Rail Corridor Planning Study

I RAIL CORRIDOR - PLANNING STUDY A. SITE & SURROUNDING CONTEXT CES B. HISTORY OF THE I RAILWAY LANDS C. POPULATION & EMPLOYMENT GROWTH D. PARKS & OPEN SPACE NEEDS: SITE ASSESSMENT E. PLANNING FRAMEWORK APPEND APPENDICES 1 Appendix A: Site & Surrounding Context To the west, at the corner of Front Street West and Appendix for Section 2 Bathurst Street, a mixed-use building ranging from This appendix provides a detailed description of the eight to 18 storeys, including 1,200 residential units content in Section 2 of the Planning Study Report, and grade-related retail, has also been approved. including the description of the surrounding urban context and the transportation network. There are a few smaller parks within the area. Victoria Memorial Square (0.83 hectare), Clarence Square (0.76 hectare), and St. Andrew’s Playground (0.59 Surrounding Urban Context hectare) are dedicated to community use. In 2012, a third of Clarence Square was redeveloped as a dog King-Spadina off-leash area. David Pecaut Square (1.18 hectares) at Metro Hall is heavily programmed for arts and cultural To the north of the Railway Lands is the King-Spadina events. Simcoe Park, a 0.39 hectare plaza off of Front neighbourhood, bounded roughly by Queen Street, Street, is a popular lunchtime location for workers in Simcoe Street, Front Street, and Bathurst Street. The the area. King-Spadina area has undergone dramatic change since the 1990s. The Kings Regeneration Initiative was CityPlace (Railway Lands West and Central) a response to the decline of the historical industrial district as manufacturing activity migrated to suburban South and east of the Site are the Railway Lands West locations beginning in the 1970s. Land use controls and Central, which are generally bounded by Front were relaxed, causing the area to evolve from a Street, the Gardiner-Lake Shore Corridor, Bathurst defunct textile manufacturing district into one of the Street and Simcoe Street. Historically, this area was most vibrant and densely-populated neighbourhoods occupied by rail lines and railway related infrastructure. in Toronto. As industry continued to relocate from the core of the city in the latter half of the 20th century, these lands Today King-Spadina is characterized by retail were planned for more urban uses. and entertainment uses, public services, cultural institutions, hotels, and a variety of housing forms. Today, Railway Lands West and Central – also known King-Spadina continues to have a significant as CityPlace – is a densely-populated, mixed-use employment role, as formerly industrial “brick-and- neighbourhood. There are more than 20 mid- and beam” buildings have appealed to the creative high-rise residential buildings, ranging from eight to industries. 49 storeys, most with grade-related retail and services. Planning for this new urban neighbourhood included The area immediately north of the Site contains a several community services and facilities, including mix of built form and land uses, including mid-rise the Fort York Library and Canoe Landing Park; two and high-rise residential buildings, two-storey semi- schools, a community and childcare centre are being detached houses in the Draper Street Heritage planned as part of Block 31. Conservation District, and low-rise commercial/ industrial uses, such as a car dealership and the Canoe Landing Park is a 3.2-hectares park with two former Globe and Mail headquarters. multipurpose fields, paths, and public art. In March 2017, a section of the park was developed for use The Globe and Mail site is slated for redevelopment as a dog off-leash area pilot project. Roundhouse as The Well, a mixed-use development consisting of Park is a 4.7-hecatre park on Bremner Boulevard. seven buildings ranging from 13 to 44 storeys. Four While designated as a park, a significant portion of taller towers will be situated along the south side this park is occupied by the roundhouse itself, which of the site, creating a street wall condition on the houses the Toronto Railway Museum, a brewery, and north side of Front Street; lower-scale buildings will an entertainment complex. Furthermore, much of the be built along Wellington Street. In addition to more remaining land area is used intensively, owing to the than 1,500 residential units, the project will include dense surrounding residential population and regional retail and office space, public space, and public realm draw the park serves. The heavy demands on the park improvements along Front Street West, Spadina space have made it challenging to also provide and Avenue, and Wellington Street West. 2 RAIL CORRIDOR - PLANNING STUDY protect for larger contiguous and less intensively used line, adjacent to the Fort York historic site. This park green space. North of Roundhouse Park is Olympic contains a military burial ground. June Callwood Park, a 0.83-hectare commemorative park, part of Park (0.46 hectare) and The Gore (2.6 hectares), which is the access to Metro Toronto Convention are smaller parks dedicated to community