Waterfront: West Don Lands (DTAH)

[mark simpson]

"does the plan include improvements to the don trail and the section of bayview south of queen as well as north of queen and south of river st.? "

Bayview south of queen will be re-direct around the Don River Park. Bayview north of Queen will be home to 2 auto dealerships

 

[badga416]

Bayview north of Queen will be home to 2 auto dealerships

Actually a single Lexus dealer is going in there. Owned in part by a neuroradiologist at the Hospital for Sick Children who also owns part of the Downtown Fine Car porsche dealership that is sitting on the first parliament site but will relocate to the TTC turnaround on parliament (beside the Staples) and presumably some interest in the 2 WDL dealerships along Front (see above posts) that were part of the first parliament land swap.

Construction on the Lexus dealership seems to have stopped since they removed a large boulder resulting the the collapse of the land underneath the townhomes off of River north of Queen.

 

[badga416]

BTW....it appears that they have finally blocked off Bayview south of the Queen overpass. Traffic is being detoured down King to Cherry.

 

[billonlogan]

Here is the latest newsletter from West Don Lands News.


FROM: Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation <info@towaterfront.ca>
DATE: Fri, 10 Mar 2006 17:33:29 -0500 (EST)
SUBJECT: West Don Lands News

March 2006 Edition

Bridge Extension and Bala Pedestrian Underpass

Welcome to the first edition of West Don Lands News. TWRC is very pleased to be able to provide the community with monthly updates on the progress of the West Don Lands revitalization project, Toronto’s first new waterfront community. This electronic newsletter is brought to you in partnership with the Canada, Ontario and City of Toronto governments, along with the Ontario Realty Corporation (ORC), Toronto and Region Conservation (TRCA) and Toronto Community Housing (TCHC), all of whom are playing an important role in the revitalization of the West Don Lands. We look forward to keeping you informed.


West Don Lands Hotline
TWRC has set up a dedicated telephone line so that the public can get easy access to information about the work going on in the West Don Lands. For more information, please call 416-214-9990 or email wdl@towaterfront.ca.


West Don Lands Kick-Off Event
Work is now underway in the West Don Lands. To commemorate this important milestone, on March 27 at 9:00 a.m. TWRC, in partnership with its community and federal, provincial and city government partners will host a kick-off event. This event will take place at 645 King Street East. This location is noteworthy not only because it is a significant gateway into this new mixed-use community but it will also be part of the future 19-acre Don River Park. The event will be open to everyone so watch for more details at www.towaterfront.ca.


Building Deconstruction and Flood Protection Landform

Contractors are mobilizing on site to start the deconstruction of 16 buildings to allow for the construction of the low-lying berm that will provide flood protection for the area, the realignment of Bayview Avenue, the extension of River Street and the development of the first new West Don Lands neighbourhood on the McCord site. You will now begin to see construction workers, hoarding (wooden fencing) and new project signs around the area. ORC has developed a Site Specific Health and Safety Plan that promotes safety among employees, contractors and subcontractors involved with the deconstruction activities.

An Environmental Management Plan has also been developed in consultation with community, which will ensure that activities like building decommissioning and construction of the berm comply with TWRC’s standards for sustainable development and protect the community. Detailed design of the berm, which will eventually become Don River Park, and relate d infrastructure continues. Construction of the berm is scheduled to start later in the summer.


Road Closures

To maintain public safety while work is being carried out in the West Don Lands, some city streets are closing. The following city streets will be closed from February 2006 to June 2008: Bayview Avenue from south of the River Street connection between the Queen and King Street overpass Front Street east of Cherry Street Eastern Avenue east of St. Lawrence Street Mill Street east of Cherry Street Overend Street Cypress Street Care has been taken to ensure that area residents and business owners continue to have access to their properties. To report any concerns or for further information, please call 416-214-9990 or email wdl@towaterfront.ca.


