EnviroTO
Senior Member
Unfortunately you don't need to buy into it. It only takes Kim Jong-il to believe it and then it will be true.
Toronto Lower Don Lands Redevelopment | ?m | ?s | Waterfront Toronto
Unfortunately you don't need to buy into it. It only takes Kim Jong-il to believe it and then it will be true.
junctionist
Senior Member
I also don't buy into that.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
Lower Don Lands project in Toronto to open way for lakefront residential development
RYAN BOLTON
From The Daily Commercial News
http://dcnonl.com/article/id34031
The industrial Lower Don Lands are going to get a healthy dose of revitalization.
As part of the Lower Don Lands waterfront revitalization plan, the mouth of the Don will be rerouted along with planning designs to establish a sustainable urban community, according to a recently released proposal from Waterfront Toronto.
“The underlying infrastructure rationale is ... flood protection,†said Waterfront Toronto president and CEO John Campbell. “The water goes out and it floods the whole port land primarily, so in order to develop any residential use, you have to somehow protect that.†He noted that if a Hurricane Hazel-like storm hit the Don River watershed, water would likely reach Bay Street downtown.
The first stages of the proposal will see the mouth of the Don River at the Keating Channel at Toronto’s east harbour moved to the middle of the Lower Don Lands between the Shipping Channel and Keating Channel. The drafted reroute is roughly expected to cost about $400 million.
But the rerouting of the river is only one ingredient of the project. Waterfront Toronto also aims to re-naturalize the Don River to usher in wildlife and to develop a community infrastructure creating a park and promenade along its edges with mixed-use neighbourhoods. The plans call for a combination of 75 per cent residential and 25 per cent non-residential space.
“Along with the flood-proofing, our strategy is for naturalization for creating a river mouth as it comes into the harbour and incorporates a lot of naturalized wetlands within a large park setting over a hundred acres,†said Ken Greenberg, a Toronto planner with Greenberg Consultants. “From a long-term strategic standpoint, this is extremely important for Toronto.â€
The draft precinct plan for the Keating Channel Neighbourhood, located just north of the Lower Don Lands, would consist of 25 blocks with a waterfront setting to create a variety of public space and approximately 4,000 residential units.
Currently a 125-hectare industrial area, Lower Don Lands is “underutilized†and “long-neglected,†according to Waterfront Toronto. With a push from the local residents to invigorate the waterfront, Campbell wants to give the city a true harbourfront.
“It should be the jewel of the harbour — right now it’s the absolute opposite,†he said. But after revitalizing the West Don Lands with sustainability as an idea, Campbell is excited to work on this product with sustainability at the forefront.
“It’s interesting that this is the first chance to look at building a community from the ground up with sustainability in mind,†he said.
As sustainability is a key objective for Waterfront Toronto, the revitalization project, which is headed by New York-based architect Michael Van Valkenburg who won the international design competition for the Lower Don Lands in 2007, is incorporating the expertise of ecologists, climate engineers, landscape architects, sustainability specialists and urban designers. In this respect, the initial plans call for a high frequency light rail transit system for efficient transportation in the area. The proposal also calls for solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal heating and the ability to harvest rainwater from building roofs to feed into the wetlands.
“I think what distinguishes this product is that all the issues are being dealt with together,†said Greenberg. “Like I said: flood proofing, hydrology, transportation, environmental engineering, physical infrastructure, land use, neighbourhood formation [and] parks creation. Really across the board these issues are being dealt with together in an integrated way.â€
Since the area is mainly industrial, both Greenberg and Campbell say construction isn’t likely to be a problem with nearby communities. Since the initiative is to be phased over a number of years, development will occur with pacing, keeping it an independent construction zone.
The problem, Campbell foresees, however, is funding. Although still in the initial stages of planning, funding is the next step for the project.
“It’s expensive and the funding isn’t there yet,†said Campbell referring to money as a possible hiccup for the project.
The next step is a North Keating’s zoning plan, which will be submitted to council later this year. After that, an environmental assessment for the naturalization of Don River is expected at the end next year.
RYAN BOLTON
From The Daily Commercial News
http://dcnonl.com/article/id34031
The industrial Lower Don Lands are going to get a healthy dose of revitalization.
