Landscape Architect Quarterly Round Table Whose Park Is

Landscape Architect Quarterly

10/ Round Table Whose Park Is It? Features 14/ Parks and Place Making 18/ Waterfront Parks 24/ Involving the Public 28/ Icon to Ground Spring 2011 ulcto 40026106 # Publication Issue 13 Contents President’s Editorial Board Message Message

03/ Up Front President’s Message Editorial Board Message Information on The OALA is at an exciting point in its history. The profession The role of parks in landscape architecture is iconic. Linked the Ground continues to grow, both in membership and breadth of to the birth of the profession itself through Frederick Law practice. OALA Council is listening and acting on what the Olmsted, parks foreground the vital role of public space in membership has told us you want. At the February, 2011, cities as they hold the promise of providing accessible Parks: Council meeting, we approved a new three-year Strategic space for all. Multiple activities take place simultaneously in Plan. This Strategic Plan is based on the membership sur- parks with a range of programming and, just as important,

10/ Round Table vey, together with input from focus groups and Council unprogrammed space for diverse users. As such they Whose Park Is It? workshops. A copy of the Strategic Plan will be available at embody and also facilitate multiple forms of community. the March Conference/AGM and will be posted on the Springing from this context, our roundtable discussion asks MODERATED BY NETAMI STUART, OALA OALA website. As President, I will continue to reach out to “whose park is it?” as a way to focus on the role of city students, allied professionals, and government, and help parks governance. 14/ Parks and Place Making support our members and associates. A Conversation between The egalitarian values espoused by Olmsted continue Linda Irvine and Fung Lee Council recently approved a recommendation to today in public park design. Translating such values into implement an OALA Continuing Education program. built work, however, poses the challenge to designers of This will be presented, in greater detail, to the members interpreting what various stakeholders want in a park and 18/ Waterfront Parks for approval at the 2011 AGM. Council envisions that the strategizing around sometimes competing demands. COMPILED BY VICTORIA TAYLOR AND ROB WALKOWIAK program would be phased in during 2011 and 2012 and would be similar to other programs offered and required Parks also occupy an iconic place in city-building through 24/ Involving the Public by allied professions as well as the American Society of their role as catalysts for neighbourhood development. A Conversation between Landscape Architects. Municipalities, developers, and landscape architects are Donna Hinde and Nancy Chater working together to create new parks and renovate exist- I am pleased to advise you that our Association is in great ing landscapes into parks with this catalytic role in mind. financial health and our reserve fund has been re-invested Our snapshot of numerous Ontario cities and towns with 28/ Icon to Ground A Downsview Park Update using a newly approved reserve fund policy. The Budget waterfront parks currently being developed (including both Committee has done an excellent job of researching and lake- and river-front lands) is a case in point. TEXT AND TIMELINE BY ALISSA NORTH, OALA drafting new policies for the reserve fund to guide the OALA into the future. The role of parks as public space and community builders 32/ Notes A Miscellany of necessarily foregrounds the role of process in park design. A number of important issues face the Association, and Interviews with Donna Hinde, OALA, and Linda Irvine, News and Events Council has started investigating the pros and cons of a OALA, offer fascinating insight into the changing approach- Practice Act. An article in Ground 12, “Issues and Debates,” es to public consultation and ground-breaking research

42/ Artifact discussed a Practice Act. This article has created significant methods in city park design. A Car Grows in Kensington and heated discussion, particularly with O.P.P.I. (Ontario Professional Planners Institute). It is important to stress that The funding structure and construction timeline for large this article presents the opinions of two OALA members national parks is always a concern for landscape archi- and does not represent the views of Council or the tects. Alissa North, OALA, provides an update on Association. It certainly did open the issues and debates Downsview Park and reviews the ten-year process to date of a Practice Act. with an eye on the question of maintaining the design integrity of the competition-wining scheme. Our Annual Conference and AGM will be held on March 25th at a wonderful and transit-accessible facility in down- We hope that this issue provides readers with an expand- town Toronto. Our Continuing Education Committee (C.E.C.) ed vocabulary for new ideas and processes in park design has organized an excellent program which we think you and management, and reminds us all of the vital social will enjoy. Collectively, we can all look forward to a stronger and cultural role of parks. organization as we advance into the future. I appreciate NANCY CHATER, OALA, AND FUNG LEE, OALA, CO-CHAIRS, EDITORIAL BOARD Spring 2011 the trust you have placed in me as President as I represent Issue 13 all of us on many important issues. Please join us for a public forum with notable partici- GLENN A. O’CONNOR, OALA pants including landscape architects, park advocates, [email protected] planners, and academics, on April 7th, 2011, at the Daniels Faculty of Landscape, Architecture and Design, University of Toronto, for a lively conversation about the future of our city parks. Visit the OALA website, www.oala.ca, for more details. Masthead .13 OALA OALA .13

Editor 2011 OALA About About the OALA Lorraine Johnson Governing Council Ground: Landscape Architect Quarterly is published The Ontario Association of Landscape Architects works Copy Editor/Proofreader President by the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects and to promote and advance the profession of landscape Stevie Howell Glenn O’Connor provides an open forum for the exchange of ideas architecture and maintain standards of professional prac-

OALA Editorial Board Vice President and information related to the profession of tice consistent with the public interest. The OALA promotes Nancy Chater (co-chair) Joanne Moran landscape architecture. public understanding of the profession and the advance- Johanna Evers ment of the practice of landscape architecture. In support Eric Gordon Treasurer Letters to the editor, article proposals, and feedback are of the improvement and/or conservation of the natural, Jocelyn Hirtes Bryce Miranda Lorraine Johnson encouraged. For submission guidelines, contact Ground cultural, social and built environments, the OALA under- Fung Lee (co-chair) Secretary at [email protected]. Ground reserves the right to edit takes activities including promotion to governments, Leslie Morton Johanna Evers all submissions. The views expressed in the magazine professionals and developers of the standards and Maili Sedore Netami Stuart Past President are those of the writers and not necessarily the views of benefits of landscape architecture. Victoria Taylor Lawrence Stasiuk the OALA and its Governing Council. Rob Walkowiak Ground Advisory Panel Councillors Art Direction/Design Morteza Behrooz Andrew Anderson, BLA, academic leave typotherapy+design inc. Sarah Koeppe Upcoming Issues of Ground of absence from the OALA www.typotherapy.com Ground 14 (Summer): Victoria Lister Carley, OALA, Victoria Lister Carley Lay Councillor Productive Landscapes Landscape Architect, Toronto Advertising Inquiries Linda Thorne [email protected] Deadline for advertising space reservations: John Danahy, OALA, Associate Professor, 416.231.4181 University of Guelph April 14, 2011 University of Toronto Appointed Educator George Dark, OALA, FCSLA, ASLA, Principal, Cover Sean Kelly Commemorative garden in honour Ground 15 (Fall): Urban Strategies Inc., Toronto of Dr. Frank Schofield. (Courtesy of JCI University of Toronto Infrastructure and Planning Katherine Dugmore, MCIP, RPP, Waterfront Project Architects Inc.) See page 3. Appointed Educator Deadline for editorial proposals: Manager, City of Thunder Bay Elise Shelley Ground: Landscape Architect April 21, 2011 Real Eguchi, OALA, Eguchi Associates Landscape Quarterly is published four times a Associate Councillor—Senior Deadline for advertising space reservations: Architects, Toronto year by the Ontario Association of Suzanne Hajdu July 21, 2011 Donna Hinde, OALA, Partner, The Planning Landscape Architects. Partnership, Toronto University of Guelph Ontario Association of Student Representative Ground 16 (Winter) Ryan James, OALA, Landscape Architect, Peterborough Landscape Architects Leila Fazel Real/Artificial Alissa North, OALA, Assistant Professor, University of 3 Church Street, Suite 407 Deadline for editorial proposals: Toronto, Principal of North Design Office, Toronto Toronto, Ontario M5E 1M2 University of Toronto 416.231.4181 www.oala.ca Student Representative July 29, 2011 Peter North, OALA, Assistant Professor, University [email protected] Gregory Warren Deadline for advertising space reservations: of Toronto, Principal of North Design Office, Toronto October 28, 2011 Cecelia Paine, OALA, FCSLA, FASLA, Professor and Copyright © 2011 by the Ontario OALA Staff Association of Landscape Architects Associate Dean of Graduate Studies, University of Guelph All rights reserved Administrator Nathan Perkins, MLA, PhD, ASLA, Associate ISSN: 0847-3080 Ronda Kellington Professor, University of Guelph Canada Post Sales Product Jim Vafiades, OALA, Senior Landscape Architect, Agreement No. 40026106 Registrar Clarification Karen Savoie The article “Issues and Debates: Is it time for an OALA Stantec, London Ground is printed on 100 percent practice act?” published in Ground 12 [Winter 2010] pre- post-consumer, processed chlorine- Coordinator free paper. Aina Budrevics sents the candid personal opinions of two association members familiar with the topic in order to engage discussion and foster awareness of the issues explored in the article. The article does not represent the views or opinions of the Ontario Association of Landscape Architects, its officers, or staff. The OALA continues to explore all facets of this important issue, both with the OALA membership and with allied professionals.

Ground encourages discussion and welcomes letters to the editor on this and any other topic covered in the magazine.

Up Front .13 03

as “one of the principal agitators” by the Japanese. His public declarations and criti- cisms became increasingly dissonant. He left Korea in 1920 when he was quietly recalled by the Presbyterian Church, and became a distinguished professor and researcher at the University of Guelph. Following his retirement in 1955, he returned to Korea where he lived until his death in 1970, teaching medicine and religion, and helping the less fortunate.

At a recent gala in Toronto, the Ontario Minister of Tourism, the Honourable Richard Chan, said that Dr. Schofield “cared more about the world than he did about himself.” To commemorate the life of Dr. Frank Schofield, a non-profit organization was formed five years ago in Toronto. The Dr. Schofield Memorial Foundation has suc- ceeded in attaining a National Historic Person designation from Parks Canada, and is in the midst of building a statue and commemorative garden. After an exhaus- tive search for a suitable location, the group finally formed a partnership with the Toronto Zoo, which dedicated 0.5 ha in their Eurasia 01 section for the creation of a traditional MEMORIALS Korean garden as a setting for a statue from korea to canada of Dr. Schofield.

Thousands of Koreans know of him and Korean gardens are a rarity, with only a speak of his legacy, yet here in Canada he handful located outside of Korea. There are is virtually unknown. Dr. Frank Schofield—a Korean gardens in Vancouver, Los Angeles, humble, unassuming Canadian veterinari- Cairo, Ankarra, Mexico City, Berlin, Frankfurt, an—is regarded as a national hero in Korea and two in France. The design team’s first for his dedication to the people and the task was to define the essence of a Korean Republic of Korea. He is the only foreigner garden given the many cultural influences, honoured with burial in the Patriots section 02 from the ancient Korean Shamanism to of the Soeul National Cemetery. University 01-06/ A commemorative garden at Buddhism, Confucianism, the Joseon era, the Toronto Zoo, designed in the departments are named after him, a softball traditional Korean style, is being and post-war modern expressionism. Our built to honour Dr. Frank Schofield. league in Soeul with more than 1,000 teams design team of Terraplan Landscape IMAGES/ JCI Architects Inc. bears his picture on the league’s baseball caps, and a chamber in the Korean Consulate is named in his honour.

Up Front: Frank W. Schofield arrived in Korea in 1916 as a Christian missionary. While teaching in Soeul, he vigilantly documented and pho- Information tographed the horrors of the military rule. He sent stories of torture and slaying to North American newspapers in hopes on the of inciting an intervention.

Schofield’s harsh criticism of Japanese Ground colonial policy led to his being described

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flower, extend throughout the garden, creating a relaxed, unassuming ambience. All plant materials from groundcovers to trees are species that are typically found in Korea, although the cultivars will vary. Trees include Korean pine (Pinus koraiensis), Korean fir (Abies koreana), three-flowered maple (Acer triflorum), maidenhair tree (Gingko biloba), and Korean spice (Viburnum carlesii).

