Environmental Assessment and Mobility Hub Update: Mount Dennis Area

Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown (ESC) Light Rail Transit December1 12, 2012 – Public Meeting Objectives

• Provide overview of ongoing studies for Eglinton Scarborough Crosstown • Environmental Assessment Update (West) • Review updates to concept design for LRT facilities • Get public input on the updated concept, potential impacts and mitigations • Mobility Hub Study • Place new transit in context of wider neighbourhood • Present existing conditions and opportunities • Get public input on opportunities and design directions

2 was created in 2006 for the purpose of providing residents and businesses in the Greater and Hamilton Area (GTHA) a transportation system that is modern, efficient and integrated.

3 Metrolinx LRT Projects in Toronto

4 Eglinton-Scarborough Crosstown

• Project $4.9 B (2010$), funded by the Province of • 19 kilometres east-west LRT from Kennedy to Mt. Dennis, including 10 kilometres of tunnel • New Transit Connections to Yonge, University-Spadina Subway, Scarborough RT and GO Stouffville • Up to 26 stations

5 Project Schedule

• Delivered using Public Private Partnership and Alternative Financing + Procurement (AFP)

6 Project Schedule

7 What is a Mobility Hub? Mobility hubs are major transit station areas within the GTHA that are particularly significant given the level of transit service planned for them and the development potential around them.

51 mobility hubs identified in The Big Move

8 Terminal station of Phase 1 of the new Eglinton Crosstown LRT line

Mount Dennis is a hub in the growing regional transit system 9 Future GO Transit connection

Mount Dennis is a hub in the growing regional transit system 10 New and existing bus routes connecting through Mount Dennis

Mount Dennis is a hub in the growing regional transit system 11 Mt. Dennis Mobility Hub Study Objectives

• A fully integrated transit station to facilitate transfers between rail and bus services, and the surrounding area • Re-purposing the Kodak building • Improvements to the public realm including streetscaping • Enhanced pedestrian/cyclist connectivity • Potential uses of lands adjacent to Metrolinx property for transit oriented development • Phasing of implementation of the mobility hub components

12 How will the Mobility Hub Study be Implemented?

• Metrolinx will: • Incorporate recommendations into the concepts for LRT facilities and stations • Work with the City of Toronto to support zoning updates to reflect study recommendations • Work with the City of Toronto to prioritize infrastructure and public realm improvements recommended

13 What are the key elements of the new public transit?

14 DRAFT A new LRT station with two entrances

15 DRAFT A new transit overpass over Drive

16 DRAFT A new bus facility

17 DRAFT A maintenance and storage facility (MSF)

18 Future GO Transit connection

19 A passenger pick-up and drop-off area

20 The Mobility Hub Study is focusing on five areas

21 DRAFT 5. Black Creek Business Area

1. Kodak Lands

4. Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle

22 1 Kodak Lands

• Former Kodak land • Site of Kodak Building No. 9 • Large contaminated site to the east of the rail corridor • Station area includes Keelesdale Drive

23 Kodak Lands 1 What is it today?

• Vacant • Isolated from Mount Dennis by the rail corridor

24 Kodak Lands 1 What is it today?

• Contaminated from former industrial uses

25 Kodak Lands 1 What is it today?

• Separated from Eglinton by significant grade changes • Site of Kodak Building No. 9

26 Kodak Lands 1 What is it today?

• Site of Kodak Building No. 9

27 Kodak Lands 1 What are the opportunities?

Potential new street or pedestrian link

Maintenance and Expanded park land storage facility (MSF)

Passenger pick-up and drop-off Bus facility New station with two entrances

Realigned retaining wall

Future GO Rail platforms

28 Re-purposing the Kodak 4Building What as are the the station opportunities?

29 Mount Dennis Station Connecting from the station 4down What to Eglinton are the opportunities?Avenue

30 Mount Dennis Station Setting back the retaining wall and 4creating What a are new the green opportunities? wall and more generous sidewalk

31 Mount Dennis Station Incorporating artwork to enliven the 4street What are the opportunities?

32 Mount Dennis Station A more animated structure that 4celebrates What are the the activity opportunities? of the station

33 Mount Dennis Station A more animated structure that 4celebrates What are the the activity opportunities? of the station

34 Mount Dennis Station Creating a light and airy LRT 4 What are the opportunities? overpass Key Plan

35 Mount Dennis Station Designing the overpass as an 4interesting What are feature the opportunities? with opportunities for public art

36 Mount Dennis Station Extending the parks west of 4 What are the opportunities? Black Creek

37 Mount Dennis Station Preserving for a new complete 4 What are the opportunities? street to Industry Street and …

38 Mount Dennis Station … or possibly a pedestrian and 4 What are the opportunities? cycling only connection

39 2 Eglinton Corridor

• Primary east-west link through the neighbourhood • Location of the future station • Designated an “Avenue” in the Official Plan • Connects the major parks at Black Creek and Humber • Important cycling connection

40 Eglinton Corridor 2 What is it today? Key Plan

• Fast moving street • Lacking sidewalks in locations • No cycling facilities

41 Eglinton Corridor 2 What is it today? Key Plan

• Busy street • Major intersections are unfriendly to pedestrians

42 Eglinton Corridor 2 What is it today? Key Plan

• Narrow sidewalks • Poor pedestrian environment • No active (retail or residential) uses • Limited streetscaping and no street trees between and Black Creek

43 Eglinton Corridor 2 What is it today? Key Plan

• Six lanes of car traffic • No active (retail or residential) uses • Limited streetscaping and no street trees between Weston Road and Black Creek

