Attachment 1: Section 3 Port Lands Illustrative Plan in Context SECTION 3 VISION The vision for the Port Lands is as layered and diverse as the place itself. It draws on the particular qualities of this unique place as the basis for its next incarnation as a distinct and memorable city district. SECTION 3 The Port Lands’ most distinct qualities generated and many perspectives are brought to the forefront to create voiced in the process. The Port Lands the identity and experience of place scale and unique attributes also offers with all the diverse uses one finds opportunities for the creation of a in any and all cities. This will create radically different environment. a positive friction and interesting backdrop, but also necessitates careful The Vision for the Port Lands is layered management of competing interests and multi-faceted. One overarching and potential impacts. The opportunity statement will steer the Port Lands with the Port Lands is the ability to evolution over the next 50 years, but introduce a resilient structure that can the vision also includes: accommodate the diversity that will define the Port Lands for generations • Six essential elements to ground to come. the vision and define the Port Lands character; The Vision for the Port Lands is a collective vision. The Charrette, held • Seven transformational moves to in July 2014, laid the foundation for unlock the potential of the Port establishing this collective vision. A key Lands; and challenge in developing the plan and vision for the Port Lands was how to • 12 objectives to define what is to be reflect the breadth of possibility, ideas achieved and measure success. Port Lands Charrette - Wall of Ideas 31 Port Lands Planning Framework ONE VISION TO GUIDE THE TRANSFORMATION OVER THE NEXT 50+ YEARS 7 126 ESSENTIAL TRANSFORMATIONAL OBJECTIVES ELEMENTS MOVES To ground the To unlock the potential To define what is to be Vision + define the of the Port Lands achieved and measure Port Lands character success Port Lands Planning Framework 32 SECTION 3 3.1 The Port Lands will transform into a number of new, vibrant districts with unique and memorable local identities THE that promote social interaction, cultural enrichment, ecological health, a low- carbon future, and a prosperous local economy. Each district will take its cue VISION from the naturalized Don River valley and wild natural areas, spectacular waterfront parks and open spaces, and rich cultural heritage. Artistic bird’s eye rendering of the vision for the Port Lands The Port Lands will have an eclectic A resilient urban structure will be set in mix of uses, offering diverse place, connecting the Port Lands to the opportunities for Torontonians to city and providing sustainable options live, work and play. Intrinsic to this for moving in and through the area. The mix of uses is the energy, vibrancy urban structure will provide a robust and theatre of the working port and legacy of fine-grained streets and blocks nurturing the growth of creative and to allow the Port Lands to continue to innovative industries. evolve and transform over time. Port Lands Planning Framework 34 SECTION VISION - 3.2 - SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS 3 3.2 SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS Six Essential Elements ground the Vision for the Port Lands and define its character: 01 02 03 Big and Urban and The Exceptions Diverse Natural and Exceptional active industry secure perimeter salt shipping + storage TPA 35 Port Lands Planning Framework 04 05 06 Organic and Man-made An Exemplar of A Showcase for Water Environments Urban Living Innovation Port Lands Planning Framework 36 SECTION VISION - 3.2 - SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS 3 Big and Diverse At 325 hectares (800 The vision for the Port Lands builds acres), downtown on this Toronto tradition, while also 01 Toronto can practically inherently recognizing its enormous fit in the Port Lands. But more scale and potential. Sameness is importantly, downtown Toronto is not boring, especially over a large area. one place. It is a series of places, each Diversity is central to the vision and with different purposes and characters. a key strength. The Port Lands will Sometimes the boundaries of these be a collage of different places with different places blur into one another. different purposes and characters. But Toronto is, and will continue to be, ,known as a city of neighbourhoods. Figure 17: The Port Lands Overlayed on Downtown Toronto BAY ALEXANDRA GRANGE PARK STREET DOWNTOWN PARK CORRIDOR EASTSIDE KING FINANCIAL ST. LAWRENCE SPADINA ENTERTAINMENT DISTRICT NEIGHBOURHOOD DISTRICT CITY PLACE LOWER YONGE/ EAST BAYFRONT RED HARBOURFRONT PATH 37 Port Lands Planning Framework Urban and Natural Toronto’s central defining element in the Port Lands, waterfront area with its impressive natural features 02 generally consists of south of the Ship Channel juxtaposed both a highly urbanized environment, in