The final phase will have a construction budget of $3.5 million, and will be located 05 north of the square lily pond. Two traditional the garden is used for worship, as sculp- Korean buildings and a viewing platform ture, for walkways, and to construct ponds. will be oriented toward a central stone plaza. The quintessential Korean artistry will But perhaps the most important design be prominent in the roof details of the build- element is to allow the earth’s natural form, ings. The space has been designed to host drainage pattern, and vegetation to serve weddings, lectures, festivities, and other cul- as the tapestry upon which the garden ele- tural events. Below the buildings and court- ments are placed. Garden elements are yard will be a modern underground inter- placed in nature rather than nature being pretation facility where the life and signifi- transformed into the garden. These ancient cant contributions of Dr. Schofield will be Korean environmental principles were used displayed creatively. centuries before Ian McHarg’s classic, Design With Nature, made its way to The garden has been carefully designed to 04 the bookshelf. Architects and JCI Architects decided to accommodate the 1.5 million year-round visitors to the Toronto Zoo, as well as a new recreate the essence of the traditional The statue of Dr. Schofield (Phase 1) passenger train through the Eurasia exhibit Korean garden that Dr. Schofield would was installed in the summer of 2010 with to be known as the Orient Express. The end have encountered ninety years ago. a construction budget of $75,000 (not result will be a fusion of the traditional and including the statue). The statue is elevated the modern, and of two cultures—Korean Traditional Korean gardens are quite differ- and surrounded by a seatwall and garden, and Canadian. Visitors will have the oppor- ent from the well-known Japanese gardens, a prominent though discreet location for an tunity to learn about a significant figure in which use artistic arrangements of water, unassuming man. The opening ceremony world history, as well as the elements of a rock, and moss, and the Chinese gardens, was attended by dignitaries from Korea traditional Korean garden. which use structure and form to create very and Canada, including Dr. Un-Chan Chung, TEXT BY JANIS FEDOROWICK, OALA, OPPI, MCIP, RPP, A dramatic, stylized gardens. The traditional the former Prime Minister of Korea. FREELANCE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT AND URBAN PLANNER WHO SPECIALIZES IN HISTORIC/CULTURAL AND NATURAL Korean garden, on the other hand, derives LANDSCAPES, AND URBAN DESIGN. SHE WAS ON THE DESIGN TEAM FOR THE GARDEN ALONG WITH PAUL its form from nature and integrates garden The detailed design of Phase 2, with a MARSALA, OALA, FROM TERRAPLAN AND JAEGAP CHUNG FROM JCI ARCHITECTS. elements with natural processes, creating construction budget of $500,000, has been an unassuming, simple, unforced land- completed and will begin construction this scape that looks almost as if it simply spring. The Phase 2 design includes a tradi- evolved without much thought or planning. tional wooden gateway and stone wall, with jangseung (wooden totem poles) to guard However, very strict rules are used to create against evil spirits. A path through a grove a fusion of man-made elements and nature of cherry trees leads to a large, square lily in a traditional Korean garden. Principles of pond surrounded by a stone walkway and Korean pongsoo, or feng shui, traditionally a wooden viewing pagoda, all garden define the orientation of garden elements elements carefully aligned with a statue along a north-south axis to take advantage of Dr. Schofield and the existing stormwater of the summer shade and winter sun. Water management pond to the east. is regarded as a life force that often determined the location of the village in the land- Fields of wildflowers with carefully posi- scape. Rocks are believed to be more pow- tioned naturalistic gardens of chrysanthe- erful than water and their arrangement in mums and rose-of-sharon, Korea’s national

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FESTIVALS immense soil compaction caused by the designing for winter weight of the structure. The basic layout remains the same, with the snow slides fac- As Canadians, many of us feel a national ing northeast to minimize melting, while the sense of pride in our ability to embrace theme changes every year and is reflected the winter weather. But most people do in decorative detailing. Volunteers monitor not venture outside nearly as often in the traffic flow and ensure safety while the snow cold season as in summer, spring, and slides are open, and the site is closed off fall. Our public parks remain vastly under- and monitored by security at night. utilized during winter, with the exception of a few outdoor skating rinks and tobog- Lighting 07 ganing hills—weather permitting. And Yoland Charette, head of Winterlude’s light- deciding which event to retire in order to while many Canadians enjoy ice hockey ing design, describes the objectives of the make room for a new event.” and skiing, these activities require expen- festival’s lighting: to create a festive, urban sive equipment and fees, and can be ambience and to draw people into park High-Tech Winter Fun inaccessible to those with limited funds sites that become special destinations in While the festivals celebrate the temporality and/or limited mobility. otherwise overlooked areas. The lighting of winter by using snow and ice as build- often utilizes surrounding buildings and ing materials and play surfaces, new tech- How can we better animate our parks in structures, and highlights ice and snow nologies offer more permanent and low- winter? Two hugely popular Canadian sculptures at night. In recent years, LED maintenance solutions that might be bet- winter festivals—Carnaval in Quebec City lights have helped reduce energy costs ter suited to public parks. Synthetic ice is a and Winterlude in Ottawa and Gatineau— and all the lights are switched off at 1 a.m. low-cost, low-maintenance, and energy- manage to persuade hoards of people to efficient alternative to refrigerated ice and get outside and enjoy the unique recre- Microclimate alleviates the need for relying on increas- ational experiences possible in the depths Organizers of both festivals stress the ingly unpredictable weather conditions for of winter. I spoke with head designers and importance of optimizing comfortable naturally frozen ice. The surfacing can be operations staff from Winterlude and microclimates by designing the festival installed permanently or seasonally to cre- Carnaval to get a deeper understanding sites to take advantage of favourable solar ate hockey rinks over existing tennis courts of how we can better animate our parks in orientation and by using various wind- or skating trails over existing pathways winter. Clearly, there are significant differ- screening devices such as fabric banners, and running tracks. Synthetic snow sur- ences between designing and operating a vegetation screens, and clusters of food faces, currently used at summer training temporary festival and a permanent public kiosks, in addition to heated shelters and facilities for snowboarders, skiiers and ski park. However, the festivals can provide warming fires. Carnaval’s arctic spa village jumpers, etc., can be installed to create landscape architects and designers with even offers outdoor hot tubs and saunas. either year-round or seasonal toboggan- an eclectic array of ideas to spark some ing hills on specially sculpted landforms fresh thinking about how public parks Movement and Sensory Input or on existing slopes. can be used in the off season. Potvin’s advice is to create a variety of opportunities to stay warm through When I asked the festival staff if they Snowscapes movement and exercise. The Rideau thought there were any features or strate- Both of the festivals feature large-scale Canal Skateway is enjoyed by skaters and gies that might successfully translate into temporary snowscapes for tobogganing. walkers alike, and the entry ramps are permanent park features, they answered Claude Potvin of the National Capital designed to be fully accessible. Gatineau unanimously, “No.” This caught me by sur- Commission (NCC) describes how Park offers free snowshoe rentals and prise. Surely there is something of perma- Winterlude’s “Snowflake Kingdom” is creat- guided tours, including star-gazing tours at nent value to gain from the designs of ed at Parc Jacques-Cartier in Gatineau. In night. Another strategy is to distract visitors temporary winter festival spaces. Surely the past, the structure was made from natu- from the cold by stimulating the senses this is a subject area that calls for greater ral snow trucked on site from municipal through music, entertainment, art, and imagination from Canadian landscape parking lots. Fifteen years ago, NCC food. Carnaval’s operation manager, architects in promoting the use of our switched to artificial snow produced by Daniel Bouchard, notes that the events parks in winter. snow canons. The canons required the that draw the largest crowds are the night TEXT BY BEATRICE SARAGA TAYLOR, A LANDSCAPE installation of a million-dollar electrical sys- DESIGN ASSOCIATE IN THE PARKS DESIGN AND parades, outdoor concerts, dance parties, CONSTRUCTION DEPARTMENT OF THE TOWN OF RICHMOND HILL. tem and extensive water hookups. It takes international snow sculpture exhibit, and about a month to produce all of the snow the giant inflatable balloons. Each year, 07/ Skating along the Rideau Canal is a needed. The entire site is reinforced with a the festival introduces something new. popular activity at Winterlude. geo-synthetic grid to help alleviate the “The hardest part,” says Bouchard, “is IMAGE/ Courtesy Winterlude Up Front .13 06

DESIGN Gurney is a rare breed. A landscape archi- mitted subculture complete with its own parks for skateboarders tect who specializes in skateboard park vernacular, a muscular language steeped design, he’s been at it for more than six in dizzying action—a front side nose slide, People often respond to skateboarders years, though he’s been a skateboarder for example, or flipping an eight-stair set. with fear and apprehension. Stereotypical himself for a lot longer than that, since he What Gurney is interested in doing in his images of noisy teenagers hanging out, was seven. With the design of approximate- designs is capturing the thrill of unfettered doing drugs, vandalizing the area, are con- ly thirty skateboard parks to his credit, he urban exploration and containing it (without jured simply by the idea of having a recre- now works for New Line Skateparks, a firm taming it) in the more controlled environ- ational space devoted to “skaters” opened that has been responsible for more than ment of a park. “To a skateboarder, the city in a community. “There were lots of people 100 such parks internationally. is a playground. We try to take that authentic who thought a skateboard park was a great downtown street-skating feel and detail the idea,” says Bill Gurney, OALA, who pauses Perhaps because he grew up experienc- park design so it has the look and feel of for a moment before adding the kicker: “Just ing the marginalization skateboarders are street-skating.” But that doesn’t mean sacri- not here!” Gurney is referring to the devel- subjected to, Gurney is passionate in his ficing aesthetics for gritty urban authenticity, opment of the first skateboard park to be defence of the sport and the need for he stresses. “We use a lot of architectural built in Toronto’s west end: the Eighth municipalities to accommodate skateboard details such as coloured concrete, textured Street Park near Islington and Lake Shore enthusiasts in their park plans. “If you go to concrete, contained planter areas, LED light- Boulevard, which will open this spring and any city or town, large or small, there are ing—these all contribute to the urban plaza which Gurney designed. opportunities and places in parks to play look and feel.” hockey, soccer, or tennis. Skateboarding 08/ This skatepark was commissioned by the City of Thunder Bay for its should be no different.” Besides, as Gurney Because skateboard park design is a rela- waterfront redevelopment. points out, the activity will happen whether tively new field, it offers designers a high IMAGE/ New Line Skateparks sanctioned or not: “This is why the public degree of creative latitude and a lot of room 09/ The design of this Austin, Texas, skatepark replicates an authentic has such a negative attitude towards skate- for experimentation and problem solving. In urban landscape. boarding, because they see kids doing it much the same way that skateboarding has IMAGE/ New Line Skateparks where they shouldn’t.” It is interesting to no rules, no scorecards, no timekeepers, note that skateboarding is probably the only and no coaches, skateboard park design sport for which hardware is regularly has more open parameters than conven- installed in public spaces in order to prevent tional park design. “It’s relatively unstruc- the activity from occurring. But as any city tured,” says Gurney, “when compared to dweller knows, the creative resources of something like a soccer field, where the skateboarders can outwit any structural parameters are set. In skateboard park impediment put in their way—indeed, it design, there are few set standards so almost seems to encourage them. every design is one of a kind and can be really organic.” New Line Skateparks also “When you’re a skateboarder,” says Gurney, involves youth in the design development “you look at the city with different eyes. What stage. “There are many benefits to this you see is opportunity.” This opportunistic approach,” says Gurney. “It empowers the use of the urban environment has a com- youth, fostering a sense of ownership in 08 the community and promoting a unique brand of stewardship crucial to a project’s overall success.”

Gurney considers cast-in-place concrete the best material for building a skateboard park. “There’s a freedom with cast-in-place concrete that allows it to take any form.” However, challenges include accommodat- ing the natural expansion qualities of concrete—“you can’t detail joints like in side- walks, for example”—and the specialized application techniques for concrete, often blown through an air hose—“you need an experienced shotcrete nozzleman.” For Gurney, one of the biggest challenges in

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12 this kind of work is ensuring competent contractors are selected to do the job: “Canada has a select group of excellent skatepark- specific concrete contractors. Municipalities simply need to be vigilant with their tender guidelines to ensure that qualified firms aren’t out-bid by candidates without proper qualifications.”

Conjuring an image that is as poetic as it is practical, Gurney says that a skateboard park, with its “boat-load of concrete,” is like 10 a skin on the ground: “a floating structure that moves and floats with the earth.”

Clearly, the philosophical aspects of the 13 sport—and designing for the sport—hold great appeal for Gurney. “Skateboarders always look happy,” he says, as he describes a kid skateboarding the wrong way, against traffic, on Lake Shore Boulevard, wearing a hoody and smiling. Gurney, too, is wearing a hoody (his is emblazoned with New Line Skateparks) and he’s smiling: “Look, when it comes right down to it, skateboarding is a lot of fun.”

TEXT BY LORRAINE JOHNSON, EDITOR OF GROUND AND 11 THE AUTHOR OF CITY FARMER: ADVENTURES IN URBAN FOOD GROWING.

10-14/ Construction of skateboard parks often involves specialized materials and 14 techniques in the creation of flowing and organic forms.

IMAGES/ New Line Skateparks Up Front .13 08

PLAYGROUNDS Aldo van Eyck was given the task of design- Simplicity and Flexibility a dutch legacy ing playgrounds while he was an employee Three types of static elements were included at the Urban Development Division of Public in most van Eyck designs: concrete sandpits, Over the course of thirty years, Aldo van Works (1947–1951). The Site Preparation metal climbing or somersault frames, and Eyck and his colleagues at Amsterdam’s Division of Public Works chose the play- concrete play tables/bollards/stacks. Department of Public Works populated this ground sites. Initially, the playgrounds were Constructed from a limited palette of tough Dutch city and its suburbs with approximately designed for interstitial spaces in the centre urban materials, the play objects empha- 700 public playgrounds. Designed between city, such as abandoned lots between build- sized open, non-proscriptive play. Each 1947 and 1978, these new parks trans- ings, curb extensions, or traffic islands, object or combination could be used for formed left-over, “inbetween” spaces where the only public places to play were in multiple purposes, by more than one child of the city into gathering places for families streets increasingly occupied by cars. The at a time, and by children (and adults) of a and neighbours. This community network new playgrounds were extremely popular, range of ages. A climbing dome as a meet- made play accessible to thousands of chil- as evidenced by archival letters and photo- ing place, a mountain to scale, or an obsta- dren, stimulating their imaginations through graphs. Due to their success, van Eyck con- cle to weave through—children were free to simple, dynamically composed play objects. tinued his association with Public Works use these seemingly everyday objects as when he went into private practice in 1951, they pleased, testing their boundaries, con- continuing to design playgrounds for the structing new worlds, and developing both inner city, as well as for the courtyards of the their physical and mental agility. new housing projects of the late 1950s and 1960s, and the Sports Parks of the 1970s. Social Interaction and Place Making van Eyck’s playgrounds are a product of a van Eyck’s playgrounds often served families 15-16/ Aldo van Eyck’s playgrounds transformed abandoned spaces specific opportunity presented by post-WWII who had little or no access to private out- into vibrant community hubs. The Zeedijk playground, in central Amsterdam, but they demonstrate several door space, creating a welcoming, safe Amsterdam, is shown here in 1955 and 1956. principles that are particularly relevant to environment for families to meet and inter-

IMAGES/ Amsterdam City Archives contemporary park and playground design. act with their neighbours. Wood benches, Up Front .13 09

low walls, and shrubs or trees often defined meeting the needs of underserved van Eyck’s legacy, then, is not only in the the playground edges, providing shaded populations—in this case, children and beauty and simplicity of his designs or their areas as well as seating for caregiver inter- families. Although the majority of these ability to create community places from left- action and child supervision. Not everyone playgrounds no longer exist or have been over spaces, but also in their widespread appreciated having a playground located altered beyond recognition, they raise the distribution, adapting a vocabulary of expe- next to their house, but few could deny its question of the importance of building criti- riential learning to each site to create a legi- effect in changing a deserted, underused, cal public places and of claiming public ble, city-wide infrastructure of play, which or unsafe space into a place of life, activity, space for public purposes, even if they are broadened the horizons of generations of and gathering. The simple design and temporary. Today’s cities are filled with Dutch children and now serves as an exam- dynamic composition of the play objects underused, transitional spaces that could ple for contemporary practices of urban encouraged interaction and imaginative be given a public function if the political landscape design. play between children of different ages. In will could surmount legal and other particular, the sturdy construction and uni- concerns in order to improve the lives For more information, see Aldo van Eyck: versal play appeal of van Eyck’s sandpits of city residents. The Playgrounds and the City, edited by made them the centre of gravity for many Liane Lefaivre and Ingeborg de Roode of the playgrounds. All of these principles are worth remember- (Roterdam: NAi [in cooperation with Stedelijk ing in an era of tight budgets and exhaus- Museum, Amsterdam], 2002). This book of A Public Network tive programmatic and ecological require- essays, photographs, and maps is the pri- When viewed on a city-wide scale, ments. Embedding multiple functions in sim- mary source for this article and served as Amsterdam’s network of playgrounds was ple forms can create dynamic environments the catalogue for the 2002 exhibition important to improving the social and that are both performative and attractive to “Design for children. Playgrounds by Aldo physical health of each block, building, or the widest range of visitors. Adapting a van Eyck, furniture and toys” at the Stedelijk neighbourhood where they were located. needed public space typology to specific Museum, Amsterdam. But the organic development of this sites can empower residents to engage in TEXT BY MELISSA CATE CHRIST, OALA, A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT LIVING IN SEATTLE. decentralized network also demonstrated their communities while advocating for city- a political and financial commitment to wide practices of equity and inclusion.