West Don Lands Transit EA

TTC and TWRC have started work on an Environmental Assessment for West Don Lands public transit. Construction is scheduled to start on the West Don Lands transit line in 2008 and service will be operational in 2009. Public consultation is integral to this work and will continue throughout the process . TWRC, in partnership with TTC is having an interactive public workshop on April 5th from 7-9 p.m. at the St. Lawrence Great Hall (157 King St. E) to provide input on the first phase of this Environmental Assessment known as the Terms of Reference. The purpose of the Terms of Reference is to describe and set out the scope of this project. Please watch for more details on this meeting. For further information, please contact 416-214-9990 or transit@towaterfront.ca.


Soil, Groundwater and Environmental Management
ORC, in cooperation with TWRC and the City of Toronto, is in the process of finalizing a Risk Assessment/Risk Management Plan for soils and groundwater in the West Don Lands. This work includes analyzing existing soil data, collecting new data and developing strategies to manage the risk of contaminants. Soil and groundwater sampling is complete. The plan requires City Council approval. After City Council approval, the plan will then be submitted to the Ministry of Environment for approval. ORC and TWRC have held two public information sessions on the Risk Assessment/Risk Management Plan and have provided updates at other community meetings. There will be a third public information session to communicate the contents of the Risk Assessment/Risk Management Plan in early spring.


Don River Park

TWRC selected Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates (MVVA) of New York and Cambridge to design Don River Park. A number of local firms are also part of the design team including Ken Greenberg and Associates and the Planning Partnership. Don River Park will be the cornerstone and distinguishing feature of the West Don Lands. This 19-acre park will provide for a range of recreational, cultural and heritage, public art, environmental and trail connection opportunities for the new West Don Lands community. There will be three phases of work: concept design (complete by spring/summer 2006), detailed design (complete by fall 2006) and park construction (complete by 2007/08) . Stakeholder and public consultations will begin later in April and will continue throughout the design process.

Since the Government of Canada is a financial contributor of this project, it will undergo an Environmental Assessment under the Canadian Environmental Assessment Act (CEAA). This will b e done concurrently with the project design. Approval under CEAA is required before the park can be built.



CN Kingston Bridge Extension and Bala Pedestrian Underpass

TRCA is overseeing a project to extend the existing CN Kingston bridge to widen the Don River as part of the flood protection. TRCA is also undertaking a pedestrian underpass to the GO line in the Don Valley. The Bala Pedestrian Underpass will provide a trail link from the Don River Park to the existing Don River Trail and waterfront trails but is not part of the flood protection package for the lower Don.

Design of the extension and the Bala Pedestrian Underpass is complete. The design reflects close collaboration with CN Rail, GO Transit, Hydro One, ORC, the City and TWRC, as well as input from the community. TRCA, TWRC and CN Rail are currently reviewing construction bids for both structures. TRCA and CN Rail plan to announce the successful contractor within a few weeks and work will follow immediately thereafter. Please be advised that parts of the Don River Trail will be closed from Queen Street to the Martin Goodman Trail while this work is underway. The trail closure will be in effect from the end of February 2006 until spring 2007. For more information, please visit: www.trca.on.ca.

----------------

"development of the first new West Don Lands neighbourhood on the McCord site."

The West Don Lands Block Plans mentions 2 buildings, one a 14-storey tower on the corner of King & Don River Park. What developer is building on this site?

"Construction is scheduled to start on the West Don Lands transit line in 2008 and service will be operational in 2009."

Would'nt a bus service this neighbour just fine for now and the King car on the door step?

 

[badga416]

What developer is building on this site?

TWRC doesn't anticipate the selection of the developer (based on what I have read the WDL will have a single developer) until the late spring at the earliest.

Would'nt a bus service this neighbour just fine for now and the King car on the door step?

I believe that this is more about the planning around the integration of a LRT line along the East Bayfront and ultimately to the portlands.

 

[mark simpson]

Would of been nice if a tunnel was built around the Don Valley Rail Corridor and the berm extended overhead

 

[tforan1]

Re: the plan

I believe the TTC didn't see it as a feasible line extension but some TTC commish's did: that is, creating a streetcar termination at Castle Frank station to run down the existing tracks on Parliament onto Queens Quay east and into Union, before a future car line one day into the Portlands. Is this totally off the books?

Also, what happens to the land south of the West Donlands precinct, between the railway car yard and the Keating channel. Will this simply be part of the naturalized mouth of the Don?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

tforan:

I think there was some talk of running the streetcar down Broadview.

