Toronto Nathan Phillips Square + Spirit Garden | ?m | ?s | City of Toronto

[Northern Light]

Thank you for the positive notes regarding the Peace gardens and the lovely tree. Especially nice after the previous few negative Nellys going on and on about a safety fence.

Am I allowed to admit, I was kind of tempted to print off a sign, come back and affix it:

Warning: Due to Construction, Water may be Electrified.

 

[AlbertC]

Nov 28, 2020

 

[condovo]

I've always hated those lazy swags of lights on the peristyle enclosing the square. I wish they would outline its architectural lines with lights instead.

 

[interchange42]

News Release

April 8, 2021

City of Toronto allocates additional $2 million to build the Spirit Garden on Nathan Phillips Square

Today, Toronto City Council allocated an additional $2 million towards the construction of the Spirit Garden, also known as the Indian Residential School Survivors (IRSS) Restoration of Identity Project, on Nathan Phillips Square to honour residential school survivors and all the children who were lost to their families and communities.

The additional $2 million in City funding allocated by Council today will be realized from Section 37 community benefits. Section 37 of the provincial Planning Act is as an essential tool for building sustainable, healthy and complete neighbourhoods and permits the City to authorize increases in permitted height and/or density in return for community benefits.

Residential schools operated in Canada for more than 160 years and were federally funded and church-run. First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were removed from their families and communities, put into these schools and forced to abandon their traditions, cultural practices and languages in order to assimilate them.

The IRSS Restoration of Identity Project, led by Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre, responds to the Truth and Reconciliation Commission of Canada’s Call to Action 82 and aligns with the City’s commitments to Indigenous Peoples. Action 82 calls upon provincial and federal governments, in collaboration with survivors and their organizations, to commission and install a publicly accessible, highly visible, residential schools commemorative project in each capital city to honour survivors and families.

In 2018, Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre approached the City to partner on the project and to create a peaceful, contemplative space to help advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Toronto.

The IRSS Restoration of Identity Project will be a permanent feature on Nathan Phillips Square and will consist of a turtle sculpture and a teaching, learning, sharing and healing space, called the Spirit Garden, both to be substantially completed by late 2023.

The two-metre tall turtle sculpture, by Anishinaabe artist Solomon King, represents Turtle Island, also referred to as Mother Earth. The turtle, climbing over a one-metre tall boulder, elevated on a platform, will identify the names of the 17 residential schools that once operated in Ontario. The design of the Spirit Garden revolves around the turtle sculpture and will include elements representing First Nations, Inuit and Métis cultures, including a teaching lodge, amphitheatre, a Three Sisters teaching garden, a voyageur canoe and an inuksuk. The spirit garden will also incorporate the White Pine, or Tree of Peace, a key element of the Kuswenta, also known as the Two Row Wampum, which lays the foundation for all relations.

The overall cost of the IRSS Restoration of Identity Project is an estimated $17 million. In addition to the City's total contribution of $13 million, Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre is fundraising to contribute $4 million. In 2017, the Province of Ontario provided $1.5 million in seed funding for the project to enable research, design and community consultation.

In addition to Toronto Council Fire's capital campaign of $4 million, the project partners are also seeking financial contributions from other levels of government, faith institutions, corporate leaders and the charitable sector to create a $5 million endowment to support teaching, healing and learning activities at the site.

Quotes:

"We are proud to collaborate with Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre to honour the resilience and vitality of residential school survivors and their families to build this important legacy project and advance reconciliation."
- Toronto Mayor John Tory

"The IRSS Restoration of Identity Project is an important part of moving reconciliation from discussion to action. I'm proud of the additional dollars that the City has committed today, and I call on our partners in the provincial and federal governments, as well as Toronto's corporate leaders and charitable sector to also contribute to this dynamic and moving project."
- Councillor Mike Layton (University-Rosedale), Chair of the City's Aboriginal Affairs Advisory Committee

"We are inspired knowing that the vision of the Spirit Garden is coming to life. This dedicated space will embody our diverse Indigenous cultures, our teachings and images, our plant life and medicines; and will incorporate the principles of the Kuswenta, to work together in friendship, mutual respect and peaceful co-existence. Most importantly, this significant project will honor the strength and courage of residential school survivors and inter-generational families.”
- Board Designate Andrea Chrisjohn, Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre

Toronto Council Fire Native Cultural Centre is an autonomous, vibrant cultural agency that involves and serves the Indigenous community with confidence for and commitment to their well-being. It is an active member of the Toronto Aboriginal Support Services Council and the Ontario Federation of Indigenous Friendship Centres. Visit www.councilfire.ca/ to learn more.

 

[picard102]

$13 million dollars? Is this part of the $60 million already being spent, or an additional cost?

And people thought the Archer was too expensive.

 

[innsertnamehere]

A rezoning & SPA application were filed for city hall on April 8th. No details as of yet. The SPA application may be related to the above noted work - but why would a ZBA application be required?

 

[AlbertC]

Toronto to add a new Indigenous spirit garden at city hall

Construction for the spirit garden, with a $2 million budget, is slated to begin this fall and will honour residential school survivors

trnto.com

Toronto to add a new Indigenous spirit garden at city hall

June 21, 2021

The city of Toronto will be home to a new Indigenous spirit garden to be located at city hall.

Construction for the spirit garden, which comes with a $2 million budget, is slated to begin this fall and will honour Canada’s residential school survivors.