As part of the Lower Don Lands waterfront revitalization plan, the mouth of the Don will be rerouted along with planning designs to establish a sustainable urban community, according to a recently released proposal from Waterfront Toronto.
“The underlying infrastructure rationale is ... flood protection,†said Waterfront Toronto president and CEO John Campbell. “The water goes out and it floods the whole port land primarily, so in order to develop any residential use, you have to somehow protect that.†He noted that if a Hurricane Hazel-like storm hit the Don River watershed, water would likely reach Bay Street downtown.
The first stages of the proposal will see the mouth of the Don River at the Keating Channel at Toronto’s east harbour moved to the middle of the Lower Don Lands between the Shipping Channel and Keating Channel. The drafted reroute is roughly expected to cost about $400 million.
But the rerouting of the river is only one ingredient of the project. Waterfront Toronto also aims to re-naturalize the Don River to usher in wildlife and to develop a community infrastructure creating a park and promenade along its edges with mixed-use neighbourhoods. The plans call for a combination of 75 per cent residential and 25 per cent non-residential space.
“Along with the flood-proofing, our strategy is for naturalization for creating a river mouth as it comes into the harbour and incorporates a lot of naturalized wetlands within a large park setting over a hundred acres,†said Ken Greenberg, a Toronto planner with Greenberg Consultants. “From a long-term strategic standpoint, this is extremely important for Toronto.â€
The draft precinct plan for the Keating Channel Neighbourhood, located just north of the Lower Don Lands, would consist of 25 blocks with a waterfront setting to create a variety of public space and approximately 4,000 residential units.
Currently a 125-hectare industrial area, Lower Don Lands is “underutilized†and “long-neglected,†according to Waterfront Toronto. With a push from the local residents to invigorate the waterfront, Campbell wants to give the city a true harbourfront.
“It should be the jewel of the harbour — right now it’s the absolute opposite,†he said. But after revitalizing the West Don Lands with sustainability as an idea, Campbell is excited to work on this product with sustainability at the forefront.
“It’s interesting that this is the first chance to look at building a community from the ground up with sustainability in mind,†he said.
As sustainability is a key objective for Waterfront Toronto, the revitalization project, which is headed by New York-based architect Michael Van Valkenburg who won the international design competition for the Lower Don Lands in 2007, is incorporating the expertise of ecologists, climate engineers, landscape architects, sustainability specialists and urban designers. In this respect, the initial plans call for a high frequency light rail transit system for efficient transportation in the area. The proposal also calls for solar panels, wind turbines, geothermal heating and the ability to harvest rainwater from building roofs to feed into the wetlands.
“I think what distinguishes this product is that all the issues are being dealt with together,†said Greenberg. “Like I said: flood proofing, hydrology, transportation, environmental engineering, physical infrastructure, land use, neighbourhood formation [and] parks creation. Really across the board these issues are being dealt with together in an integrated way.â€
Since the area is mainly industrial, both Greenberg and Campbell say construction isn’t likely to be a problem with nearby communities. Since the initiative is to be phased over a number of years, development will occur with pacing, keeping it an independent construction zone.
The problem, Campbell foresees, however, is funding. Although still in the initial stages of planning, funding is the next step for the project.
“It’s expensive and the funding isn’t there yet,†said Campbell referring to money as a possible hiccup for the project.
The next step is a North Keating’s zoning plan, which will be submitted to council later this year. After that, an environmental assessment for the naturalization of Don River is expected at the end next year.
khris
Senior Member
Automation Gallery
Superstar
khris
Senior Member
Yes, they removed it twice now.
Here it is again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQiNXXgu4g
Hopefully they don't remove it anymore haha.
Here it is again:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQiNXXgu4g
Hopefully they don't remove it anymore haha.
Automation Gallery
Superstar
Waterfront Toronto's Lower Don Lands Wins International Best Futuristic Design Award
TORONTO, June 16 /CNW/ - Waterfront Toronto's Lower Don Lands plans have
received the 'Best Futuristic Design Award' in one of the world's leading
sustainability focused development industry design competitions.
The Keating Channel Precinct, the Lower Don Lands' first planned
community, was recognized in Hamburg Germany at the Building Exchange (BEX)
Conference.