16 Round Table .13 10

Anna Hill (AH): The underpinning of a successful public space is a very transparent and rigorous communication process. In order for the physical forms to be embraced, and to succeed, it really has to start with taking the time to include as many neighbourhood stakeholders as possible, Netami Stuart (NS): When we work on the right from day one. There has to be an design of a park, we’re not just working on understanding, within the councillor’s office the design, execution, and construction— and the parks department and private sec- we’re working for the life of the park. tor firms, that it’s worth it to spend the Consultation with the community is key. Is money to have that really rigorous public there a way you can tie the design and that communication process and consultation Is It? consultation process into something that process from the beginning. lasts longer, that can stay in the park, with the community, that they can use? Dave Harvey (DHa): It can be difficult to A dialogue about convince clients to put additional resources creating vibrant Donna Hinde (DH): It’s about dialogue. into that planning, but it should be looked When dialogue happens in a positive way, upon as almost a branch of community urban park spaces in there is a kind of managing of expectations capacity building. Part of the legacy of the that happens naturally. When there isn’t capital improvement can be a better which communities dialogue, different groups have different engaged community, a community that expectations and there’s just too much feels as if they own more of the park. Part have meaningful expected out of one park and out of one of the dialogue could include ongoing main- process. So the dialogue is critical on all tenance issues, ongoing opportunities for input and perhaps levels. It’s not just about managing the the community to get directly involved. If we even control community; it’s about dialogue between are building facility “A,” are there opportuni- all of the players. ties for community volunteers, or local businesses, to be part of maintaining that area, NS: Park improvement projects, and park or somehow involved? By actually investing construction projects, can become an impe- in the process and dialogue, you’re really tus for the development of a community of doing much more than just investing in people who might be interested in parks how the design is the best. and who can follow through and remain interested in parks. Dave Meslin (DM): What’s missing is enough resources to have enough consultation. In the long run, I think it’s cheaper to

MODERATED BY NETAMI STUART, OALA have the consultation up front, so you don’t have to redo the whole thing. BIOS/ DAVE HARVEY IS EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF THE RECENTLY REBEKKA HUTTON IS THE URBAN AGRICULTURE MANAGER FORMED PARK ADVOCACY ORGANIZATION TORONTO FOR EVERGREEN, AND BOARD CHAIR OF FOODCYCLES PARK PEOPLE. HE WAS AWARDED A METCALF URBAN FARM IN DOWNSVIEW PARK, TORONTO. REBEKKA FOUNDATION INNOVATION FELLOWSHIP IN 2010 AND CONNECTS DIVERSE COMMUNITIES WITH NATURE David Leinster (DL): The issue, too, around RELEASED A REPORT FOR THE FOUNDATION IN SEPTEMBER: THROUGH INVOLVEMENT IN URBAN AGRICULTURE PROJ- FERTILE GROUND FOR NEW THINKING––IMPROVING ECTS, AND PROVIDES SUPPORT TO COMMUNITY FOOD public space, is that when we engage the TORONTO’S PARKS. PRIOR TO HIS FELLOWSHIP, DAVE PROGRAMS ACROSS THE GTA AND NATIONALLY. SERVED AS SENIOR ADVISOR TO THE PREMIER OF broader public, it’s not just one group we ONTARIO, WORKING TO DEVELOP, IMPLEMENT, AND DAVID LEINSTER, OALA, FCSLA, IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHI- COMMUNICATE THE ONTARIO GOVERNMENT’S AGENDA TECT AND PLANNER, AND PAST PRESIDENT OF THE OALA. need to have a dialogue with. There are IN THE AREAS OF ENVIRONMENT, NATURAL RESOURCES, HE GRADUATED FROM THE LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTURE AND MUNICIPAL AFFAIRS. AND DESIGN FACULTY AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO many perspectives. It’s interesting too that AND HAS WORKED ON URBAN REVITALIZATION PROJECTS ANNA HILL IS CO-CHAIR OF FRIENDS OF TRINITY ACROSS NORTH AMERICA, FOCUSING ON PUBLIC REALM we often get the best response to a project BELLWOODS PARK. SHE IS A VOLUNTEER COORDINATOR DESIGN. HE IS CURRENTLY SERVING AS CHAIR OF THE CITY FOR THE TRINITY BELLWOODS GREENHOUSE AND THE OF OTTAWA URBAN DESIGN REVIEW PANEL. when there’s some kind of controversy. GIVINS SHAW SOWERS AND GROWERS CLUB. TRAINED AS AN ARCHITECT, ANNA WAS AN ASSOCIATE AT MARMOL DAVE MESLIN IS THE INSPIRATION AND INSTIGATOR OF RADZINER + ASSOCIATES IN LOS ANGELES PRIOR TO MOV- SEVERAL PUBLIC SPACE ORGANIZATIONS IN TORONTO, ING TO TORONTO. INCLUDING THE TORONTO BIKE UNION AND THE NS: Depending on the size of the park and TORONTO PUBLIC SPACE COMMITTEE. DONNA HINDE, OALA, FCSLA, HAS BEEN A LANDSCAPE what kind of things it offers, a park can be a ARCHITECT IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR 25 YEARS. SHE HAS NETAMI STUART, OALA, IS A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT WHO MANAGED COMPLEX PROJECTS INVOLVING A MYRIAD OF WORKS FOR THE CITY OF TORONTO'S PARKS, FORESTRY resource for the entire city, and it can be a STAKEHOLDERS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT AND RECREATION DIVISION. SHE IS A MEMBER OF THE ONTARIO, AS WELL AS IN HOUSTON, CLEVELAND, AND, GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD. resource for the people who live next door. CURRENTLY, IN YELLOWKNIFE. SHE HAS LED TEAMS IN THE PRODUCTION OF MASTER PLANS FOR WATERFRONTS, RICHARD UBBENS IS THE DIRECTOR OF PARKS FOR THE The thing about parks is that they’re so TOWN CENTRES, CAMPUSES, PARKS, AND EMERGING PARKS, FORESTRY AND RECREATION DIVISION OF THE CITY COMMUNITIES. OF TORONTO. HE WAS FORMERLY THE DIRECTOR OF fraught, and so invested with emotion––they FORESTRY AND CITY FORESTER IN TORONTO. LOOKING JANE HUTTON, OALA, IS A LECTURER IN LANDSCAPE AFTER PARKS AND NATURAL RESOURCES, BUILDING AND are all things to all people. They involve ARCHITECTURE AT THE HARVARD GRADUATE SCHOOL CARING FOR COMMUNITY SPACE THAT IS FUN TO USE OF DESIGN. SHE HAS WORKED WITH NOT FAR FROM AND ATTRACTIVE TO VISITORS AND BUSINESS—BUILDING children, they involve property values, they THE TREE AND GROWING FOR GREEN IN DESIGNING THE A CITY WITHIN A PARK—IS HIS PASSION. BEN NOBLEMAN COMMUNITY ORCHARD IN A CITY OF involve people’s access to anything natural, TORONTO PARK. Round Table .13 11

so when you live next door to a park, it’s Richard Ubbens (RU): In some cases your RH: In the Mount Dennis area of Toronto, your park. Somebody might be farming in it, constituency is going to require that you call there’s a community garden that we started somebody else might need to sleep in it in an environmentalist to be involved in the with local partners in 2006. I’ve watched because it’s the only place they’ve got to design. In other cases it’s going to be strictly that garden grow and flourish over the sleep… When we’re talking about engag- people in the local neighbourhood. In other past several years; there are now more ing a broader community, how do you know cases you have to recognize that it’s a than 100 people involved in the community how big the community is that you need to tourism destination and it’s got to be tailored garden. Most of them had never set foot in engage with? How do you make sure that somewhat to attract tourists and investment Eglinton Flats before that. It’s a very large the park you’re designing, or the park you and local businesses. If it’s a brand new park, there are paid sports facilities, there are helping to manage, remains a public subdivision that doesn’t have any local peo- are natural areas, there are open fields. asset and not something that’s just for you ple yet, it comes down to basic good design There are very dense high-rise buildings or your neighbours? How do we guard principles and trying to use that space as right there, but a lot of people in the neigh- against, or make decisions about, that well as you can and trying to anticipate bourhood I‘ve spoken to have never set kind of thing? what the future of it is. I sometimes drive foot in the park because they thought it around looking at some of the older parks in was maybe not safe. There are a lot of Jane Hutton (JH): Engagement doesn’t and around Toronto that were built in subdi- competing interests in the park because necessarily mean that you know—or can visions. There’s not much there other than of the sports facilities and the natural areas, assume you know—who you’re going to what was there forty or fifty or sixty years so it’s a very interesting space to see really meet or hear from in the consultation ago when the subdivision was built. But different community members engaging process.... What’s physically constructed now there are people who live there in the through the community garden. will engage other publics that weren’t at the community, and that park still isn’t really pro- table, so you need to keep open, you need viding anything to that community, it’s not DL: There’s been a shift in the way we plan to keep a space for people and issues not really making the neighbourhood, and it’s and design parks as a result of the evolving necessarily at the table. long overdue for making the neighbour- role they play in our society. When those hood. In these cases, you need to find out subdivisions you are refering to were AH: One of the things we’ve done at Friends what the neighbourhood needs in order to being planned, there was a lot of emphasis of Trinity Bellwoods is that we’ve tried to set actually start using the park. Some of these on recreation and most of the park space an infrastructure for the neighbourhood that places are just devoid of any use. was devoted to that. There were things allows anybody to come to Friends of Trinity you had to have in the park to meet the Bellwoods with any agenda. If they want to NS: One of the recommendations in standard that was developed so that every rotate the volleyball court nets 90 degrees, David Harvey’s paper is to engage people community had x, y, and z. I think there’s if they want new tennis court nets, if they in parks by using food. Rebekka: In parks a shift now. Parks aren’t just about active want improvements to the ice rink, whatever that were designed with just a bit of topsoil, recreation. They’re social places, they’re it is, they can come to us, and we can try to with no irrigation, have you any experience productive, they are places for growing teach them how to contact the councillor’s of working in those kinds of parks and food and they have a recognized office, how to organize a petition if they engaging people, bringing people into ecological role to play. want to do something dramatic like a parks, using food? What are the opportuni- farmers’ market. Instead of having one ties in suburban locations to go in and DHa: When you’re working on a park group of people come up with a master rethink the landscape? design, it’s easier for the client or the city to plan, it allows the park to respond to inter- have established standards, such as the ests from the community and also people Rebekka Hutton (RH): Evergreen has soccer field should be “x” size and accom- from afar. It becomes a democratic space been partnering with Habitat for Humanity modate “x” teams, or whatever. But to cre- and it reflects the interests of the people in Alberta. With one project we looked at the ate a dynamic social area, what kind of who are really there. Those interests common spaces in a subdivision to create standards are there? Is anybody really change from month to month and year to really exciting, dynamic green spaces and speaking up for that in the design process? year. The more that there can be organiza- shared seating, and things that aren’t com- tions like “Friends of such and such park” mon in a subdivision as far as plantings go. DL: I think it’s all part of determining, with the that can help people figure out how to That was very successful because you had group, with all the stakeholders, what their make a park their own, the better. But, a common space that was actually geared needs are. And they’re often not one you know, it’s all volunteer, it’s very time towards the residents in the subdivision. dimensional, they’re multi-layered. One consuming, and I don’t know if it’s the size doesn’t fit all. best way to do it. NS: In your experience, do you think agriculture in parks, gardening in parks, and food DM: Speaking of trees, I do a lot of kite DL: In addition to what the community wants, production in parks, either selling or grow- organizing these days. Yeah, I fly kites. there’s also what the site is telling you. Every ing, can be something that brings more, I organize a big kite festival at Woodbine park site, existing or proposed, has its own and different, people to a park, or is it usually Beach in Toronto. And I try to find good parks DNA that in part makes it what it is. Part of the same people who are already there? in Toronto to fly kites. Kite-flying is an amaz- the design process is figuring that out. Round Table .13 12