Also, what happens to the land south of the West Donlands precinct, between the railway car yard and the Keating channel. Will this simply be part of the naturalized mouth of the Don?

Yup, it's within the boundaries of the EA.

AoD

 

[billonlogan]

Community Consultation Meeting: April 3, 2006 7-9pm

Planning application for: West Don Lands (185 EASTERN AVE)

Site
The West Don Lands is an area of approximately 32 hectares (80 acres) on the east end of downtown Toronto, generally located east of Parliament Street to the Don River and south of King Street East to the rail yards.

Proposal
The Province of Ontario (Ontario Realty Corporation) in co-operation with the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation and the City of Toronto has submitted applications for draft plan of subdivision, rezoning and lifting the ‘H’ (holding designation). The applications are consistent with and will implement the West Don Lands Precinct Plan approved by Toronto City Council in May 2005.

The draft plan of subdivision will create the large blocks for development, new roads for the area, the flood protection landform area and the new Don River Park.

The rezoning application has been submitted to adjust the heights in specific areas from what is currently permitted to reflect the heights envisioned in the West Don Lands Precinct Plan.

An application to lift the ‘H’ has also been submitted to allow development in the area to proceed.
In addition to the Planning Application, this meeting will include an information session with respect to the West Don Lands Soil and Ground Water Risk Assessment and the filing of Records of Site Condition (RSCs) in accordance with Regulation 153 under the Environmental Protection Act. A new draft of the Risk Assessment has been prepared based on additional sampling and will be presented to the community by ORC representatives and technical experts. ORC staff will also be available to answer questions related to ongoing demolition and flood protection works on lands east of Cherry Street in the West Don Lands.

Purpose of the Meeting
The Community Consultation portion of this meeting will provide an opportunity for the community to have input on this project, view the plans and ask questions. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still make your views known by sending a fax (416) 392-1330 or by writing to Gary Wright, Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, City Planning Division, Toronto On M5H 2N2.

The West Don Lands is an area of approximately 32 hectares (80 acres) on the east end of downtown Toronto, generally located east of Parliament Street to the Don River and south of King Street East to the rail yards.The Province of Ontario (Ontario Realty Corporation) in co-operation with the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation and the City of Toronto has submitted applications for draft plan of subdivision, rezoning and lifting the ‘H’ (holding designation). The applications are consistent with and will implement the West Don Lands Precinct Plan approved by Toronto City Council in May 2005. The draft plan of subdivision will create the large blocks for development, new roads for the area, the flood protection landform area and the new Don River Park. The rezoning application has been submitted to adjust the heights in specific areas from what is currently permitted to reflect the heights envisioned in the West Don Lands Precinct Plan. An application to lift the ‘H’ has also been submitted to allow development in the area to proceed.In addition to the Planning Application, this meeting will include an information session with respect to the West Don Lands Soil and Ground Water Risk Assessment and the filing of Records of Site Condition (RSCs) in accordance with Regulation 153 under the Environmental Protection Act. A new draft of the Risk Assessment has been prepared based on additional sampling and will be presented to the community by ORC represen tatives and technical experts. ORC staff will also be available to answer questions related to ongoing demolition and flood protection works on lands east of Cherry Street in the West Don Lands. The Community Consultation portion of this meeting will provide an opportunity for the community to have input on this project, view the plans and ask questions. If you cannot attend the meeting, you can still make your views known by sending a fax (416) 392-1330 or by writing to Gary Wright, Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District, City Planning Division, Toronto On M5H 2N2.


Meeting will be held on

April 3, 2006
7:00 pm - 9:00 pm
Champagne Ballroom, Novotel
45 Esplanade, Toronto, ON

If you would like further information about the proposal, please contact Kathryn Thom, Senior Planner, at (416) 392-0759.

You may also contact Councillor Pam Mcconnell , Ward 28, at (416) 392-7916.

"Attendant Care Services can be made available with some advance notice."