The fifth annual BEX International Awards, held in partnership with the
World Green Building Council, promote global standards for environmentally
sound buildings, large-scale developments and infrastructure. Judged by a
panel of leading experts, the awards celebrate sustainability, innovation,
efficiency and collaboration in the built environment and demonstrate
consideration of the issues surrounding climate change, sustainable
communities and future legacies. Previous winners include WS Atkins (Bahrain
World Trade Centre), Birmingham City Council (Big City Plan) and Aldar
Properties (Aldar HQ).
"This award emphasizes the importance of investing in sustainable
communities to help reduce carbon emissions, prioritize transit as a mode of
transportation, and improve energy efficiency," said John Campbell, President
and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. "It is an honour for Waterfront Toronto to be
recognized for its commitment to world class sustainable city building."
The first community to be developed in the Lower Don Lands, the Keating
Channel neighbourhood is the area that runs from East Bayfront to the Don
River and from the West Don Lands to Villers Street. The community is designed
to optimize the climatic effects from sun and wind and to incorporate
strategies for water re-use and leading edge information technology to support
sustainable living and working.
Waterfront Toronto is planning to transform the Lower Don Lands, a
125-hectare (308-acres) industrial area located south of the rail corridor in
the east end of Toronto's harbour, into new parks and communities. Plans for
the area include re-naturalizing the Don River mouth, re-routing it to provide
flood protection for the area, and the creation of wetland and natural green
spaces. The river will be the centerpiece of new mixed-use sustainable
communities.
The Lower Don Lands was recently named as one of 16 founding global
projects of the newly launched Climate + Development Program, a partnership
between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the US Green Building Council.
The Program will support the planning and implementation process for each
real estate development and establish the standards and metrics by which the
sites can measure climate positive outcomes. Along with the other projects,
the Lower Don Lands will seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below zero
by implementing economically viable innovations in the generation of clean
energy.
For a video outlining new development plans for Waterfront Toronto's
Lower Don Lands log on to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQiNXXgu4g.
The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto
created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto's
waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development,
economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of
waterfront revitalization.
For further information: Media Contact: Sheri DeCarlo, Waterfront
Toronto, (416) 214-1344 x 279 or sdecarlo@waterfrontoronto.ca
TORONTO, June 16 /CNW/ - Waterfront Toronto's Lower Don Lands plans have
received the 'Best Futuristic Design Award' in one of the world's leading
sustainability focused development industry design competitions.
The Keating Channel Precinct, the Lower Don Lands' first planned
community, was recognized in Hamburg Germany at the Building Exchange (BEX)
Conference.
The fifth annual BEX International Awards, held in partnership with the
World Green Building Council, promote global standards for environmentally
sound buildings, large-scale developments and infrastructure. Judged by a
panel of leading experts, the awards celebrate sustainability, innovation,
efficiency and collaboration in the built environment and demonstrate
consideration of the issues surrounding climate change, sustainable
communities and future legacies. Previous winners include WS Atkins (Bahrain
World Trade Centre), Birmingham City Council (Big City Plan) and Aldar
Properties (Aldar HQ).
"This award emphasizes the importance of investing in sustainable
communities to help reduce carbon emissions, prioritize transit as a mode of
transportation, and improve energy efficiency," said John Campbell, President
and CEO of Waterfront Toronto. "It is an honour for Waterfront Toronto to be
recognized for its commitment to world class sustainable city building."
The first community to be developed in the Lower Don Lands, the Keating
Channel neighbourhood is the area that runs from East Bayfront to the Don
River and from the West Don Lands to Villers Street. The community is designed
to optimize the climatic effects from sun and wind and to incorporate
strategies for water re-use and leading edge information technology to support
sustainable living and working.
Waterfront Toronto is planning to transform the Lower Don Lands, a
125-hectare (308-acres) industrial area located south of the rail corridor in
the east end of Toronto's harbour, into new parks and communities. Plans for
the area include re-naturalizing the Don River mouth, re-routing it to provide
flood protection for the area, and the creation of wetland and natural green
spaces. The river will be the centerpiece of new mixed-use sustainable
communities.
The Lower Don Lands was recently named as one of 16 founding global
projects of the newly launched Climate + Development Program, a partnership
between the Clinton Climate Initiative and the US Green Building Council.
The Program will support the planning and implementation process for each
real estate development and establish the standards and metrics by which the
sites can measure climate positive outcomes. Along with the other projects,
the Lower Don Lands will seek to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to below zero
by implementing economically viable innovations in the generation of clean
energy.