ing activity; it intersects with science, and not just for the fad of the moment, orchard in Ben Nobleman Park in Toronto. social activity, and exercise, and design, and but for the long term. As a park user, it’s easy to assume that an art, and there’s hardly anywhere in Toronto orchard has to be planted in the form of a where you can actually fly a kite, because NS: When designing parks, it’s important grid of trees and exclude other activities and luckily we do have a lot of trees. You know, to be aware of those fads of the moment–– users. Part of the negotiation for the project kite-flying was banned in a public park in those are the things that initially activate a involved showing the different forms that an Toronto last year—a $200 fine! I’m with the park. I’m thinking of bread-making ovens, orchard could take; that it could surround Toronto Kite-Flyers Association; we phoned farmers’ markets, fire pits, all things which other activities, that it could be integrated up the councillor and had this big meeting may not be what people are interested in with the children’s play area. Design can with city staff. Kite-flying had already been ten years from now, but they do activate help people see public space in a com- banned in Scarborough Bluffs, but that com- public spaces, immediately. It’s important to pletely different way. munity of kite-flyers just moved to a different meet the community and find out what peo- park, so we weren’t even solving the prob- ple are doing in this community right now RU: There’s more pressure in some areas lem. My point is, if there had been a healthy that is bringing them together. because there are more people. A big part association that had actually brought all the of the problem is that there is just insufficient users of the park together, they could have DH: Netami started by asking who gets park space. I really think that the legislation come to a solution earlier. I think it was to decide? It is absolutely a question of bal- that got us five percent park space is out- embarrassing for Toronto to have a sign ance. At the table are people who want the dated, antiquated, it needs updating. We that says “no kites allowed,” especially when bread-baking ovens and the movie nights have more density in the city now, and we there are only four or five parks in the city and the guys who come and want to fly need more park space. where you can actually fly because of all kites and kids who want to come in and these darn trees. have skateboard parks, and there’s also DL: Of course, the challenge that cities got to be a basketball court…all of them have now is that they can’t afford the parks RU: The kite-flying was very interesting are completely valid ideas; none of them they have. There’s a funding formula that because the string is laced with glass- can be analyzed in isolation. We try to have has to be sorted out for the long term. That shards, it’s very sharp and does damage a process whereby everybody comes to the includes both the capital budget to build to young children’s hands and that’s what same understanding, a common, a shared and restore parks and the operating prompted this stuff. One of the big concerns understanding of how the decisions are budget to maintain them. with kite-flying is always hydro lines. They’re made so that decisions aren’t made in the not in any way insulated, the high voltage director’s office or the designer’s office, but RU: The other thing is that most municipal stuff is all there, so if your string is wet or they’re made in an open public forum so budget structures don’t allow for deprecia- touches two wires you can have an explo- that everybody understands why you don’t tion—it’s not built into the budget. In other sion or a fire––they’re very dangerous. get to fly your kite or the kids can’t have a words, you come to the end date on that skateboard park. facility or that asset, and it’s no longer sus- DH: This really points to a common theme: tainable. There isn’t necessarily enough the benefits of having a healthy local park NS: But even if you got everyone together, budget built up through depreciation, like group. It’s in everybody’s interest to have how do you decide? there would be in a business to replace a good group that’s representative of the furniture or a building from time to time. community, with involved, engaged peo- DH: What I always say is, they don’t neces- That doesn’t exist to rebuild a recreation ple looking for opportunities through the sarily have to agree, but people have to centre or water treatment plant. design process or through the city or understand how you came to that conclu- through outside organizations such as sion. If people have access to information, DM: When we’re talking about financial Toronto Park People. if you’re completely open and honest, if you constraints, and finding other ways to fund have no hidden agendas, and you’re not parks, such as development fees, I think DM: It would be interesting to compare making stuff up…. People may not agree one really dangerous route is advertising. the resources that the city allocates to set- but at least they understand. There has to be a safe place somewhere ting up BIAs and supporting BIAs versus the where we can actually spend time in the resources they allocate to parks. JH: I think this raises the question of how city without being bombarded by ads. I design contributes to a public discussion think parks should be one of those zero- RU: The constituencies of BIAs are much about a park. Public negotiations can be tolerance places, along with a zone smaller; they’re strictly those addresses very open-ended and tend to focus on around schools and churches. along that stretch of street. I would argue whether an element should exist or not. that parks are much more complex and Public design shouldn’t be just a checklist of DL: Then how do you encourage private- that landscape architects and designers elements; rather it can question conventions public partnerships if you don’t acknowl- have a much more complex geography in and visualize how those elements can exist edge the partnership? designing parks. The other thing is that you in different configurations. For example, have to design them for the future as well, I was involved in a project to create an Round Table .13 13

DM: It can be done with a plaque. Okay, DL: But to be fair: if it’s not the community’s donor wanted to donate a million dollars I withdraw my zero tolerance... priority to invest in the public realm, then the to put an accessible playground in a park. City has to figure out some other way to be I was stunned, absolutely stunned, by how DHa: I think the city’s been reluctant to able to do it. If we as tax payers are not difficult the process was because the com- have that conversation. I think it is time for willing to have our taxes increased or have munity did not want, didn’t think that the city a mature conversation, and there do need priorities changed to reallocate funding to should be accepting the million dollar dona- to be limits, but it’s time to have that conver- public spaces, if we’re not willing to pay for tion for accessible playground equipment. sation. And maybe Bryant Park in New York it, then there’s got to be another mechanism It seemed pretty much like a no-brainer to and Madison Park are unique examples. to ensure the long-term care of parks. me. They didn’t think it was the donor’s right Maybe there’s a park or two in Toronto to be paying for the playground facility. The where that might work. You wouldn’t want DM: That’s not true. For one hundred years community thought the city should be pay- that for every park, but those are very inten- we’ve paid for our own garbage cans. ing for that. sively used parks, they’re almost as private as a park can get and still be a public park DL: The public realm in the City of Toronto, DHa: But there was no consultation. The at the same time. and in many other cities in North America, community had actually raised $100,000 in is seriously deteriorating. Every single park the community, and they had built new RU: In terms of the advertising question, needs an investment and the money is equipment, and the city was coming in and I think the neighbourhood should have a not there. tearing that down, and putting in something big part in it. If the local neighbourhood can else that was being targeted towards peo- accept it and wants it, well that’s going to AH: In terms of coaxing hearts and minds ple from across the city. And it’s not a big create the funding. I think people need to be towards actual investment of tax dollars into park. It’s a very good example of a great open-minded enough to say, well, are we parks maintenance, I almost think that the idea that people can be opposed to, kind open for business here for that kind of thing, public space argument doesn’t really hold of like the orchard. and in a small way, in a big way, a kiosk or a lot of sway right now for the public. What what have you? And if the local neighbour- people are more interested in right now is a NS: How do we raise awareness about hood’s all for it, maybe they’re all for it. If concept of urban nature. I think everyone is what kinds of things go into parks, what you’ve got a local neighbourhood that loves desperate for urban green space. The fact parks do, how they contribute to the ecology to gather for a movie on Friday night, it could that we’re trying to bring farmland into the of the city? People in cities are getting really be that there’s some kind of advertising city, by having these farmers’ markets and good at talking about bicycles and cars, because it’s sponsored by someone. And gardening in our park, is evidence that peo- garbage collection, and police. I think we that doesn’t necessarily have to be a per- ple are feeling a lot of pressure of huge need to cultivate the same level of informed manent thing in the park, it can be part and amounts of development. I think there’s a vocabulary, the same ability to discourse parcel of how that movie gets shown. much greater chance of rousing public sup- on parks. port for greater investment in parks space WITH THANKS TO LAUREL CHRISTIE FOR TRANSCRIBING THIS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION. JH: It is important that different parks can if you present the idea somehow through, express different interests, but if the parks what is the value of urban nature? We need PLEASE JOIN US ON APRIL 7, 2011, FOR A PUBLIC FORUM BASED ON THIS ROUND TABLE DISCUSSION. TO BE HELD department doesn’t set some standard, to really have these opportunities to access AT THE DANIELS FACULTY OF LANDSCAPE, ARCHITECTURE AND DESIGN, UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO, WE LOOK FOR- then one organization allows for this mas- nature. There could be some kind of a press WARD TO A LIVELY CONVERSATION ABOUT THE FUTURE OF OUR CITY PARKS. VISIT THE OALA WEBSITE, sive movie screen night, and then other campaign or educating the public—we WWW.OALA.CA, FOR MORE DETAILS. advertisers are going to want that, too. have to value our urban nature as much as we do our hockey rinks. DM: There’s another risk. If you set a precedent that movie nights could and DHa: We’ve talked about the challenges should be funded by sponsors, then low- around corporate funding in parks, and how income neighbourhoods that aren’t really that is used in the U.S. in some spots, but targeted by marketers wouldn’t end up there’s a tradition of philanthropy in public with movie nights. Advertisers want to tar- spaces in the U.S., and there isn’t that tradi- get parks that have users who have dis- tion here. We’ve seen a billion dollars put posable income. The other thing is, and into cultural institutions in great buildings; we could debate this for hours and we could we see a day where there’s a billion would go off topic, but it’s important to dollars put into parks around the city? note that in the end it’s actually a scam, because all that money comes from us in DH: It’s interesting: when we talk about who the first place. Advertising budgets come gets to decide, we say the community when from what we pay at the cash register. we’re talking about advertising. But if it’s philanthropy, the city should decide. But I was involved with a parks project in which a Parks and Place .13 14 Making Parks and Place Making 02

Linda Irvine in discussion with Fung Lee about cultural research conducted for parks planning in Markham

01/ The Pebble Mosaic Path is a specialized artform from Asia that stimulates the feet and improves balance and circulation.

IMAGE/ Gerry Lavery of Aquilo Mosaics 03 02/ Markham is one of Canada's most culturally diverse and fastest growing municipalities. Fung Lee (FL): Could you give some background on the parks research you’re involved with? IMAGE/ Town of Markham

03/ The Town has created a Diversity Action Plan to ensure that all residents feel welcome and that Linda Irvine (LI): The Town of Markham is one of the fastest growing they belong. and culturally diverse municipalities in Canada. This is a very recent IMAGE/ Town of Markham but rapid shift. Right now, approximately 57 percent of our residents 04/ The Pebble Mosaic Path is one are foreign born with 65 percent considered visible minorities. In example of how parks can respond to diverse cultural terms of our ethnic cultural breakdown, about 34 percent are traditions and expressions. Caucasian, 34 percent Chinese, 17 percent South Asian, 3 percent IMAGE/ Schollen & Company Inc. Black, close to 3 percent Filipino, and about 8 percent other. We also 05/ Pebble placement includes "special surprises" such as a have diversity in other areas: 11 percent of our population is com- whimsical dragon. prised of seniors, and that’s obviously going to grow as baby IMAGE/ Town of Markham boomers age.

The municipality has created the Markham Diversity Action Plan and it’s currently out in a draft form for community input. The title is “Everyone Welcome” and it really is a sincere desire of our Town to ensure that new and old residents feel welcome and that they belong. Based on this, Council has identified four major areas as priorities: youth, seniors, persons with disability, and newcomers. That’s not to say there aren’t other aspects of diversity, but these are the four main areas that Council has identified as focus areas. Within that, obviously, there are numerous sub-themes—access, affordability, communication, housing, navigating government, and transportation…

01 Parks and .13 15 Place Making

04 Based on this Diversity Action Plan, the Since my job is to oversee the design and Town is committed to working towards development of all new parks in Markham, providing services, facilities, and programs it is my responsibility to figure out how our that better serve all of its diverse commu- design processes, and the way we look at nities. That’s the broad goal. The plan con- park design, may have to change in order tains over 60 recommendations that will to respond to different cultural needs or tra- guide departments in figuring out how to ditions and ensure that cultural expression provide services, engage with the commu- is an important part of park development. nity, and move the Diversity Action Plan 05 forward. Whether you’re in the recreation FL: What kind of specific research did department, are a transportation planner, you do? Were there any specific parks document that sets the strategic direction or you’re working at the front counter, you programming or public consultation for culture, recreation, libraries, and parks. are expected to look at your work and the that you did in prep for this? Where Essentially, this document provides a services that you provide through the lens did you start? snapshot of the community and identifies of the Diversity Action Plan. certain goals and objectives that the Town LI: Fortunately, I didn’t have to start from needs to address, and the initiatives and ground zero. Recently, the Town complet- actions that are necessary in the near- ed a new Integrated Leisure Master Plan. and long-term in order to meet these This plan is updated regularly and is a objectives. Through this study, the Town undertook considerable community Parks and .13 16 Place Making

munity, which was largely Asian, said, “Why don’t we have a pebble mosaic path?” To be honest, it wasn’t something that was even on my radar because mosaic pebble paths are a specialized art in China, Taiwan, and Japan. Pebble mosaics stimulate and massage the feet; it’s really like reflexology. You take off your shoes and you walk on the pebble path and your feet get massaged. It reduces your blood pressure, improves balance, circulation, and helps with stress and pain. Because the community asked for it, I said, “Well, this sounds like a great idea…we’ll look into it and research it. I think it’s something we can do, if it is within our budget.” The residents knew what to do when it was completed.

06 consultation and was able to identify both emerging and well-known needs within the community in these respective areas. Not surprisingly, the top recreation activity is walking for leisure. More interestingly, however, is that the second top recreation activity is social gathering and being with family in park spaces. This reflects a major shift in how our residents—largely because many are newcomers and foreign born—are using and responding to our parks and open spaces. They often come from traditions where parks are not just for active recreation but they’re really used as “outdoor living rooms”—a place to go with your family and friends to socialize and celebrate, whether you are eighty or eight months. 08 09 our park design processes involves com- FL: They took their shoes off right away? Survey responses from this study are an munity consultation and community meet- invaluable source of information that I can ings. Because we reach out to the com- LI: They took their shoes off and they build on. The other aspect is that each of munity in different neighborhoods in each walked all over it. For me, this is a really and every park project, we feel that we significant project because it shows that are able to keep pace with and under- the Town is prepared to really listen to its stand the changes that are happening. residents and demonstrates how open it is to looking for innovative ways to express FL: Intimately? cultural meaning in park design.

