M II A II R II K
Senior Member
Next-Generation City Building
2010/04/16
Ross McGregor
Read More: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityn.../74748--opinion-next-generation-city-building
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The potent combination of climate change and unrelenting urbanization is demanding that cities around the globe adopt new models for growth and infrastructure development. In light of this, Toronto has a simple decision to make: lead or fall behind. With Toronto’s population expected to grow to 2.8 million by 2018, the city’s complex urban issues – including transit, congestion, energy consumption, waste and water management, and affordable housing – cannot be solved by relying on yesterday’s approaches, particularly the reliance on inexpensive suburban land, cheap fossil fuels, and access to the automobile.
It is imperative that Toronto adopt new approaches to urban planning and infrastructure development. At the municipal level this means, among other things, creating a culture of innovation that compels and empowers officials to implement new approaches to urban issues. The initiative to revitalize Toronto’s waterfront is one example of next-generation city building that is striving to addresses the demands of climate change and urbanization. One of the largest urban redevelopment projects in North America, it is a 25-year, $34 billion dollar project that will transform 2,000 acres of brownfield lands into beautiful, sustainable, mixed-use communities and dynamic public spaces.
Waterfront Toronto, the agency mandated by the three levels of government to lead and implement revitalization, is utilizing this massive infrastructure project to deliver a unique development model. This includes not only excellence in urban design and land use planning and development, but the integration of best practices in sustainability and leading-edge technology. Beyond the sheer size of the revitalization effort is the intended impact on the economy. At completion, the project will deliver 40,000 new residences, three million square feet of office space, and 40,000 new jobs – all within an intelligent community framework that empowers people to connect, communicate, innovate, and live in new, exciting ways.
Facilitating this quantum leap forward in connectivity is affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed broadband technology, enabling access for everyone, everywhere – at speeds that are up to 1,000 times faster than today’s typical residential networks. With state-of-the-art infrastructure forming the backbone of the waterfront’s intelligent neighbourhoods, the open-access community-based network will enable innovation for businesses, residents, and visitors alike.
The vision is to create the city of the future and the intent is for the waterfront’s new information, communications, and technology infrastructure to attract the world’s leading organizations working in the knowledge and creative sectors. Already, the waterfront model has drawn Corus Entertainment, one of Canada’s largest media companies, Filmport, a major film studio, and George Brown College, which has selected the waterfront for its state-of-the-art Centre for Health Sciences campus. The waterfront’s advanced technology infrastructure is intended not only to connect people and businesses but also to revolutionize its applications. Intelligent buildings in waterfront precincts will use broadband networks to remotely control and manage lighting, heating, and cooling systems. People will be empowered with real-time management of their personal carbon footprint. The overarching result will be lower energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs.
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2010/04/16
Ross McGregor
Read More: http://www.citytv.com/toronto/cityn.../74748--opinion-next-generation-city-building
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The potent combination of climate change and unrelenting urbanization is demanding that cities around the globe adopt new models for growth and infrastructure development. In light of this, Toronto has a simple decision to make: lead or fall behind. With Toronto’s population expected to grow to 2.8 million by 2018, the city’s complex urban issues – including transit, congestion, energy consumption, waste and water management, and affordable housing – cannot be solved by relying on yesterday’s approaches, particularly the reliance on inexpensive suburban land, cheap fossil fuels, and access to the automobile.
It is imperative that Toronto adopt new approaches to urban planning and infrastructure development. At the municipal level this means, among other things, creating a culture of innovation that compels and empowers officials to implement new approaches to urban issues. The initiative to revitalize Toronto’s waterfront is one example of next-generation city building that is striving to addresses the demands of climate change and urbanization. One of the largest urban redevelopment projects in North America, it is a 25-year, $34 billion dollar project that will transform 2,000 acres of brownfield lands into beautiful, sustainable, mixed-use communities and dynamic public spaces.
Waterfront Toronto, the agency mandated by the three levels of government to lead and implement revitalization, is utilizing this massive infrastructure project to deliver a unique development model. This includes not only excellence in urban design and land use planning and development, but the integration of best practices in sustainability and leading-edge technology. Beyond the sheer size of the revitalization effort is the intended impact on the economy. At completion, the project will deliver 40,000 new residences, three million square feet of office space, and 40,000 new jobs – all within an intelligent community framework that empowers people to connect, communicate, innovate, and live in new, exciting ways.
Facilitating this quantum leap forward in connectivity is affordable, open-access, ultra-high-speed broadband technology, enabling access for everyone, everywhere – at speeds that are up to 1,000 times faster than today’s typical residential networks. With state-of-the-art infrastructure forming the backbone of the waterfront’s intelligent neighbourhoods, the open-access community-based network will enable innovation for businesses, residents, and visitors alike.
The vision is to create the city of the future and the intent is for the waterfront’s new information, communications, and technology infrastructure to attract the world’s leading organizations working in the knowledge and creative sectors. Already, the waterfront model has drawn Corus Entertainment, one of Canada’s largest media companies, Filmport, a major film studio, and George Brown College, which has selected the waterfront for its state-of-the-art Centre for Health Sciences campus. The waterfront’s advanced technology infrastructure is intended not only to connect people and businesses but also to revolutionize its applications. Intelligent buildings in waterfront precincts will use broadband networks to remotely control and manage lighting, heating, and cooling systems. People will be empowered with real-time management of their personal carbon footprint. The overarching result will be lower energy consumption, greenhouse gas emissions, and costs.
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