Transit Environmental Assessments Public Meeting: April 5th 6:30pm - 9:00pm

The Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), under the auspices of the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation (TWRC), has initiated an Environmental Assessment of proposed transit services for the Port Lands, West Don Lands and East Bayfront development areas. The process to select preferred designs and implementation plans for the three transit projects falls under the requirements of an Individual Environmental Assessment. The TTC will be completing a single, combined Terms of Reference (ToR) for the three Environmental Assessment projects and then, following Ministry of the Environment approval of the ToR, complete two separate Environmental Assessment studies for the West Don Lands and the East Bayfront transit projects.

A single, combined ToR is being developed because a network of transit services will be required to inter-connect the three communities and many of the issues related to the development of a ToR are common to the three communities. This approach will also allow members of the public to provide input to the ToR through a common consultation process. The proposed approach will ensure that area-wide planning issues are adequately addressed both in the development of the ToR, and in each individual Environmental Assessments.

Public and regulatory agency consultations are key elements of Terms of Reference development and the Individual Environmental Assessment process. Public comments are welcome at anytime during the development of the ToR. An initial set of (2) Public Workshops will be held in the spring of 2006 to receive comments on the problem definition, need, study area, service area, projected routes, service type, proposed alternatives, technical studies to be conducted, and proposed public consultation plan for Individual EAs.

The first workshop will be held on

Wednesday April 5th, 6:30 pm- 9:00 pm
St. Lawrence Great Hall
157 King Street East

Advance notice of the Workshops will be published in local newspapers within the City of Toronto. Before the completion of the planning process, a draft Terms of Reference report will be made available for public review at local municipal buildings and on line. The individual EAs will proceed once the Ministry of the Environment approves the Terms of Reference.

As part of the consultation process, a mailing list for those parties who are interested in receiving further information on this study is currently being compiled. If you wish to receive information, become involved in the study, or submit comment, please contact either of the following:

Kristy Findlay
Public Affairs Department
Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation
transit@towaterfront.ca
416-214-1344 ext 248

 

[EnviroTO]

I moved this post regarding the transit EA to the Transportation section.

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

From the Post:

West Don wasn't always a 'wasteland'
Tannery employed 140 people before forced closure
working.com jobs

Terence Corcoran, National Post
Published: Wednesday, April 05, 2006

When the mayor joined federal and provincial power-wielders last week to launch the $230-million West Don Lands cleanup project, the area was described as a "wasteland" and a "derelict" industrial area. Nobody mentioned that the dereliction was the creation of the same governments that are now taking credit for the cleanup.

The West Don Lands supported thousands of workers as a thriving industrial area until 1988. That's when Liberal mayor Art Eggleton and Liberal premier David Peterson, whacked-out on one of official Toronto's periodic Olympic fevers, decided to expropriate all the businesses in the area to make way for an Olympic village for the 1996 Summer Games.

They squandered about $330-million on the expropriation, tore down everything and then failed to produce Olympics or development. Result: derelict wasteland.

One of those lost businesses was Wickett & Craig Ltd., a 100-year-old leather tannery. On July 15, 1988, the Eggleton-Peterson expropriators moved in on Wickett & Craig, whose large three-storey premises ran right up to the edge of the Don. They forced the company to close the plant, putting 140 people out of work.

But the business didn't disappear. It moved to the United States, changed its name to Wickett & Craig of America, and settled in Curwensville, Pa., where the tannery continues to operate to this day as a state-of-the-art vegetable tanning facility, selling fine leather to the likes of Louis Vuitton and Hartmann.

Two people who saw the tannery through the expropriation were Peter Stewart and Con Riley. Mr. Stewart, whose great grandfather Samuel R. Wickett founded the company, was president at the time. In an interview yesterday, he recalled the absurdity of the takeover.

"One of the sad things about the expropriation -- when I met with city officials who came down to our plant after we had been informed of the expropriation, I said to him: 'You know, the bottom end of our plant is between 10 and 12 feet below the level of the Don River.' I told him that every time there's a rainstorm, the lower end of our plant and the elevator shaft will be flooded. I told him that doesn't sound like a good place for housing."

Many other properties in the areas, especially the auto dealers, were polluted. "Those two factors [floods and pollution] should lead you to forget the whole thing," Mr. Stewart told the city officials. But the bureaucrat just accused Mr. Stewart of making up stories to discourage expropriation.