the north against a more urban defined by a fine-grain of streets and character and unified by the grand a mix of uses and a vibrant public and culturally significant Ship Channel. life, and a wild green fringe that hugs The vision for the Port Lands builds on the city to the south with the Toronto this duality. Lands north of the Ship Islands and Tommy Thompson Park/ Channel will be an extension of the the Spit. These two distinct halves urban metropolis, while lands south of are unified by the Inner Harbour. This the Ship Channel will have an inherent urban and natural duality is also a key green and natural quality. Figure 18: The Ship Channel Uniting Urban and Natural Areas Port Lands Planning Framework 38 SECTION VISION - 3.2 - SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS 3 The Exceptions and Exceptional The Port Lands is built here, is building here and what will Toronto’s one and only follow. When these unique features are 03 port and there is no mapped, they tell a story about Port other place like it. The industry, both Lands and provide a profound starting past and present, the awe-inspiring point or DNA for the vision. scale of industrial architecture, and the overgrown, yet beautiful, wild and They are core features of the identity natural character are features that set and experience of place. Redevelopment the Port Lands apart from the rest must embrace these exceptions and of the city. They are the Port Lands’ exceptional qualities, bringing both new exceptions and exceptional qualities. life and a new role for industry, culture The vision celebrates what industry has and natural heritage. Figure 19: The Port Lands Exceptions and Exceptional Qualities active industry secure perimeter salt shipping + storage TPA 39 Port Lands Planning Framework Organic and Manmade Water Environments The Port Lands has and best of sustainable urban living and will have a variety of working with naturalized undertakings. 04 organic and man-made The organic quality of the river is environments that will bring the presence juxtaposed and contrasted against the of water throughout the Port Lands. One hard, rectilinear man-made forms of of the most significant transformations the Keating Channel, Ship Channel and for the city and Torontonians in this Turning Basin. century will be the restoration of the mouth of the Don River. The vision for the balance of the Port Lands embraces and transposes the It is an engine for transformative constructed and rectilinear qualities of urbanism at the heart of the Lower the Ship Channel and Turning Basin in Don Lands. A radical repositioning the design of the streets and blocks. This of natural and geologic systems that in turn expands the presence of water will organically restore what industry throughout the Port Lands, bringing it once removed and combine the deeper into the diverse districts. Figure 20: Organic and Man-made Water Environments ORGANIC CONSTRUCTED/ RECTILINEAR Port Lands Planning Framework 40 SECTION VISION - 3.2 - SIX ESSENTIAL ELEMENTS 3 An Exemplar of Urban Living The Port Lands will be spaces for families and people of all an exemplar of urban incomes, cultures and abilities. 05 living. There will be a wide range of high quality residential People will feel safe in the streets and options and environments for people. a conviviality will spill out into the New and inventive ways for delivering public realm. Green spaces will abound, affordable housing will be pursued, providing space for plants and animals and there will be housing, places and to cohabitate and repopulate. Figure 21: An Exemplar of Urban Living 41 Port Lands Planning Framework A Showcase for Innovation The Port Lands will able to respond to technical, social be a showcase for and environmental changes. Buildings 06 innovation and a and infrastructure will be designed leader in environmental performance. to survive and thrive in response New benchmarks will be continually to a changing climate and times of achieved as the Port Lands transforms, emergency. starting with exceeding current City standards. The results of the The Port Lands will be intelligent regeneration and renewal activities and connected. New and emerging will be tracked and used to ensure technologies will be used to support continuous improvement. community needs, grow important industries and improve quality of life. It will be a dynamic, adaptive and High-speed, resilient connectivity will resilient place. The built and natural be provided, with access and digital environments that will be created are inclusion as a priority. Figure 22: A Showcase for Innovation Port Lands Planning Framework 42 SECTION VISION - 3.3 - SEVEN TRANSFORMATIONAL MOVES 3 3.3 SEVEN TRANSFORMATIONAL MOVES As part of the vision, seven transformational moves are identified that will progressively unlock the potential of the Port Lands. They include the continued recognition of well-established projects, but also a series of new moves.