LI: Yes, intimately. Residents provide input FL: Are there other projects that demon- on the designs and provide valuable feed- strate the application of this new back: what they like and what they don’t approach to park design? like; what they want and what they don’t want. A couple of years ago we were LI: Right now we’re doing a community working on a neighborhood park that was park that is more complex in nature. It has envisioned as more of a passive park, but both active and passive recreation. We rather than have a playground, the com- have brought in a Toronto firm, OpenCity

07 Parks and .13 17 Place Making

Projects, to assist us in doing more comprehensive research FL: Did any of the research or interviews suggest actual park than simply relying on a community meeting and the input that we designs from abroad? Or is that relevant at all because obviously receive there. Their mandate is to undertake research on cultural we’re not going to have the same materials or types of spaces in patterns and traditions to help us create cultural connections with- China that we would apply here necessarily. But did they look into in the park experience that will appeal to the Town’s extremely that kind of research at all? diverse population now and in the long term. Their work is the research foundation for our ultimate park design. It involves liter- LI: Well, our consultants picked images of public space from around ature research and precedent study research to help us under- the world that reflected what they heard the community saying or stand people’s needs and how they use outdoor space. They what was revealed in their literature research. It wasn’t about “well, are looking at the changing demographics in Markham and have here’s a park from China that we really like and now we want to interviewed selected residents—individuals from India, China, replicate it here.” We really are trying to dig deeper into different Persia, and a fourth-generation Canadian. They asked residents social, behavioural, cultural, functional, qualitative, and experiential about what they want to do in parks, their views on nature, their aspects of parks, universally. views on outdoor space, and what they like to do…. Because of the inclusion of this research, we have been able to bring a FL: A person emigrating here will find it important to build com- little more rigour to this project, as well as more defensible munity here, so, obviously, social gathering, even though it’s prob- processes to it. ably important in their original home too, is almost even more critical here because they’re trying to develop their network, their FL: Were there any particularly poignant items solicited from the new community here, in a public space no less. research or interviews? LI: You are absolutely correct. However, it is important to us in LI: One of the residents they interviewed said that “the park should our pursuit of park design with a cultural basis that we not be too be a place with meaning; a place that’s relevant to the community literal, or to reduce our design response to clichés such as “putting and attracts them to use it…. A place that’s for everybody that will in a pagoda or a goldfish pond.” To me, that’s not what it’s about. bring the community out for a reason.” For us, this statement rein- It’s really fundamentally about coming up with appropriate physical forces that we’re on the right track with our approaches and our responses, innovative spaces, and new design approaches that mandate for inclusivity. respond to cultural meaning in ways that are reflective of, and appropriate to, our context, our situation, and realities of today. OpenCity Projects divided their findings into cultural segments: I believe that if we create great cultural spaces, then regardless of Indian, Chinese, Persian, and Canadian (including native Canadian) your cultural background, you should be able to feel welcome and and in each of these key cultural areas, they looked at space and included. To do so, we must continue to look at world cultures, to philosophy, health and wellness and leisure. They developed a find our universality as human beings, and to look at our differences, matrix where, under each of these cultural drivers, they looked at to find our common ground. And that’s the genius of the pebble different cultural behaviours, traditions and expressions that ultimately path. Even though its original traditions came from Asia, everyone will find their way into the park design as appropriate. can appreciate it. At the end of the day, it’s about transcending individual differences to find the humanity in all of us. FL: Can you give an excerpt from this matrix? BIOS/ LINDA IRVINE, OALA, IS MANAGER, PARKS AND OPEN SPACE DEVELOPMENT FOR THE TOWN OF MARKHAM, RESPONSIBLE FOR OVERSEEING, MANAGING, AND COORDINATING ALL NEW PARK DEVELOPMENT WITHIN THE TOWN AS WELL AS MANAGING SELECTED URBAN DESIGN PROJECTS. SHE SERVED AS PRESIDENT OF LI: For example, in China, two of the cultural drivers around wellness THE ONTARIO ASSOCIATION OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS FROM 2005 TO 2007 AND AS PRESIDENT OF THE CANADIAN SOCIETY OF LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS are feng shui and chi, which means life breath. The matrix describes FROM 2009 TO 2010. the characteristics of particular cultural traditions and includes FUNG LEE, OALA, IS CO-CHAIR OF THE GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD AND A PARTNER AT PMA LANDSCAPE ARCHITECTS. images that help us understand how these could be translated WITH THANKS TO MATTHEW MILLS FOR TRANSCRIBING THIS DISCUSSION. into built form.

One of the major components of this research is to better under- 06/ Artist Dawn Dale paints flowers, florets, and benevolent stand how various cultures organize and use outdoor space as an insects on park pathways with local residents. “outdoor living room.” Of significance is that through discussions with IMAGE/ Town of Markham our residents, and this research, we are reshaping our notions and 07/ OpenCity Projects undertook cultural research and community interviews to help inform the master plan ideas around social seating, social interaction, communication, and and park program for Leitchcroft Community Park in Markham. family engagement. As well, our consultants are helping us create a IMAGE/ Kenneth J. Hoyle, Landscape Architect design attitude—which includes principles that the park should be 08/ Artist c.j. fleury collaborated with the Mayor's Youth Task authentic, inclusive, progressive, and vibrant. From these principles, Force to create an art installation which draws a parallel between ecology and cultural diversity. they are also articulating a recommended design direction and IMAGE/ Town of Markham materiality for specific park features. 09/ A temporary art installation celebrates the diverse voices and often unheard stories of Markham's multi-cultural youth.

IMAGE/ Town of Markham Waterfront .13 18 Parks

A round-up of selected Ontario waterfronts transformed into dynamic public spaces

COMPILED BY VICTORIA TAYLOR AND ROB WALKOWIAK Waterfront .13 19 Parks

OTTAWA Park Lansdowne Park - Redevelopment

Date of Completion Construction to commence 2011

Interesting Design Features The goal of bringing the park back to the public realm is at the heart of the design guidelines. This includes the creation of Aberdeen Way, a pedestrian-friendly streetscape that forms a defined view of Aberdeen Pavilion, a heritage centrepiece. The design for the stadium proposes to enhance both the history and the identity of the site by emphasizing its location on the Rideau Canal, resulting in a stadium in the park.

Location Details/History of Site 03 Lansdowne is framed by lands of local 01-06/ The Lansdowne Park project is a major and national importance: i.e, Queen redevelopment in Ottawa. Elizabeth Drive and the Rideau Canal.

IMAGES/ Courtesy City The area has a long history as a city-wide of Ottawa gathering place and a venue for a variety of activities such as agricultural fairs, exhibition grounds and major sporting (hockey and football) and music events.

Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, Technician Involved Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg

06 Waterfront .13 20 Parks

03 The local First Nations’ community was involved in the design of the Spirit Garden section of the park, which includes a bent- wood-covered gathering area, ceremonial fire pit, community gardens for medicinal herbs, and a “living shoreline” designed to enhance fish habitat in the bay.

Location Details/History of Site The Park, covering 4km of shoreline on 35 acres of land, is located in the vicinity of an active 17th-century trading route, introduced to European fur traders by the early inhabi- tants. When the Great Lakes seaway 04 opened, the port, known then as Port Arthur, 01-06/ Thunder Bay’s Marina Park covers an historically significant stretch THUNDER BAY became active in shipping and rail, sending of shoreline. Park natural resources from the interior out to IMAGES/ Courtesy City of Thunder Bay Prince Arthur’s Landing at Marina Park eastern Canada and Europe. The Master Plan design is centred around the original Date of Completion CN Rail Station (c. 1844). Construction began in fall 2009; anticipated completion is 2012 Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, Technician Involved Interesting Design Features Brook McIlroy with the City of Thunder Bay The Master Plan proposes a mixed-use urban village of commercial and residential buildings, bike lanes, waterfront paths and gardens and open lawns, public art, and a new Arts Centre in a refurbished historical building. Year-round recreational and cultural amenities, a skating rink/splash pad, and flexible performance space are designed to reconnect the city’s downtown to the waterfront.

05 06 Waterfront .13 21 Parks

01-02/ Barrie’s waterfront parks represent BARRIE HUNTSVILLE one of the longest stretches of publicly owned waterfront in Ontario. Parks Parks IMAGES/ The Planning Partnership The waterfront master plan River Mill Park 03-04/ The Town of Huntsville preserved and consists of the following parks: Brunel Locks enhanced the vegetation on the shore of the Muskoka River. Memorial Square (.58 ha) IMAGES/ Courtesy Town of Huntsville Bayview Park (.84 ha) Date of Completion Centennial Park (10.3 ha) River Mill Park- 2009 Allandale Station Park (4.5 ha) Brunel Locks - 2010 Military Heritage Park (8.5 ha). Heritage Park is also part of the waterfront Interesting Design Features but was developed more recently and was River Mill Park: Amenities in the park not part of this master planning exercise. include a pergola surrounded by planted beds; a children’s playground that Date of Completion includes many fully accessible features; The project is at the master planning stage. portable stage/bandshell for summer concerts; and a community garden. Interesting Design Features Some unique features include Muskoka The parks are used heavily for multi-season chairs throughout the park, granite park recreation such as ice fishing, shipwreck furniture in the pergola area, a chess 03 scuba diving, snowmobiling, cross-country table, and native trees. skiing, boating, fishing, bike/walk/run/blade Brunel Locks: The main goal was to beautify trails, major festivals, etc. the area.

Location Details/History of Site Location Details/History of Site This is one of the longest stretches of pub- River Mill Park: The land was acquired in licly owned waterfront in Ontario. The site several parcels and had many former uses: has an important military heritage (i.e., the lumber mill, automotive repair, and other City of Barrie’s relationship with CFB Borden) commercial uses. Much rehabilitation, soil and aboriginal heritage (the junction of 6- testing, etc., has been done to satisfy envi- mile portage route). There is also an historic ronmental concerns. Vegetation was pre- rail station at Allandale, which is being served and enhanced on the shore of the developed into a GO station. Muskoka River.

Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, Technician Involved Technician Involved The Planning Partnership River Mill Park - MMM Group

04 Waterfront .13 22 Parks

SUDBURY Park Bell Park (97 acres)

Date of Completion Ongoing

Interesting Design Features An amphitheatre, two gazebos, a main beach (with lifeguard supervision in the summer), a children’s play area, and a waterfront boardwalk leading to Science 03 North are included. A skating path (1.8 km) NORTH BAY site. The City has retrofitted this building cleared on Ramsey Lake each winter to become the new North Bay and District Park follows the waterfront boardwalk route. Museum. The redesigned museum has Community Waterfront Park preserved the heritage characteristics Location Details/History of Site that make it unique while adapting the Date of Completion Bell Park is named for William J. Bell, an use to something relevant to the Completion of municipal works will be fall early lumber baron in the city. The park is community’s needs. 2011. Once municipal works are completed, part of his former estate land, donated to the park will be fully serviced and usable to the City by the family in 1926. Location Details/History of Site the public. This will include the development The City’s 1928 Official Plan proposed a of the Civic Plaza. The Plaza will serve as Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, physical access between the downtown the easterly entrance to the park, directly Technician Involved and waterfront areas, overcoming the exist- adjacent to the downtown. It will be a City of Greater Sudbury ing CP Rail separation. The Community large “people place,” with benches, a Waterfront Plan includes two underpasses large fountain, and similar features that that travel under the CP Rail line to create will attract individuals to enjoy the setting. the physical connection between the waterfront and the downtown. The underpass is The park will continue to develop through considered one of the most important attrib- the addition of new attractions such as the utes to the CWP, becoming a catalyst for amphitheatre and the kids’ water park. The new businesses including Marina Point, a development of these new attractions will $16M retirement community that employs be the responsibility of the Community 80 people. Waterfront Friends. There is no timetable in place as to when these will occur. It is antici- As a former rail property, there were pated that attraction development will be an considerable remedial measures that ongoing endeavour that will be completed would be required prior to any redevelop- over the coming years. ment. The CWP concept has been recognized for being a leading example of the Interesting Design Features adaptive reuse of a brownfield site and in The second underpass is for the Heritage 2010 received the Excellence in Project Mini-Train, which will be a small train that Development at the Neighbourhood Scale 01 will encircle the entire park. A small line is from the Canadian Urban Institute. currently in operation on the waterfront as an attraction. It has proven very popular, Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, both with locals and with tourists. Once it is Technician Involved extended throughout the park, it will serve Schollen & Company Inc. produced as both a ride/attraction for children as well the drawings. as a mode of transportation for children and individuals with mobility limitations. 01-02/ Sudbury’s waterfront park includes a boardwalk.

As part of the land purchase, the City of IMAGES/ Courtesy City of Greater Sudbury

North Bay acquired the former CP Rail sta- 03/ North Bay’s Community Waterfront Plan reconnects the downtown tion. This property is a designated heritage and the waterfront.

IMAGE/ Schollen & Company Inc. 02 Waterfront .13 23 Parks

LONDON Park Forks of the Thames, Ivey Park 04

Date of Completion PORT HOPE Given the complexity of the many park Parks features, construction occurred in three Farini Gardens – Kin Park main phases starting in 2001 and wrap- Rotary Park ping up in 2006. Riverside Park

02 Interesting Design Features Date of Completion Location Details/History of Site Over 25 years, Ivey Park has been trans- December 1, 2010 formed from derelict industrial uses and London began at the forks of the river, where a settlement grew and prospered. scattered homes to a vibrant urban park Interesting Design Features The site and river were originally used for linking the downtown to the river. A road The goal is to strengthen the linkage sustenance, but gradually, commercial and was closed for the project and a heritage between the downtown and the waterfront. home was acquired and transformed into recreational uses expanded. The Forks area comprises several parks along the river that a museum that highlights the rich history Location Details/History of Site support major summer events, the oldest of the site. The Walter Blackburn Memorial The brick columns with steel I-beam ball diamond in North America, natural flood Fountain uses river water to cascade six seating areas are symbolic of Port Hope’s plains, London’s Art Gallery and Museum, arcing jets of water from the opposite river industrial heritage. bank. A seventh 100mm jet shoots more the Children’s Museum, seniors centre, and neighbourhood uses. Along the Thames, than 30m into the air every 15 minutes. Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer, there is more than 2000 ha of parkland and Technician Involved natural areas and a 50km pathway system Brad Johnson & Associates that links all corners of the city.

