things," Campbell insists. "When we're done, people are going to see a new type of neighbourhood."
True, the cranes and bulldozers have yet to appear on the waterfront, but as Campbell likes to say, by the time they show up, the hard work is over.
The difficult part is getting approval from various governments and their agencies; that requires years of effort. According to Campbell, this time around the process has moved ahead with lightning speed.
By way of example, he points to District 3 of the West Don Lands area, the old McCord cement plant south of King St., west of the Don River. A precinct plan was completed last year and construction will begin next fall. Though you wouldn't want to have to hold your breath, that's fast by official standards.
Already, the engineering work is underway; that means building the berm that will protect the neighbourhood from flooding. It also includes rebuilding a bridge that crosses the Don.
"An RFQ (Request for Qualifications) will be issued next January," Campbell explains. "It will go out to builders. We want to attract international developers."
The first development site will contain 600 housing units, about a quarter of them affordable housing. The TWRC's partner will likely be the Toronto Community Housing Corp.
"Our game plan is not to extract every nickel from the site," Campbell says. "But to build a better city, one that's sustainable and architecturally excellent.
"Our ultimate goal is to transform the marketplace. We're putting on a course for developers and designers to talk about integrated design management. We're concerned that there's a sense of trepidation about green building. There just isn't a level of familiarity in the marketplace, but it'll come."
Campbell, who along with other TWRC staff and board members has visited Sweden, where sustainability is routine, has visions of a revitalized waterfront that will become a model throughout the world. He has visited the rebuilt waterfronts of Stockholm and Malmo and seen for himself what's possible.
"Once you've been to Sweden," Campbell laughs, "you're a convert."
Based on what he has seen, he wants to include district heating and energy efficiency. To that end, the West Don Lands will be Canada's first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified neighbourhood. That means green roofs, car share availability, high-quality insulation, storm-water management and public transit within a five-minute walk of every front door.
But, Campbell adds, "Part of the challenge is that we're not an island. Whatever we do has to be tied into municipal services. The city has to agree to acquire whatever systems we adopt. For example, we'd like to have a vacuum waste system. That kind of system could increase diversion significantly. We're talking to the city about it but this isn't normal for them. They want to know more. Any change like that meets with a certain resistance, honest resistance; they've seen legions of snake-oil salesmen over the years."
That may be true, but these technologies are in use around the world and have a proven track record. The best thing would be to send Toronto City Council to Sweden en masse so members could see for themselves what's possible.
The same goes for incineration, which Mayor David Miller opposes unalterably. The simple fact is that he's years behind the times; it's reached the point where incineration, or as they call it in Sweden, waste-to-energy, is infinitely preferable to landfill, which is dangerous, costly and environmentally destructive.
And what about the Gardiner Expressway? Campbell makes no secret of his desire to see it torn down east of Spadina.
"There are many reasons for dismantling the Gardiner," Campbell argues. "We've taken a balanced approach; the question is whether building a new community is worth adding four minutes to commuting times? But that's not a decision that will be made probably until next spring. We've made plans to continue with and without the Gardiner. But if we leave it too long, we're stuck with it."
And asked about reports that the TWRC will continue to flounder until the three levels of government get their act together to name a new chair, Campbell doesn't falter.
It doesn't bother me," he declares.
"We've had two excellent temporary chairs and we're working our tails off down here. But whenever the new person is named we have an office ready and waiting."
"The world is changing," Campbell says, smiling more broadly than ever.
Indeed it is, maybe even in Toronto.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher Hume can be reached at chume@thestar.ca
Oct. 19, 2006. 06:22 AM
CHRISTOPHER HUME
If the pressure — or frustration — of running the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corp. is getting to John Campbell, he's doing a great job of hiding it.
Sitting in his office high overlooking the downtown core, Campbell can hardly stop smiling. A veteran of the Toronto development scene, he long ago learned the virtue of patience. And as far as he's concerned, waterfront regeneration is happening much faster, and better, than most of us realize.
"We're on the cusp of great things," Campbell insists. "When we're done, people are going to see a new type of neighbourhood."
True, the cranes and bulldozers have yet to appear on the waterfront, but as Campbell likes to say, by the time they show up, the hard work is over.
The difficult part is getting approval from various governments and their agencies; that requires years of effort. According to Campbell, this time around the process has moved ahead with lightning speed.
By way of example, he points to District 3 of the West Don Lands area, the old McCord cement plant south of King St., west of the Don River. A precinct plan was completed last year and construction will begin next fall. Though you wouldn't want to have to hold your breath, that's fast by official standards.
Already, the engineering work is underway; that means building the berm that will protect the neighbourhood from flooding. It also includes rebuilding a bridge that crosses the Don.
"An RFQ (Request for Qualifications) will be issued next January," Campbell explains. "It will go out to builders. We want to attract international developers."
The first development site will contain 600 housing units, about a quarter of them affordable housing. The TWRC's partner will likely be the Toronto Community Housing Corp.
"Our game plan is not to extract every nickel from the site," Campbell says. "But to build a better city, one that's sustainable and architecturally excellent.
"Our ultimate goal is to transform the marketplace. We're putting on a course for developers and designers to talk about integrated design management. We're concerned that there's a sense of trepidation about green building. There just isn't a level of familiarity in the marketplace, but it'll come."
Campbell, who along with other TWRC staff and board members has visited Sweden, where sustainability is routine, has visions of a revitalized waterfront that will become a model throughout the world. He has visited the rebuilt waterfronts of Stockholm and Malmo and seen for himself what's possible.
"Once you've been to Sweden," Campbell laughs, "you're a convert."
Based on what he has seen, he wants to include district heating and energy efficiency. To that end, the West Don Lands will be Canada's first LEED (Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design) certified neighbourhood. That means green roofs, car share availability, high-quality insulation, storm-water management and public transit within a five-minute walk of every front door.
But, Campbell adds, "Part of the challenge is that we're not an island. Whatever we do has to be tied into municipal services. The city has to agree to acquire whatever systems we adopt. For example, we'd like to have a vacuum waste system. That kind of system could increase diversion significantly. We're talking to the city about it but this isn't normal for them. They want to know more. Any change like that meets with a certain resistance, honest resistance; they've seen legions of snake-oil salesmen over the years."
That may be true, but these technologies are in use around the world and have a proven track record. The best thing would be to send Toronto City Council to Sweden en masse so members could see for themselves what's possible.
The same goes for incineration, which Mayor David Miller opposes unalterably. The simple fact is that he's years behind the times; it's reached the point where incineration, or as they call it in Sweden, waste-to-energy, is infinitely preferable to landfill, which is dangerous, costly and environmentally destructive.
And what about the Gardiner Expressway? Campbell makes no secret of his desire to see it torn down east of Spadina.
"There are many reasons for dismantling the Gardiner," Campbell argues. "We've taken a balanced approach; the question is whether building a new community is worth adding four minutes to commuting times? But that's not a decision that will be made probably until next spring. We've made plans to continue with and without the Gardiner. But if we leave it too long, we're stuck with it."
And asked about reports that the TWRC will continue to flounder until the three levels of government get their act together to name a new chair, Campbell doesn't falter.
It doesn't bother me," he declares.
"We've had two excellent temporary chairs and we're working our tails off down here. But whenever the new person is named we have an office ready and waiting."
"The world is changing," Campbell says, smiling more broadly than ever.
Indeed it is, maybe even in Toronto.
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Christopher Hume can be reached at chume@thestar.ca