Located at the southwest corner of Nathan Phillips Square, the design includes a two-metre sculpture of a turtle that will bear the names of the residential schools that operated in Ontario. The turtle, surrounded by water, faces city hall in a symbolic gesture of resilience and strength.

According to a city of Toronto press release, residential schools operated in Canada for more than 160 years and were federally funded and church-run. First Nations, Métis and Inuit children were removed from their families and communities, put into these schools and forced to abandon their traditions, cultural practices and languages in order to assimilate them.

The city partnered with T0ronto Council Fire Native Culture Centre on the project. The group approached the city in 2018 with the idea of creating a peaceful, contemplative space “to help advance reconciliation between Indigenous and non-Indigenous peoples in Toronto.”

A Three Sisters garden, with corn, beans, and squash, will symbolize unity and the need to work together, in addition to a voyageur canoe and an inukshuk, all elements that honour Indigenous cultures including First Nations, Métis, and Inuit.

There will also be a teaching lodge and an amphitheatre that will offer a variety of public programs once it opens in 2023.

 

[DSC]

Seems a bit ass-backward to look at 'structural issues' after you have spent millions fixing it up but ...

BA166.2

ACTION​

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Ward: 10​

Award of Ariba Document Number 2992338129 to Aecom Canada Architects Limited for Nathan Phillips Square Preservation Design, Contract and Construction Administration Services for Corporate Real Estate Management​

Origin​

(November 25, 2021) Report from the Chief Procurement Officer​

Recommendations​

The Chief Procurement Officer recommends that the Bid Award Panel grant authority to award the following contract: Solicitation Number: Request for Proposal (RFP), Ariba Document Number 2992338129 Description: To secure a design team that shall undertake the multi-disciplined complexities required to resolve the structural deterioration of Nathan Philips Square, and who shall provide the required staffing and resources to provide a consolidated complete construction drawing package including detailed specifications that will serve as an effective communication tool for the entire project team. The final design proposal will meet the City of Toronto Design Guidelines principles, namely; 1. Maintain the original design concept of Nathan Philips Square 2, Preserve the heritage quality 3. Retain and improve accessible qualities 4. Integrate the Podium Roof, Elevated Walkways, PATH Network 5. Improve pedestrian accessibility to the site 6. Renew built elements and landscaping 7. Innovate using sustainable design practice Recommended Supplier: AECOM Canada Architects Limited Contract Award Value: $3,121,386 net of all applicable taxes and charges $3,527,166 including all applicable taxes and charges $3,176,323 net of HST recoveries Contract is expected to start November 26, 2021 and end on May 25, 2029.​

Summary​

Solicitation Issued: June 8, 2021 Solicitation Closed: August 3, 2021 Number of Addenda Issued: Three (3) Number of Bids: 6​

 

[Northern Light]

Seemsa bit ass-backward to look at 'structural issues' after you have spent millions fixing it up but ...

BA166.2

ACTION​

​

​

Ward: 10​

Award of Ariba Document Number 2992338129 to Aecom Canada Architects Limited for Nathan Phillips Square Preservation Design, Contract and Construction Administration Services for Corporate Real Estate Management​

Origin​

(November 25, 2021) Report from the Chief Procurement Officer​

Recommendations​

The Chief Procurement Officer recommends that the Bid Award Panel grant authority to award the following contract: Solicitation Number: Request for Proposal (RFP), Ariba Document Number 2992338129 Description: To secure a design team that shall undertake the multi-disciplined complexities required to resolve the structural deterioration of Nathan Philips Square, and who shall provide the required staffing and resources to provide a consolidated complete construction drawing package including detailed specifications that will serve as an effective communication tool for the entire project team. The final design proposal will meet the City of Toronto Design Guidelines principles, namely; 1. Maintain the original design concept of Nathan Philips Square 2, Preserve the heritage quality 3. Retain and improve accessible qualities 4. Integrate the Podium Roof, Elevated Walkways, PATH Network 5. Improve pedestrian accessibility to the site 6. Renew built elements and landscaping 7. Innovate using sustainable design practice Recommended Supplier: AECOM Canada Architects Limited Contract Award Value: $3,121,386 net of all applicable taxes and charges $3,527,166 including all applicable taxes and charges $3,176,323 net of HST recoveries Contract is expected to start November 26, 2021 and end on May 25, 2029.​

Summary​

Solicitation Issued: June 8, 2021 Solicitation Closed: August 3, 2021 Number of Addenda Issued: Three (3) Number of Bids: 6​

That really does seem foolish.

Any issues should have been addressed at the outset of the relatively recent work.

****

If there was an add-on to the job here, I think it should be removing the elevated walkway over Queen.

It's rarely used that I can discern and not in the best of condition.

 

[ADRM]

5. Improve pedestrian accessibility to the site

If this doesn't include removing the vehicular slip lane on the SE corner I will scream.

 

[DSC]

If this doesn't include removing the vehicular slip lane on the SE corner I will scream.

You may want to start your preparations - I think that is not considered part of NPS. I agree it should go but it may be best to contact Joe Cressy as it's in his Ward.

 

[allengeorge]

I agree it should go but it may be best to contact Joe Cressy as it's in his Ward.

May want to get these comments in before he ends out his last term as a Councillor.

 

[AlbertC]

 

[DSC]

 

[DSC]

General Government and Licensing Committee consideration on April 29, 2022

GL30.17

ACTION​

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Ward: 10​

Award of Request for Tender Ariba Document Number 3275897747 to Buttcon Limited for the Indian Residential School Survivors Restoration of Identity Project on Nathan Phillips Square​