01-02/ Parkland and pathways follow the length of the Thames River in London. Lead Landscape Architect Firm, Designer,

IMAGES/ Courtesy City of London Technician Involved

03-04/ Port Hope’s waterfront parks Ivey Park Civic Plaza and Splash Pad: PMA strengthen the connection between the downtown and Landscape Architects with Vafiades the waterfront. Landscape Architect IMAGES/ Courtesy Town of Port Hope

BIOS/ VICTORIA TAYLOR AND ROB WALKOWIAK ARE BOTH MEMBERS OF THE GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD. Involving the .13 24 Public Involving Donna Hinde in conversation with Nancy Chater on the challenges of public participation in park design the and management

Donna Hinde (DH): I think that people have the right and responsibility to be involved in the planning and design processes for their parks. Landscape architects and other design professionals who practise in the public realm have not done a great job in the past of involving the public in ways by which they can make meaningful contributions to their projects. I’ve sworn that I will never do another town hall meeting or an open house again because we learned the hard way that they are not useful methods. They end up being a huge waste of time for the client. We’ve worked really hard in our office—and I help colleagues in other firms, as well—to design a process that allows residents and other stakeholders to be involved in each stage of decision making. We never go very far without talking to the community. We try to review work-in-progress before it’s been finalized and we think very carefully about the best methods of sharing information. I’ve found the most productive forums for participation to be grounded in conversations, not presentations.

Nancy Chater (NC): What happens at these town hall meetings that makes them unproductive?

DH: Assuming that the project is a bit clouded in controversy, I think people are often angry when they come. Many automatic responses are, “nobody talked to me,” “why am I hearing about 01 it so late,” “I didn’t know that there was a meeting.” 01-02/ Canoe Landing, a downtown park in Toronto

IMAGES/ The Planning Partnership NC: If people feel excluded, right from the start, they get their backs 03/ Community engagement is key up, and want to air grievances. to successful public space.

IMAGE/ The Planning Partnership DH: Right. And at a town hall meeting, the consultant is proudly presenting the work they’ve done, yet that kind of presentation with question-and-answer format is not a collaborative way to engage people. Similarly, I find that with an open house, where again

02 Involving the .13 25 Public

designs are proudly displayed, the problem community or park or whatever the topic is that it’s been too far developed. And often happens to be. the way we talk about things is practically impenetrable for the average person. We NC: How do you balance the leadership are now becoming more inventive in the role of the designer with the problems way that we engage the public. There are associated with “design by committee”? helpful tools, such as physical or digital models, animations, precedent images of DH: This is where designers often fail in similar landscapes, cut outs or templates of creating a process to get the input they facilities, that are all useful to get people to need. You have to ask the right questions. collage ideas together. We will also have I absolutely disagree with design by com- people diagram with the aid of a designer mittee. You have to let the designers design. to try to illustrate ideas. It’s absolutely a tenet I’ve learned this working with our firm and of our approach that a designer is holding other firms where I’m not acting as a 03 the pen and is guiding the process. designer. I am acting as the person figuring conversation in a particular way. We have to Members of the public sometimes feel a out how to get the landscape architects the be really thoughtful about the props that are bit easier, though, about contributing if they information they need to design. In those on the table, the plans or drawings we are too are scribbling along with the people on kinds of forums, you ask targeted questions using, and about asking the right questions the design team. about the plan that will enable decisions so that people can have a conversation to be made. Those questions are hard to among themselves. NC: It sounds as if smaller groups are anticipate until you understand the issues important, not a big room with a single and concerns on the part of the residents NC: It leads to them feeling empowered. speaker, but interactive, smaller groups and see the design and understand what participating in a hands-on way. the designers need input on to move for- DH: Yes, it’s about people taking charge. ward. It’s not a process of saying, “tell me I find that people are very bright and more DH: Yes, and the number of participants all the things you want to see in the park.” than capable of understanding the ques- doesn’t matter. It’s all about creating smaller You have to be careful not to ask those tions and what is expected of them. We conversations within that larger forum. kinds of questions because you create are there to make sure that the process Typically people are comfortable talking in unrealistic expectations. doesn’t get stuck. a group of six to ten people, so there are often multiple conversations happening at NC: What about the dynamic of meetings NC: Do you sometimes have trouble getting an event. I think success in public participa- where one or two people, who happen to people to participate in the process or do tion depends on the venue, the props that have strong views, tend to dominate? you typically have well-attended meetings? you use to engage people, and the questions you ask them. It’s a simple formula. DH: If there are 60 people, there are 60 DH: I think that was the situation maybe ten I have learned to purposely construct any opinions, and you want to let everybody talk years ago. I find that now, overwhelmingly, question I ask in a positive way. That simple and share 60 opinions. I have had some it’s the other way around. People really feel act has real repercussions on the input. situations where people push back, saying, a right and responsibility to be involved. “no I don’t want to go into small groups; They may be intimidated. Or there may be NC: Could you give me an example of a I want to share my views with everybody.” language barriers. For example, our firm is positive approach? I will often say to those people that they are currently designing a new Central Park in welcome to talk to me, and if others want to Regent Park. There it takes a whole other DH: I never ask what people don’t like hear they can sit and listen to you, but other- set of skills because in those public consul- about a place because I find you will learn wise please join a table and start the small tation events there are interpreters for that through conversation anyway. You have group discussions. You know, 99 percent of sometimes ten different languages. While to start with what’s working really well and the people will go into groups because they there’s a presentation, there’s chatter in then build on that. So I ask “what do you want to share their opinions too. The chal- many different languages simultaneously love about the place, what do you love lenge is designing the format of the meeting due to the interpreting. In those situations, about your community, what are the three so that you don’t expose yourself to that kind it’s impossible to have people writing on a things that work best about this space?” of situation and waste everybody’s time. flip chart, or writing notes on a plan, Even when you ask a positive question, We also try to construct the conversations because English is typically not their first lan- people will say, “the City does not pick up so that you don’t necessarily have to have guage, so we tend to use a lot of imagery garbage enough, there is too much traffic.” somebody facilitating the conversation in modeling and cut outs where people can So I say again, “now tell me the three things small groups, such as a landscape archi- collage images they think are representa- you really love.” It takes a bit of work but it’s tect, an architect, planner or an urban tive of the kind of park they would like to amazing that they will switch and think designer. I think it’s even more interesting see. For us the challenge is trying to under- about what really does work best in their when there is not one of us leading the stand the needs and desires as well as the Involving the .13 26 Public

cultural references of such richly diverse DH: Yes. There were 200 residents at the NC: Another challenge you have identified stakeholders. We are intent on embedding first workshop and 15 residents at the fourth is long-term maintenance and manage- their ideas and sensibilities into the design workshop. PMA Landscape Architects is ment of urban parks. You mentioned for of the public realm. guiding the park through construction now, example that all the waterfront projects in so that is a good sign of success. It may be Toronto are being built yet there is no new NC: Do you find that people really love their too idealistic to think that everyone agrees management system in place. parks, in terms of the growth of participation with the final plan, but participants in the you have seen in the past 10 years? workshops are given the opportunity to DH: It’s really very frightening that there are understand how decisions were made a lot of waterfront parks coming online and DH: Yes, there is a real sense of owner- through the design process. I think residents the City has no expanded capacity to take ship of their spaces, as there should be. were very frustrated by an original design care of the parks. Sugar Beach, Sherbourne In Toronto, parks are absolutely the focus that went too far before they had input. Park, and HTO are gaining world-wide of the neighbourhoods, and so I am never Residents continue to be very involved recognition. We are finding that the City is critical about the passion that people bring with PMA during construction. stripped to the bone and there is no money to the table. We’ve been involved in lots of for maintenance. There is no budget for hor- projects where it’s been tough to try and NC: How early on should a plan ticultural maintenance, for weeding, proper unravel the issues, to get all the compet- be presented? mowing, or watering. And there’s pressure ing demands to be more balanced, and to do maintenance quickly, with flying crews get everybody talking calmly and respect- DH: I have three benchmarks for public that dash in and out, so things happen like fully to each other. input during the design process. The first naturalized landscapes get mowed is a consultation event to get a common because it’s the easiest way to maintain it. NC: What would be some of the typical hot understanding of existing conditions, oppor- button issues? tunities for change, and the fundamental I’m very fearful that the situation is not going principles of the design. Let’s all understand to get better with the new political regime in DH: We are doing a waterfront project first what’s working really well about this Toronto. The interesting next stage will be right now in Yellowknife, and it’s really place, and what are the biggest opportuni- whether or not more residents’ groups take interesting because it’s the same issues ties for change before plans are prepared. a more active role in the management of as most waterfronts: a concern about The second benchmark is to get a common their parks. If that is the way of the future, more public access to the water’s edge, understanding of the options. The third I wonder if it may lead to people outside the clearer public access to public property, benchmark is to get a common understand- neighbourhood not feeling as welcome if development that is compatible with public ing of the preferred plan. I find that I usually parks become the purview of the local space. These are common concerns. get involved in projects because the client neighbourhood. It’s certainly the model in and the team have gone right to the third many American cities in that the residents’ We did some work with PMA on Neshama stage decision-making benchmark of the groups or associations of various types Park in North Toronto and in that case it was plan without involving people in the earlier take over. a park that was to be redesigned with play stages. It’s a relatively easy thing for us all equipment that would be universally acces- to change the way we involve people by NC: Right, like a conservancy—a new sible for children, and it was being funded involving them in those three steps. model for Toronto. Do you think that it’s partly through private donation. The two viable to have neighbourhood stewardship, main issues there were interesting. Many NC: With a staged process of consultation in terms of consistency, reliability, knowing residents were not comfortable with the fact do you find that you have the same people what to do? that private money was being spent on a staying with the process or do you get new public park. The other issue was that play- people at each meeting? Does that matter? DH: I think that is a viable solution. ground equipment was being changed to Neighbourhood groups do have to enable children of all abilities to play. DH: The easiest process is when the people become more involved. It’s not unlike Through this kind of initiative, we hoped it that came to the first meeting come to the some of the BIAs where the BIAs are would encourage a broader understanding, second one. The more difficult process is taking over construction and maintenance and acceptance, of the capabilities of all when people come to the second meeting and management of their landscapes and children. It was very interesting to work with and say they don’t know anything about it. streetscapes, such as the Yorkville BIA and groups that represented both specialized You have to be ready to take those people the Bloor Street project in Toronto. children’s abilities and able-bodied children, through the first step, but not with all the as park users. participants, so there’s a work table where NC: It’s complicated, though, by issues you take anybody who’s not up to speed. related to unions. You run up against NC: Were you able to come to This has become easier with things being pitting volunteers against unionized City a consensus? posted on websites. workers, and the City workers are understandably not thrilled to have their work Involving the .13 27 Public

being done for free, while at the same time they recognize that they Neshama Park, some residents were really frightened that the don’t have the person-power or the budget. private sector was paying for most of the work.

I wonder if a solution would be for neighbourhood groups to get into NC: What about the foundation model? Toronto could go with the political advocacy, to push the local governing bodies to increase the American foundation model. Donors give to the foundation, the budget or allocate more money? foundation is administered by the City, and so it is publicly controlled.

DH: They can try, but they are going to be told that the pie is Another challenge you identified was the heavy influence of the only so big. demands of the municipal recreation program for active sports fields in park design. Sports groups have very strong influence NC: Is there an opportunity to put in a budget line item for mainte- in most communities. nance costs, especially for the first couple of years, right up front within the overall cost of the park? DH: I think we’re becoming a little better at balancing the demands of active sports with the demands of the people who want passive DH: That’s a very interesting idea. Here’s a relevant analogy: in places. We are finding that because there is such an inadequate greenfields what happens is that the developer typically pays for the supply of sports fields, especially in the built-up areas of the city, the capital costs of the park construction up front in an emerging neigh- recreation departments are understandably anxious to build more bourhood, and he or she will get paid back that capital cost over baseball diamonds and soccer fields or some other sports facilities time by the municipality as the neighbourhood starts to get built out. in parks. This pushes out the other users because they aren’t repre- The point that I want to make is that the developer also commits to sented by an association like the sports teams are. Again the conver- maintaining that park—to address your point—for the first three sations that we have with all the representatives of the client—in years and then turns it over to the municipality. They do it because order to get everybody to understand the competing demands on they want to make sure that the park looks great, so they can sell the park—are important. If people understand the challenges of more new homes, but it’s an interesting model. There is something design, if you take those challenges out of your office and into those in that model to learn for downtown parks—building in a mainte- working sessions, and you engage those representatives to help you nance budget that is carried in the capital cost. solve the problem—don’t just tell me what the problem is, help me solve the problem—a different level of understanding is created NC: It seems that the thinking behind the design and planning for about the limits and capacity of the space. new parks is ahead of the systems in place to support them. We are taking a new direction by building the parks first, and then building We find this challenge particularly in emerging neighbourhoods the neighbourhoods around them because they become a catalyst when we are trying to create a green space that has a more urban for community development and also increase property values if they character. The municipality has an eye on that green space for foot- are done well. That’s very forward thinking, but it seems other ball fields, or soccer fields, whereas our intention is to create a park departments in the City have not caught up. with a more urban character. I think its changing, slowly, and everybody is gradually gaining a renewed understanding of how that While there is a great vision of what the parks can do for the green space has to function. It’s about balancing a wide spectrum new neighbourhoods, with Waterfront Toronto locating these parks of needs and not just specific sports interests. as central to community development, the vision is ahead of the curve the City is on. Yet there are various newer models, such as I think that we’ve got some great models of new urban parks in public private partnerships, such as developers having to maintain Toronto. The City is interested in a more balanced approach to the park for the first few years to get it up and running, and then design now. For example, Central Park in Regent Park has a large maybe community stewardship kicks in after that. Another phase open green where all kinds of sports can be played and community of maintenance might be established after that. events can happen. It isn’t necessarily dedicated to one sport, but it can easily morph into a soccer field, or a place you can throw a DH: The question is: How can landscape architects facilitate that baseball around, or you host a community event, a movie night, or enhanced awareness and the ensuing conversation at the municipal whatever. This is important, because of the broad, culturally diverse level and how can they help realize the opportunity to come in and neighbourhoods we have; that is, the people who live in the neigh- help neighbourhoods improve their park, and give them the tools bourhoods don’t necessarily play baseball and football. they need to do that? As designers, we have to be really good listeners to figure out how NC: This may be more of a suburban situation, but when people communities want to use their parks. get street trees planted on their road allowance land in front, they BIOS/ DONNA HINDE, OALA, FCSLA, HAS BEEN A LANDSCAPE ARCHITECT IN PRIVATE PRACTICE FOR 25 YEARS. SHE HAS MANAGED COMPLEX get information about watering the street tree. Maybe we need PROJECTS INVOLVING A MYRIAD OF STAKEHOLDERS IN COMMUNITIES THROUGHOUT ONTARIO, AS WELL AS IN HOUSTON, CLEVELAND, AND, more private donors for public parks? CURRENTLY, IN YELLOWKNIFE. NANCY CHATER, OALA, IS CO-CHAIR OF THE GROUND EDITORIAL BOARD AND A SENIOR DESIGNER WITH MHLA INC. DH: People go crazy about that. Going back to my example of WITH THANKS TO SHANNON BAKER FOR TRANSCRIBING THIS DISCUSSION. Icon to .13 28 Ground

TEXT AND TIMELINE BY ALISSA NORTH, OALA

The winning entry for the international Downsview Park competition was announced in May of 2000—Tree City, by Rem Koolhaas/OMA with Bruce Mau Design. It was an exciting concept proposing a formula whereby trees rather than buildings would serve to catalyze low-density metropolitan life. It has been more than ten years since the competition, and only recently has there been significant action in and on the ground. In an attempt to summarize what has accounted for all that time, I interviewed the key designers currently involved, in order to discern the challenges of transforming the award-winning concept into a built landscape.