44 Eglinton Corridor 2 What is it today? Key Plan

• Large intersection with long crossing distances • Extension of Keelesdale park’s green edge • New community centre

45 Eglinton Corridor 2 What are the opportunities?

New green connections

Widening the public realm

Future York Community Centre Enhanced pedestrian crossings Cycling connections

Streetscape improvements

46 Eglinton Corridor Enhancing pedestrian crossings 1 What are the opportunities?

47 Eglinton Corridor Creating a 4-lane street to provide a more 1 What are the opportunities? generous pedestrian environment

48 Eglinton Corridor Extending the Eglinton multi-use path east of 1 What are the opportunities? Weston Road to link the Trail with the Community Centre and Beyond

49 Eglinton Corridor Adding new street trees, furniture and 1 What are the opportunities? pedestrian lighting

50 Eglinton Corridor Extending the park-like setting 1 What are the opportunities?

51 3 Weston Road • Neighbourhood main street • Primary north-south route through the neighbourhood • Designated an “Avenue” in the Official Plan • Location of many of the community uses (churches, social services)

52 Weston Road 3 What is it today?

• Smaller sites and a fine grain of low-rise buildings

53 Weston Road 3 What is it today?

• Narrow sidewalks • Inconsistent streetscaping • On-street parking • Vacant storefronts

54 Weston Road 3 What is it today?

• Storefronts being converted into new residential

55 Weston Road 3 What is it today?

• New station entrance

56 Weston Road 3 What are the opportunities?

Entrance to the future station

Streetscape improvements

Enhanced pedestrian crossings Possible future development sites

57 Developing a new station plaza at Eglinton and Weston Road

58 Landscaping the plaza to add some green relief to Weston Road and extend the park like setting along Eglinton

59 Locating smaller retail and community uses adjacent to the station plaza

60 Filling vacant stores and refreshing the retail presence

61 Encouraging a range of redevelopment opportunities

62 Encouraging a range of redevelopment opportunities

63 Preserving for active uses at street level

64 4 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle

• Large retail site • Partially owned by the City of Toronto • Primary neighbourhood food store • Faces onto an “Avenue” and has permissions for increased density • Adjacent to future community centre • One of the largest potential areas for redevelopment along Eglinton

65 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle 4 What is it today?

• Existing grocery store • Large areas of surface parking

66 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle 4 What is it today?

• Photography Drive is the only road connection to the station

67 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle 4 What is it today?

• High profile site • The only big site suitable for large- scale development • City owned parcel

68 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle 4 What is it today?

• Large unfriendly pedestrian crossing • Faces the new community centre

69 Eglinton Ave and Black Creek Dr Triangle 4 What are the opportunities? Key Plan

New station with two entrances Future York Community Centre

Potential development site Street and public realm enhancements

70 No Frills Providing a greater mix of 5 What are the opportunities? uses integrated vertically Key Plan

71 Relating to the new York Community Centre

Key Plan

72 Orienting buildings to face the park and community centre

Key Plan

73 5 Black Creek Business Area

• Primary employment zone within the Mount Dennis Community • Healthy employment area • Contains a range of businesses from small office to larger warehouse

74 Black Creek Business Area 5 What is it today?

• Industrial area in transition to service retail • Few employee services (restaurants, etc.)

75 Black Creek Business Area 5 What is it today?

• Predominantly car- oriented • Few/insufficient sidewalks

76 Black Creek Business Area 5 What is it today?

• Poor waiting areas for transit users

77 Black Creek Business Area 5 What is it today?

• Poor connections to the surrounding neighbourhood make it feel isolated from its surroundings

78 Black Creek Business Area 5 What are the opportunities? Key Plan New and enhanced building frontage Streetscape improvements

Potential new link to transit

Enhanced pedestrian and cycling connections

79 Locating new buildings and uses along the street edge

Key Plan

80 Supporting employees with a greater mix of uses

Key Plan

81 Improving the pedestrian and cycling environment

Key Plan

82 The Big Picture

83 Designing the MSF to contribute to the image of industry street and support the creation of new neighbourhood connections The Big Picture

84 Transforming Eglinton into a new “green” street that extends the Humber trail network east to the new community centre and beyond.

The Big Picture

85 Encouraging the revitalization of Weston Road as the Principle community and retail spine centred upon a new station and green plaza space

The Big Picture

86 Encouraging new mixed-use development on the No Frills Site that relates positively to Keeledale Park and the Station.

The Big Picture

87 Enhancing the image of the Black Creek Business Area and improving access for pedestrians, cyclists and transit users

The Big Picture

88 The Big Picture A hub89 in the regional cycling network The Big Picture A key connection90 in the regional green network Designing the MSF to contribute to Enhancing the image of the Black the image of industry street and Creek Business Area and improving support the creation of new access for pedestrians, cyclists and neighbourhood connections transit users

Transforming Eglinton into a new “green” street that extends the Humber trail network east to the new community centre and beyond.

Encouraging the revitalization of Encouraging new mixed-use Weston Road as the Principle development on the No Frills Site community and retail spine centred Thethat relatesBig positively Picture to Keeledale upon a new station and green plaza Park and the Station. space 91 Next Steps

December 18th – 6:30pm • Economic Development Workshop Early 2013 • Community Liaison Group Meeting • Mobility Hub Concepts Presented at Public Meeting • Station Design Concept Public Meeting Spring 2013 • Finalize Mobility Hub Study Ongoing: • Metrolinx will: • Incorporate recommendations into the concepts for LRT facilities and stations • Work with the City of Toronto to support zoning updates to reflect study recommendations • Work with the City of Toronto to prioritize infrastructure and public realm improvements recommended

92 Thank you!

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