Mr. Stewart's family had sold the business some years earlier to Dominion Tanning of Winnipeg, another century-old business owned by the Riley family.

Con Riley, who like Mr. Stewart is now long retired and spends winters in Florida, yesterday recalled the expropriation. The eight-year ordeal, involving massive legal expense, ended with a settlement at $8-million. The city tried all kinds of claims to drive the price down.

One city claim was that the tannery was a "crappy polluting operation and we would have to get rid of it anyway." The city alleged the Ashbridges Bay treatment plant couldn't handle Wickett & Craig's runoff. In fact, the plant produced effluent that was very "basic" and easily matched the acidic flow at Ashbridges. "This whole idea that they would be shutting us down over pollution was just bulls---."

Mr. Riley says he spent months scouring Ontario for a new site, with no government encouragement. He toured half a dozen states before landing in Curwensville, a town of 3,000. Lost to Toronto was a thriving company, tax revenue and about 140 jobs -- not high-paid employment, to be sure, but a local livelihood for residents of nearby Regent Park. For a little glimpse of what was lost, see the photo nearby or go to www.wickett-craig.com.
__________________________________________________

First, I question the claim that the area hosted "thousands" of jobs in the late 80s. Second, chances are those (few) businesses would have went the way of the dodo during the recession of the early 90s anyways, in a manner similiar to the deindustrialization of the core employment areas in King-Spadina, Massey-Harris, etc.

Another piece of sloppily done, knee-jerk article by T. Corcoran - then again, I expect nothing less.

AoD

 

[mark simpson]

so I guess we should leave the Portlands as is to preserve the hundreds of jobs that remain on this derelict expanse

 

[andreapalladio]

We could connect it to the empty lot that must be created to memorialize the first legislative assembly building.

 

[billonlogan]

CLASS EA NOTICE OF STUDY COMPLETION - ADDENDUM TO THE WEST DON LANDS CLASS EA MASTER PLAN
RE: RIVER STREET EXTENSION AND THE BAYVIEW-RIVER UNNAMED ROAD CONNECTION

The Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation in cooperation with the City of Toronto, has completed an Addendum to the approved West Don Lands Class Environmental Assessment (EA) Master Plan. The Addendum addresses two road links in the WDL – the River Street Extension from King Street to Bayview Avenue; and, the unnamed road connection between Bayview Avenue and River Street, located immediately south of Queen Street (referred herein as the Bayview-River Connection).

The West Don Lands precinct is a 32-hectare area located generally east of Parliament Street, south of King Street, west of the Don River and north of the Gardiner Expressway. The West Don Lands Class EA Master Plan identified the need for an extension of River Street as part of the redevelopment of the Precinct. River Street is proposed to extend south of King Street East and intersect with the newly aligned Bayview Avenue and will be comprised of the River Square arrangement of roads.

The Addendum also proposes to close the Bayview-River Connection at River Street but maintain access along the connection via Bayview-Avenue. This allows for continual access and egress to and from the north and south portions of Old Brewery Lane and maintains site access to the Toronto Humane Society.

This study was conducted in accordance with the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, June 2000, which is an approved process under the Environmental Assessment Act.

The Addendum to the West Don Lands Class Environmental Assessment Master Plan has been completed, and is being placed in the public record for a 30-day review period. Subject to comments received as a result of this Notice, and the receipt of necessary approvals, the TWRC and the City intend to proceed with the implementation of the recommended infrastructure improvements do cumented within the Addendum.


I was checking the site out around King and River and everything is ready to go. The storm last night blew down a bunch of hoarding on the east side and rivertowne project. Just hope the berm is high enough to handle any huge deluge of rain in the future.

 

[unimaginative2]

That article's so ridiculous. A tannery! Now there's a high-growth industry to locate right in the middle of the city centre. And how may jobs will be created by the new West Don Lands project? A few more than 150, I should think. Drawing on the poor people of Regent Park to bolster his argument is equally absurd. I would be surprised if a single employee came from Regent park.Still, I agree that they could have allowed the business to stay until they actually re-developed the land. They should have also given them some kind of relocation incentive to keep them in the city.