The Government of Canada announced the closure of the Canadian Forces Base Toronto in 1994 and the government’s intention to create a national urban park on the Downsview lands. In 1995, an operating

01 subsidiary of the Canada Lands Company Limited held authority as manager of the Downsview property. Officially named Parc Downsview Park Incorporated (PDP) in 1999, the federal government appointed a Board of Directors to set broad policies and strategic direction for the park. In 2003, PDP was transformed into a Crown Corporation, with the requirement that the corporation submit annual reports to the Minister of Transport for tabling in Parliament. Thus, although the park could begin its operations, no serious site modifi- cations could be effected until July 2006, when the full transfer of administrative and effective control and ownership for all 231.5 hectares (572 acres) of land took place.

Sensing the governmental red tape surrounding land authority and transfer, Rem Koolhaas/OMA departed the Tree City team in 2001, conveying team leadership to Bruce Mau Design. With the now inde- pendent agent, known as Parc Downsview Park, finally organized as park authority in 2003, there was a sense that the park could move forward. PDP asked new team leader Bruce Mau to reconfigure the Tree City team to include a broader set of local consultants, including landscape architects. The new Toronto-centric team included original members Oleson Worland Architects and horticulturalist Horst 02 Dickert, and was joined by PMA Landscape Architects and SNC- 01-04/ The transformation of Downsview Lavalin Engineers. The team was directed to develop the winning from an airforce base to a park is an ongoing process. competition scheme into a Preliminary Master Plan. IMAGES/ Courtesy Parc Downsview Park Concurrently, David Anselmi, a landscape architect, was hired as Vice President of Parc Downsview Park, where his role was to oversee the transformation of the theoretical Tree City proposal into an implementable product. According to Anselmi, he spent most of his initial years “on the management side, briefing the right people, so that they were up to speed on where the project stood before we own[ed] the land and after we own[ed] the land,” and on “budget control and cost estimating, and working with Ottawa to get a corporate plan approved on a regular basis.” Anselmi was also in charge of operations, which is now overseen by its own department but at the time included the maintenance of 1.7 million square feet of buildings plus the 231.5 hectares of parkland. From the beginning, Anselmi’s role has been to ensure Parc Downsview Park is self- financing and that the park gets built. Thus, while primarily overseeing design development by finding the right people to complete the various projects, he has to ensure that the books stay balanced to A Downsview Park update pay for the park. Icon to .13 29 Ground

of the forest was set around an historic grove of trees, and there was team knowl- edge of how the soil would need to be amended. In addition, the local community was exerting increasing pressure to see something at Downsview, so, in 2004, PDP started with some big infrastructure

03 removals. PDP also, through the design Economic Imperatives The Design Process work of PMA Landscape Architects, began The key issue—that of Downsview Park not In 2003 Bruce Mau’s team articulated developing planting plans, specifications, using a single dollar from taxpayers—has the design vision in a publication called and then tendering the grading, soil prepa- been a crucial factor in the slow rate of park “Downsview Idea Book,” subtitled “Tree City, ration, and planting of the Forest. According development. It is also what effectively Preliminary Master Plan, Parc Downsview to Anselmi, “So, in fact, before we owned caused the single visionary Parc Downsview Park.” Accompanied by an exhibition, with the land in 2006, we said, if we’re going to Park scheme to be fractured into several paintings by Toronto artists, the book was get a wrist slap for anything, let it be for pieces, designed by many. Because PDP intended to reinstate interest in the project’s planting trees!” To date, more than 60,000 receives authorities every year from Ottawa, potential. Mau’s approach was to charrette trees have been planted in the park. the corporation cannot contract for more with the team, and his entire office, on every Although many trees had to be relocated to than its authorities. Therefore, due to the imaginable park program and to organize accommodate excavation for the lake, this long duration of park building, it has not both the team and the park itself into three critical design implementation, enlarged by been possible to continue with a single thematic zones. The Action Zone, the the event of planting, catalyzed the founda- overseeing consultant from the original Tree Promenade Zone, and the Cultivation tional landscape pieces to follow. City team. On the one hand, breaking down Campus Zone were loosely set around the the large design challenges of the site into document’s final diagram of high-value ele- With further technical underpinning through smaller pieces is a logical strategy and not ments as determined from an inventory of additional engineers and technicians, the uncommon for large-scale landscape proj- the site’s inherent features. The programs in next iteration of the “Parc Downsview Park ects. On the other hand, design integrity, the the zones took the form of circles of all sizes, Comprehensive Park Plan” was submitted overall legibility of an internationally signifi- and thus the master plan for Downsview three years later, in January of 2007, provid- cant park as guided by one lead designer, Park’s form was set. A further refinement of ing what is now considered the document may falter. the Idea Book became the “Parc Downsview that guides park development. At this stage, Park Master Plan and Development the core Tree City team consisted of Bruce PDP currently makes a little money on short- Guidelines” in February of 2004. The two- Mau Design, PMA Landscape Architects, term rental leases, rental, and some events. dimensional plan graphic of these docu- and SNC-Lavalin engineers, with PDP sepa- In the long term, however, it will be the sale ments could now be identified as objects rately but simultaneously consulting with of real estate that pays for the park. Bill with activities, allowing for preliminary cost Dougan and Associates for ecology, Dillon Bryck recently joined PDP as President and estimation and early marketing, but the Consulting on infrastructure, Marshall CEO. With thirty years of experience in the framework strategy of how to evolve a Macklin Monaghan on transportation private sector, in real estate, he is already park was still unclear. issues, Milestone Strategy Management positively directing the focus toward park Consultants on recreation, and SNC-Lavalin implementation to encourage neighbour- To help resolve this, a PDP Peer Review on additional engineering specifics related hood development. Real estate consultants Committee was formed in 2004 with plan- to hydrology and geotechnical issues. PDP such as Deloitte and Touche, Barry Lyons, ners, architects, landscape architects, and also engaged Brook McIlroy for consulting and The Altus Group have all done evalua- engineers to review the preliminary master on urban development guidelines, resulting tions to guide raw value, serviced value, plan. The committee confirmed that the park in a complementary document alongside and to determine whether or not PDP is pro- concept was contemporary and valid, but it the final master plan, entitled “Sustainable posing the right neighbourhood develop- also indicated that PDP needed technical Community Development Guidelines,” ment product from a market perspective. site data and an understanding of the engi- which was completed at the end of 2007. The design intent and zoning of the neigh- neering issues in order to move the design bourhoods will be sold to developers, and a forward. At this preliminary master plan purchase sale agreement will ensure that moment, four years after the competition they comply with the proposed vision. PDP announcement and prior to any additional will also exert control by staying involved in consulting, PDP was anxious to move some the process with the ultimate owner, and dirt. At the suggestion of the Review will make money through an annuity rela- Committee, the planned forest, between the tionship with long-term land lease with per- Action and Promenade Zones, seemed the petual income, which will fund park mainte- most logical place to start. The basic location nance and operation.

04 Icon to .13 30 Ground

Brook McIlroy’s document places the park discussions with Anselmi about the park’s the details of the site.” Li Wang notes that “if peo- as the central driver for surrounding com- dynamic design intentions, and quantifying ple compare the original [competition] diagram munity development, as exactly iterated by continued design development while pieces with the final master plan, they may not see the the Comprehensive Park Plan, to inform of the park are being constructed. From similarity. But I think the spirit is there, it’s just the specific design intents for each of the Gray’s perspective, “One of the challenges the language and the graphic [that] are differ- neighbourhood development blocks. This of the [master plan] design is that it made ent. No one can stamp those circles on the last document, and its ability to entice and some tentative forays into three dimensions. ground. Conceptually, it works well, it’s a pow- direct successful development, is ultimately But, to a larger extent, the way the design erful design. But once you bring it into reality, what will pay for the park to be built was communicated was heavily weighted you have to get the essence of it and then you and maintained. towards two dimensions. So, one of our deliver from more practical language.” challenges has been to interpret both the In the meantime, the park has essentially design intent and the master plan in terms Design Evolution been a construction site. Anselmi acknowl- of three dimensions.” For instance, when the Since the original designers of the concept and edges that it has been a challenge to keep excavation work began for the lake, it vision for the park were not retained, and the the park open and garner interest through became clear that the master plan had not team that refined the master plan has not been programs and events while the park is fully resolved the unimaginable volumes of contracted to carry the design through to con- under construction and evolving: “We’re our fill. For engineering and cost reasons, the struction or for consultation, there is potential for own worst enemy of course because we’ve proposed shape of the lake had to be the variously doled out landscape contracts to had a successful program of events and changed. MMM Group designed a series of form a piecemeal design. However, all of the that requires land, [which has] caused us to additional mounds to complement the sin- abovementioned landscape architects have delay some construction.” Anselmi goes on gular massive mound of the master plan. demonstrated their understanding of the bigger to say, “You run a real risk of sending the conceptual spirit, and feel confident that PDP VP wrong message [if] 25,000 people come for In 2009, Janet Rosenberg and Associates David Anselmi, especially with his expertise as a a concert. How many of those people walk was awarded the contract to design a set of landscape architect, provides the consistency away saying ‘the park wasn’t that great,’ entry gates for the park. Construction on the and leadership that upholds it. Even though because it wasn’t built yet!” While events gates will begin in the spring of 2012. Anselmi himself worries that the park is being help trigger buzz about the park, they don’t Strategically placed at different locations, built in pieces, he views that as necessitated by necessarily tell the right story about the the gates are intended to provide the park the park’s financial operation. park’s future direction. As Anselmi reflects, “I with an identity on the street and to invite think the bigger issue is, quite frankly, we’ve people in. According to Janet Rosenberg, It remains PDP’s job to move from a two-dimen- learned to fly under the radar a little bit. But I “Tree City never really worked with the sional iconic plan graphic into a three-dimen- think it’s also gotten us to a point where edges, [and] there has been a level of sional landscape, with many details to resolve we’re used to not being too loud and proud change since the original design competi- along the way, and about 80 million dollars about what we’re doing.” He goes on to tion. I think the emphasis [of the original worth of contracts and construction to complete. say, “We’ve done lots, but not the kind of park scheme] was more on the inside, At the same time, PDP is still mowing 200 acres [things] that people can photograph, or can rather than on the outside.” of grass, maintaining buildings, and planning recognize, or can talk about. And it’s cost events, which is a huge draw on staff and on a us 5 million bucks, and two years, and lots In May of 2010, Dillon Consulting was con- project with a very small operating budget. The of hard work.” From Anselmi’s perspective, tracted to work on the major path system goal is to have all the big pieces more or less “it’s tough to play the long game, but far designated in the master plan as the Circuit done by 2012, allowing the park to be significant- more rewarding.” Path. Led by Ian Dance and Li Wang, details ly opened to the public, so that in the following of the trails, materials, and slopes are being four years the finishing pieces, such as pavilions, Serious Earth Moving designed to incorporate the present and plazas, and fountains, can be put in place. The design development for the first major future elements of the site. Dance and earth-moving project started in 2007 with Wang have been working with JRA to Ten years later, the icon has managed to make the work of the MMM Group, under the ensure that their pathways connect to the it into the ground, and a new version of a large management of landscape architect Ian gates. Construction on the Circuit Path will park at Downsview is taking shape. However, Gray. His role has been to implement the start in the spring of 2011, and the designers we will have to wait at least another ten years large central Promenade section of the have already discovered a few opportuni- to see if the master plan, built as Parc master plan, which includes a lake, ties onsite to gain picturesque views to the Downsview Park, will put the park back mounds, and meadow. MMM Group has lake by raising elevations. As Dance sees it, into international acclaim. also spent time analyzing the park design in “There will always be changes in the evolu- BIO/ ALISSA NORTH, OALA, IS AN ASSISTANT PROFESSOR AT THE UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO’S DANIELS FACULTY OF terms of review and implementation risk, tion of a master plan to the realization of a ARCHITECTURE, LANDSCAPE, AND DESIGN, AND PARTNER OF NORTH DESIGN OFFICE. which has led to an informal role of ongoing physical park. During the development of a ALISSA THANKS ALL THE INTERVIEWEES, AND DANIELS project…challenges that were overlooked in STUDENTS PEGGY PEI-CHI CHI (FOR ASSISTANCE IN CONDUCTING INTERVIEWS) AND KIANA KEYVANI AND the master plan [will need to be addressed], STACIE DROST (FOR TIMELINE RESEARCH). because this stage of the project brings out Icon to .13 31 Ground

