Toronto First Parliament Site | ?m | ?s

Berczy Park is getting a million bucks from the new apartment building at Wellington and Scott. That will buy a lot of pretty. The North Market, well, that's a Pam McConnell production, so no one in the neighbourhood expects to see any action on that any time soon.
 
AndreaPalladio said:
Berczy Park is getting a million bucks from the new apartment building at Wellington and Scott. That will buy a lot of pretty. The North Market, well, that's a Pam McConnell production, so no one in the neighbourhood expects to see any action on that any time soon.
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Berczy Park is terrible right now. It actually has decrepit, rusted benches that are falling right off the brick wall and almost as much mud patches, as grass, so I'm glad to hear it's getting a facelift. It needs one badly!
 
Yep. It looks heavily used, because it is. And the best fountain in the city. It has already been filled with bubble bath this spring.
 
Torontovibe said:
Berczy Park is terrible right now. It actually has decrepit, rusted benches that are falling right off the brick wall and almost as much mud patches, as grass, so I'm glad to hear it's getting a facelift. It needs one badly!
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sadly, for almost all parks in Toronto that is the status quo
 
adma said:
Just because it's "not as important" as bla bla bla doesn't mean it's not important. And again, nobody is seeking to create a Colonial Williamsburg-style faux falsehood here.

(Though one elsewhere-example that might merit mention here is Robert Venturi's Franklin Court)

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A local example might be General Idea's 1984 Miss General Idea Pavilion - which never actually existed, but was "destroyed by a fire" ... thus transforming GI from artists into ‘archaeologists’ of their own fiction.
 
AndreaPalladio said:
Berczy Park is getting a million bucks from the new apartment building at Wellington and Scott. That will buy a lot of pretty. The North Market, well, that's a Pam McConnell production, so no one in the neighbourhood expects to see any action on that any time soon.
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Yes, Berczy is getting SOME money but definitely not $1 million as this is for the site itself AND the park and is for art not "fixin up'. The Section 37 benefits approved are:

Prior to the issuance of above grade permits provide a cash contribution of $2,500,000 which is to be used for the following:
a. $1,000,000 to be directed to public art to be located on publicly accessible portions of the site and/or within Berczy Park;
b. $1,300,000 for streetscape improvements on Wellington Street East from Yonge Street to Church Street not abutting the site, streetscaping on Colborne Street from Yonge Street to Scott Street not abutting the site, and streetscaping on Scott Street from Colborne Street to Front Street East not abutting the site; and
c. $200,000 for the North St. Lawrence Market redevelopment.
 
^^True but if given the requirement to put spend $1 million on public art on either their own site or a local park, I have a sneaking hunch they'll choose their own site. I also doubt they'd spend the money on landscaping and decent park benches, which is what Berczy Park needs. Badly.

I presume the section 37 benefits for 88 Scott (also Concert) are not yet approved but there really seems to be an opportunity to combine these benefits and greatly improve both the streetscaping and Berczy Park if done correctly. If the result of all this is that the Berczy and 88 Scott have some nice public art on their respective properties and Berczy Park is not greatly improved (which would probably take a good chunk more than $1 million) it would be very disappointing.
 
Grimace said:
^^True but if given the requirement to put spend $1 million on public art on either their own site or a local park, I have a sneaking hunch they'll choose their own site. I also doubt they'd spend the money on landscaping and decent park benches, which is what Berczy Park needs. Badly.

I presume the section 37 benefits for 88 Scott (also Concert) are not yet approved but there really seems to be an opportunity to combine these benefits and greatly improve both the streetscaping and Berczy Park if done correctly. If the result of all this is that the Berczy and 88 Scott have some nice public art on their respective properties and Berczy Park is not greatly improved (which would probably take a good chunk more than $1 million) it would be very disappointing.
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Section 37 Benefits are negotiated BEFORE planning approval is given and those for the Berczy (which is, of course, under construction) do NOT include $$ for Berczy Park.

The St Lawrence BIA has recently been awarded an 8-80 Cities grant to plan for Berczy Park improvements are they have just added St James Park to the process - the St Lawrence Neighbourhood Assn is involved and the plans for both parks should be completed by late 2012. There have already been several public meetings and apparently more are planned. It is anticipated that any improvements to Berczy park will happen in 2013 or 2014 as soon as the City finishes work planned for Wellington Street (adjacent to the Park) and that the changes will affect both park and street.
 
Today at City Council Councillor Pam McConnell introduced an emergency motion to bring the site into public hands with some sort of land swap (details are not yet on City website). It passed unanimously so it seems that the First Parliament site is once agin 100% in public ownership. Here's the motion:

This Motion seeks authorization to introduce a Staff Report and Confidential Attachment with respect to an urgent matter dealing with the acquisition of Canada's First Parliament Site at 271 Front Street East and 25 Berkeley Street (the "Property").
The owner of the Property has recently submitted a development application for an as-of-right 5 storey, 15,893 square metre commercial building to house a Data Centre. He has informed City staff of his intentions to move forward with the development unless the major terms of the proposed land exchange transaction are approved by Council before the summer break.
If the development proceeds, the City would forever lose the opportunity to acquire this historic site for an appropriate commemoration as the location of Canada's First Parliament buildings.
 
Some interesting bits here: http://www.thebulletin.ca/cbulletin/content.jsp?ctid=1000136&cnid=1003089

"On Thursday, July 12, 2012, Toronto City Council unanimously adopted a staff report moved by Councillor Pam McConnell that confirmed intent to expropriate the remaining privately owned properties that make up the First Parliament site. The site of Canada's First Parliament buildings is located between Parliament Street and Berkeley Street, south of Front Street."

"The deal adopted by Council in July initiates expropriation proceedings and grants authority to complete a land exchange for the Toronto Public Library property at 281 Front Street East and the property owner paying the difference in land values. The Library site currently houses a processing centre that was already scheduled to be relocated. This move will be accelerated with an expanded centre on Ellesmere Road, consolidating processing operations."

"It has been envisioned that the First Parliament Site will be the future home for the St. Lawrence Library, which was scheduled for relocation and expansion into a regional branch in the next five to ten years. Along with the library branch will be a suitable and permanent commemoration and interpretation of the First Parliament Buildings and the other uses of the land.

"City Council is securing a significant legacy for generations to come," said Councillor McConnell. "Our next step will be to bring people together to create an appropriate commemoration for this landmark and touchstone of our City's heritage."
 
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