For a video outlining new development plans for Waterfront Toronto's
Lower Don Lands log on to http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bEQiNXXgu4g.
The Government of Canada, the Province of Ontario and the City of Toronto
created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto's
waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development,
economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of
waterfront revitalization.
For further information: Media Contact: Sheri DeCarlo, Waterfront
Toronto, (416) 214-1344 x 279 or sdecarlo@waterfrontoronto.ca
TKTKTK
Senior Member
So, sorry...what are they doing? Naturalizing the area by removing its flood plain characteristics? Exactly what is natural in creating a new type of watershed?
Also, can anyone explain why this is supposed to be the "jewel" of the harbour? Shouldn't that be, like, Harbourfront?
AKS
Senior Member
They're not removing it's flood plain characteristics, but adding to it. It looks like they're adding another section for the water to flood into.
before
after
They call it a jewel because I guess because it's a chance for them to start from scratch to avoid the mistakes that were made at harbourfront?
TKTKTK
Senior Member
They're entirely changing them again. That's the part I find funny...there's nothing particularly natural in giant earth works
I can't help but picture spillways and river-routing as done in the suburbs; 'natural' but very obviously man-made. I'm sure it'll be done way better...but...I'm not holding my breath :S
And really...they're going to tear down a portion of the Gardiner and unlink the DVP for what...so that 5 narrow blocks of residential can be built along a tiny portion of its route? It's a good thing once it's gone there won't still be a giant railyard still running along one side—oh wait, it's still there.
Love Toronto for this. Never one to correct its mistakes, or find solutions for what it has; it would rather just start from scratch somewhere else. And we wonder why there's no sense of place - what sticks around long enough to get it?
It's not very glamourous, and it's certainly not very 'nice'. but that whole waste-land industrial area south of the Keating Channel actually has a realness to it that many parts of the city are lacking. It's wild...and empty, and maybe a bit depressing. But...I'd rather be there than Liberty Village.
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AKS
Senior Member
Aren't all the islands and extensions on the south man made anyway? I don't think they're natural. It wasn't there before. They added infill to it about half a century ago I think. I can't remember where I saw the lake front land fill project photos.
As for fixing. They're trying to make harbourfront look nicer. But they can't do anything about the tall condos right at the foot of the harbour. There's a lot of residents there. It would cost a lot to buy out the buildings and rebuild with shorter ones. Hence they are starting from scratch at a place that's been neglected for a long time.
I think in the next 200 years or so, central waterfront might get rebuilt because the current buildings will get too old and need to be torn down. But we won't live to see that happening.
As for fixing. They're trying to make harbourfront look nicer. But they can't do anything about the tall condos right at the foot of the harbour. There's a lot of residents there. It would cost a lot to buy out the buildings and rebuild with shorter ones. Hence they are starting from scratch at a place that's been neglected for a long time.
I think in the next 200 years or so, central waterfront might get rebuilt because the current buildings will get too old and need to be torn down. But we won't live to see that happening.
SimplyOE
New Member
I like it, let's fill it up with more condo's and office towers.
Archivist
Senior Member
Love Toronto for this. Never one to correct its mistakes, or find solutions for what it has; it would rather just start from scratch somewhere else.
Guess you've never been to Harbourfront eh? I took a bunch of people down there for a walk and they were blown away by the recent (and some not so recent) improvements. As AKS has pointed out, it's unlikely the Harbour Castle is going to go away soon, and it is very hard to remediate that. But the rest of Harbourfront is a jewel and only getting better.
This is a great proposal, can't wait for it to go ahead.
Guess you've never been to Harbourfront eh? I took a bunch of people down there for a walk and they were blown away by the recent (and some not so recent) improvements. As AKS has pointed out, it's unlikely the Harbour Castle is going to go away soon, and it is very hard to remediate that. But the rest of Harbourfront is a jewel and only getting better.
This is a great proposal, can't wait for it to go ahead.
TKTKTK
Senior Member
I can't actually think of the last time I spent any appreciable time at Harbourfront to be honest. Certainly not yet this year...Glad there's changes, but it still seems a bit dry.
AKS
Senior Member
how can you say it's dry if you haven't been there lately? Anyhow, it's better to go during weekends or when there's events going on. The area gets busy.