Downsview Land Use Downsview Park

WISCONSIN GLACIATION (100000-9000 BC) LAND/ WILD WOODLANDS (CIRCA 9000 BC-1800) ABORIGINAL TERRITORY (CIRCA 9000 BC-CIRCA LATE 1700S) 1800/ AGRICULTURAL LANDSCAPE OF CROPS, PASTURE, ORCHARD, WOODLANDS, AND GARDENS (CIRCA 1825-1940) PLANK ROADS AT GORE AND VAUGHAN (DUFFERIN) (1850-1891) TOLL GATES AT WILSON AND SHEPPARD AVENUE (1850-1891) NORTHERN RAILWAY CUTS ACROSS SITE HAULS GRAIN, FEED, LIVESTOCK, AND LUMBER (1853-PRESENT) 1900/ JOSEPH MOWATT LISTED FARMER FOR LOT 13 (1902-1912)

F.J. WICKS APPEARS AS TENANT FOR LOT 13 (1922)

DEHAVILLAND AIRCRAFT OF CANADA CONSTRUCTS 18 BUILDINGS ON SITE (1928-1944)

DEHAVILLAND EXPANDS RUNWAY AND MANUFACTURING FACILITIES (1939-1945)

BUILDING 42 FOR WOODWORKING SHOP CONSTRUCTED BY DEHAVILLAND (1943) DEHAVILLAND BUILDS BUILDING 40 AND A NISSENHUT FOR STORAGE (1944)

“BEAVER” BUSH WORK MONOPLANES PRODUCED AT DOWNSVIEW (1947-1968)

1950/ AIRFORCE SQUADRON REFORMS AS A PEACETIME RESERVE AT DOWNSVIEW (1950-1996) DOWNSVIEW SITE EXCAVATED BY UNIVERSITY OF TORONTO STUDENTS (CIRCA 1950)

DEHAVILLAND BUILDS MODERN FACTORY (1954)

POPE JOHN PAUL II VISIT (1984) EVENTS/ 1990/ PARK LANDS OPEN TO THE PUBLIC (1990) FEDERAL GOVERNMENT ANNOUNCES DOWNSVIEW SITE AS URBAN PARK (1994)

AIRFORCE SQUADRON MOVES TO CFB BORDEN (1996) PDP MANDATED TO CREATE AN “URBAN RECREATIONAL GREEN SPACE” (1996) CFB TORONTO (DOWNSVIEW) BASE CLOSES (APR. 1996) CITY OF TORONTO’S DOWNSVIEW URBAN DESIGN STUDY (1998) HISTORIC SUMMARY OF DOWNSVIEW LANDS PREPARED FOR CLC LTD. (1998)

DOWNSVIEW PARK’S FIRST ANNUAL CANADA DAY CELEBRATION; 10,000 ATTEND (JUL. 1999) INTERNATIONAL DESIGN COMPETITION ANNOUNCED FOR DOWNSVIEW SITE (1999) VEGETATION STUDY OF THE DOWNSVIEW PARK LANDS (1999) 2000/ COMPETITION WINNER—TREE CITY—ANNOUNCED (2000)

POPE JOHN PAUL II VISITS AS PART OF WORLD YOUTH DAY; 850,000 PILGRIMS (2002) REM KOOLHAAS DEPARTS TREE CITY TEAM (2001) MOLSON CANADIAN ROCKS FOR TORONTO SARSTOCK CONCERT; 400,000 ATTEND (2003) DAVID ANSELMI HIRED AS VICE PRESIDENT, PARK DEVELOPMENT (2003) PARK SUPERINTENDENT AND FIRST OPERATIONS TEAM HIRED (2003) “DOWNSVIEW IDEA BOOK, PRELIMINARY MASTER PLAN” SUBMITTED BY TREE CITY (2003) “PDP MASTER PLAN AND DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES” SUBMITTED BY TREE CITY (2004)

PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK PEER REVIEW COMMITTEE FORMED (2004) OBSOLETE MILITARY INFRASTRUCTURE REMOVALS (2004) CONTRACT FOR FOREST COMMENCES WITH PMA (2004) 2005/ DOWNSVIEW PARK’S FIRST ANNUAL 3-ON-3 STREET HOCKEY TOURNAMENT (2005) CONSTRUCTION ON FOREST BEGINS (2005) HISTORIC BOAKE’S GROVE AUGMENTED WITH 25,000 TREES TO CREATE THE FOREST (2006-2007) PDP RECEIVES BORROWING AUTHORITY FROM THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT (2006) BIWEEKLY STEWARDSHIP PROGRAM THROUGH EVERGREEN TO MAINTAIN FOREST (2007) “PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK COMPREHENSIVE PLAN” SUBMITTED BY TREE CITY (2007) “SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT GUIDELINES” BY BROOK MCILROY (2007) CONTRACT FOR LAKE, MOUNDS, AND SWALES COMMENCES WITH MMM GROUP (2007-2011) PDP ARTICULATES VISION FOR CULTURAL COMMONS (2007)

DOWNSVIEW PARK’S FIRST ANNUAL TRAIL OF LIGHTS (2008) CITY OF TORONTO’S DOWNSVIEW AREA SECONDARY PLAN REVIEW STARTS (2008) EVERGREEN AND PDP PLANT 3,700 TREES WITH 1,933 VOLUNTEERS (2008) CONSTRUCTION OF LAKE, MOUNDS, AND SWALES BEGINS (2008) FIRST EDGEFEST AT DOWNSVIEW SITE (2008) CONTRACT FOR GATEWAYS COMMENCES WITH JRA (2009-2011) STANLEY GREEN NEIGHBOURHOOD RFP ANNOUNCED (2009) 2010/ CONTRACT FOR CIRCUIT PATH COMMENCES WITH DILLON CONSULTING (2010-2011) TIMELINE BY ALISSA NORTH, OALA SOLAR PANEL DESIGN, INSTALLATION, AND OPERATION (2010) SOURCES: EVERGREEN. WWW.EVERGREEN.CA. CONSTRUCTION OF SPORTS CENTRE FIELDS AND PARK’S FIRST LEED SILVER PAVILLION (2010) GOVERNMENT OF CANADA, PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK INC. WWW.INFOSOURCE.GC.CA/INST/PDP/FED01-ENG.ASP. SEARCH FOR DEVELOPER OF STANLEY GREEN NEIGHBOURHOOD COMMENCES (2010) MCLEOD, KATHRYN. “FROM TOPOGRAPHY TO TECHNOLOGY: AN INTERDISCIPLINARY EXPLORATION OF DOWNSVIEW PARK’S HERITAGE.” MASTERS THESIS, TRENT UNIVERSITY, 2009. COMPLETION OF BASIC PARK LAND FORMATIONS (2010) PARC DOWNSVIEW PARK INC. WWW.DOWNSVIEWPARK.CA/ENG/INDEX.SHTML. THE HISTORY & HERITAGE OF THE CANADIAN AIR FORCE. WWW.RCAF.COM. MAJOR PARK AREA SCHEDULED TO BE RE-OPENED TO THE PUBLIC (JUL. 2012) Notes .13 32

Notes: A Miscellany 01 of News parks 02 The National Capital Commission (NCC) selected parks to serve multiple purposes, and has a dual role in relation to Capital parks. such as a stage or gathering areas. The Responsible for preserving all green space, most important management factor, howev- parks, and public space under its jurisdic- er, is defining site carrying capacity—that is, Events tion, NCC also has a mandate to organize, the amount of recreational or other activity a sponsor, and promote public activities and park can sustain without degrading its envi-

01/ Events and programs in parks events in the National Capital Region in a ronment. This, expressed in maximum can harm or stress vegetation and infrastructure. way that enriches the cultural and social number of visitors per year, can be used as

IMAGE/ Courtesy National fabric of Canada. a baseline for programming site activities. Capital Commission Coordinated management of events is 02/ Lebreton Flats in Ottawa has been designed to accommodate It is interesting to note the apparent another tool that helps to minimize the large-scale events. contradiction between the responsibility installation and dismantling period—if, for IMAGE/ Courtesy National Capital Commission to promote the Capital and, in parallel, to example, two or more events with similar conserve the Capital’s ecosystems and needs can be grouped. A period of rest green spaces. between events may help as well to lower overall stress on vegetation. forum Large- and even small-scale events such as concerts and festivals can damage park The multifunctional role of parks presents OALA is pleased to announce that vegetation and infrastructure. Immediate an ongoing challenge in terms of their Ground’s regular Round Table feature damages can be repaired quickly; long- design and management. Capital parks in the magazine is going public. OALA term cumulative impacts such as soil com- and programs will coexist. The challenge is is hosting a public forum based on the paction and loss of trees are less obvious, how to design the parks to accommodate theme of this issue’s Round Table—Whose difficult to assess, and might be impossible events. What is the right balance? This is the Park Is It? The open forum will feature to reinstate. question that the Urban Parks Capacity speakers from the Round Table and will Study attempts to answer. be held on April 7, 2011, from 6pm to 8pm, The NCC is currently undertaking a study TEXT BY DOROTA GRUDNIEWICZ, OALA, WHO WORKS FOR THE NATIONAL CAPITAL COMMISSION IN THE at the Daniels Faculty of Architecture, of the carrying capacity of its Capital parks. DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION DIVISION. Landscape, and Design at the University of The goal of the study is to develop best Toronto. See www.oala.ca for more details. management practices for events and maintenance guidelines for the parks in order to minimize long-term impacts of events events on parks. Along with well-known preventive measures such as temporary Toronto Park People is hosting a summit protective fencing along drip lines of trees, on April 16, 2011, from 2pm to 5:30pm, at other design solutions are being studied, the Brick Works in Toronto. The summit will such as the introduction of wider pathways be a historic, first-ever gathering of park to accommodate equipment delivery vehi- advocates from across Toronto. The cles, provision of large open spaces to keynote speaker is Tupper Thomas, the accommodate crowds, integration of under- founder and president of the Prospect ground site services (electricity, water) and Park Alliance. For details and registration, event servicing in predetermined areas of visit www.parkpeople.ca. the park, and use of soil compaction pre- vention technologies. Permanent hard-sur- face plazas are being implemented in Notes .13 33 magazines new members

Scapegoat, a new journal of architecture, The Ontario Association of Landscape landscape, and political economy, was Architects is proud to recognize and wel- recently launched in Toronto. Examining come the following new Full Members to the relationship between capitalism and the Association. the built environment, the theme of the first issue is “property.” Scapegoat is Sara Bellaire * edited by Adrian Blackwell and Etienne Deanne Christie Turpin. For more information, visit Phillip A Collins * www.scapegoatjournal.org. Claude Cormier 03 Normand Guenette Yang Huang in memoriam Jonathan A Loschmann Denis Guy Massie John Altorio, OALA Alissa North * Dali Peng * By Sid Thakar, OALA Asterisk (*) denotes a Full Member not hav- John Altorio, OALA, left his mark on the ing custody and use of the Association Seal. 04 landscape of the nation’s capital during a distinguished career spanning more than infrastructure three decades. A graduate of the University conferences A recently formed coalition of six Ontario- of Toronto School of Landscape Architecture, based environmental groups is working to he worked with D.W. Graham and An upcoming two-day conference in put green infrastructure on the provincial Associates in the late seventies, rising to Toronto, “Soils and Urban Trees,” features agenda. According to coordinator Colleen the level of Senior Associate. After starting internationally renowned speakers such Cirillo of the Green Infrastructure Ontario his own consulting firm, Altorio Associates, as William Bryant Logan, James Urban, Coalition, “we want to show policy makers in 1980, he worked with a wide variety of and Paul Stamets. These and other how green infrastructure complements and clients in the private as well as public sec- experts will introduce concepts of ideal soil extends the life of grey infrastructure and to tors and left an excellent legacy of projects structure and biology, and explore how a broaden the definition of infrastructure to that have stood the test of time, including new breed of arborists is growing healthy include green infrastructure.” One of the award-winning examples such as the York trees and preserving mature trees by coalition’s first plans is to commission a Street Fountain and the David Florida Lab looking at the roots of tree care. The con- study that puts a dollar figure on the value of campus in Ottawa. ference will be held at the Toronto the ecological goods and services provided Botanical Garden from April 26-27, 2011. by green infrastructure in Ontario, such as John generously gave of his time to the pro- For information, phone (905) 274-1022 green roofs, swales, the urban forest, soils, fession as a member of OALA Council for or email [email protected]. parks, etc. Noting that green infrastructure is many years in the 1980s and was involved at the heart of the work landscape architects in local activities as well. John was known do, Cirillo invites participation of OALA mem- by all as a genial, generous, and friendly organizations bers in the initiative. To find out more, visit colleague with a great sense of humour, www.greeninfrastructureontario.org. and an unfailing readiness to help anyone Toronto Park People is a new organization who approached him. He was a certified dedicated to improving Toronto’s parks. Vectorworks (MiniCad) instructor and taught The organization advocates for better green roofs courses in landscape architecture, site parks for all citizens and communities by: design and computer 3-D modelling at local facilitating citizen engagement in their The 2011 Living Architecture Regional institutions of higher learning. He is survived parks; supporting a network of local com- Symposium will be held in Washington, by his wife, Louise, two children, Shawn and munity park groups; acting as a watchdog D.C., from April 11-12, 2011. The symposium Natasha, and two grandchildren. on issues affecting parks; and highlighting will highlight best practices associated the importance of great parks to the with the design, installation, and mainte- social, health, environmental, and eco- nance of green roofs and walls. To regis- 03-04/ A new coalition is working to put green infrastructure on the nomic well being of the city. For more infor- ter, visit www.greenroofs.org. provincial agenda. mation, visit www.parkpeople.ca. IMAGES/ Courtesy Green Infrastructure Ontario Coalition Section .13 034

Artifact .13 42

01 A Car Grows in

“Parks Not Parking” said the graffiti on the side of the car, a beaten-up old junker that, until recently, squatted a coveted parking spot in downtown Toronto’s Kensington Market. The garden sprouting on the vehicle’s roof, in its soil-stuffed interior, out of its trunk, changed with the seasons. Sometimes herbs were the dominant theme; other times, trees and shrubs; once, a small lawn. Reclaiming streets for the people and asphalt for unlikely growth, this defiant landmark labeled itself the “Vehicular Reclamation Project”—a park of sorts, with humus and humour its driving force.

01/ Surely one of the most unusual gardens (or, perhaps, compost bins) to grace a city street, this Toronto landmark proudly proclaimed “Parks Not Parking.”

IMAGE/ Lorraine Johnson