use. Centre. Olympic Park acts as a point of arrival to the The neighbourhood’s major open space – the CN Tower and Rogers Centre. West of Olympic Park Fort York site itself – is programmed for heritage is Ripley’s Aquarium, which replaced the 0.9-hecatre interpretation. To the south and west of the Fort landscaped open space at the base of the CN Tower York neighbourhood and south of Lake Shore in 2013. Boulevard is Coronation Park (12.7 hectares), which is a ceremonial landscape that includes a grove of The area is characterized by regional entertainment, mature trees planted in commemoration of Canadian tourism and employment uses such as the Rogers War Veterans. The park also features three active Centre, Steam Whistle Brewing, Ripley’s Aquarium, baseball diamonds. and the CN Tower. Two office buildings are situated north of the Rogers Centre, facing Front Street: a Garrison Common North 17-storey office tower at 315 Front Street, and 325 Front Street – a former RBC data centre which is being Garrison Common North is situated northwest of the redeveloped as an innovation cluster for start-ups and Site. This large area is bounded by Bathurst Street, development labs. Immediately south of the Site are Queen Street, Dufferin Street, and the CN rail line, Iceboat Terrace (a privately-owned street) and several and contains neighbourhoods such as King West, high-rise residential buildings. The 125-metre Puente West Queen West, and Liberty Village. Historically the de Luz pedestrian bridge, installed in 2012, connects area played a number of roles – as a heavy and light Iceboat Terrace to Front Street, and is owned by the industrial district, as a residential neighbourhood, and City. as home to major institutions such as the Centre for Addiction and Mental Health. Fort York Neighbourhood Garrison Common North has experienced a significant West and southwest of the Site is the Fort York redevelopment. This has included new condominium Neighbourhood, which is bounded generally by development along King Street and in Liberty Village, Bathurst Street, Lake Shore Boulevard, Strachan as well as loft conversions of old industrial buildings. Avenue and the CN rail line. Most of the lands north Liberty Village has undergone perhaps the most of the Gardiner Expressway are part of the Fort York drastic transition, evolving from a light-industrial historic site and Garrison Common Park. Fort York was district to a dense, mixed-use neighbourhood with established in 1793 and rebuilt in 1816 following the high-rise residential towers, townhouses, office space, Battle of York. It was designated a National Historic retail, services, and entertainment uses. Site in 1923, and the City established the Fort York Heritage Conservation District in 1985 – the first The area immediately northwest of the Site is HCD in Toronto. The lands south of Fort York and the characterized by older commercial/industrial buildings Gardiner Expressway housed industrial and railway and two- to three storey semi-detached houses (e.g. operations for much of the 20th century. along Niagara Street), commercial/industrial buildings along the rail line, and more contemporary residential The planned redevelopment of the Fort York buildings along Bathurst Street. neighbourhood began in the early 2000s and is ongoing. More than 10 mid- and high-rise buildings Stanley Park North and Stanley Park South have been built, alongside stacked townhouses. (combined 2.84 ha) are the largest parks within this Some of the residential towers have retail and neighbourhood, situated just east of Strachan Avenue, services at grade. straddling King Street. To the immediate northwest of the Site is a 0.8-hectare vacant lot at 28 Bathurst The Fort York neighbourhood contains three Street, which is planned for redevelopment as a park. parks. Garrison Common (2.49 hectare), is situated North of Garrison Common North neighbourhood between the Gardiner Expressway and the CN rail is Trinity Bellwoods Park, a 14.6-hectares park which includes numerous sports facilities, a community centre, and other amenities. APPENDICES 3 Central Waterfront Financial District / South Core The Central Waterfront area is south of the Site and the East of the Site are the Financial District and South Railway Lands West and Central. The area is bounded Core, which together form a largely commercial area by Bathurst Street, the Gardiner Expressway, Yonge generally bounded by Simcoe Street, Queen Street, Street and Lake Ontario. The Central Waterfront Area Yonge Street and the Gardiner Expressway. The and Toronto’s shoreline has evolved through a series of Financial District traces its origins to the 19th century lakefilling activities. The original edge of Lake Ontario when early banks began to locate their head offices followed the alignment of Front Street. Gradually and in the area. Today, the district is a tall and dense sporadically, the shoreline was extended by private commercial area, and is home to the headquarters of industries.

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