Item - 2017.TE28.7

City Council considered Items EX29.2 and TE28.7 together.

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommends that:

1. City Council amend the Official Plan for the lands located within the Rail Corridor between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way including Northern Linear Park and Mouth of the Creek Park, substantially in accordance with the draft Official Plan Amendment 395 attached as Appendix 1 to the report (October 27, 2017) from the Acting Director, Community Planning, Toronto and East York District.

2. City Council authorize the City Solicitor to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Official Plan Amendment as may be required.

The Toronto and East York Community Council held a statutory public meeting on November 14, 2017, and notice was given in accordance with the Planning Act.

This report introduces the draft Official Plan Amendment (OPA) and proposed Rail Deck Park Secondary Plan.  The proposed Secondary Plan has been informed by a planning study conducted for the rail corridor area between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way (the "Site").  This study was directed through EX17.1 (Rail Deck Park - Work Plan for Official Plan Amendments and an Implementation Strategy), approved by Council in October 2016.

The planning study addresses a number of considerations both within and adjacent to the Site including development patterns, residential and employment growth, parks and open space, land use, existing and future rail operations, and other planning considerations.

The Site lies within the Railway Lands.  This report recommends amendments to the Railway Lands West, Central and East Secondary Plans as well as adoption of the proposed Rail Deck Park Secondary Plan.  An Implementation Strategy for Rail Deck Park will be considered by Executive Committee at its meeting of November 29, 2017.  There are no financial implications associated with this report.

The long-term liveability of Toronto's downtown neighbourhoods depends on the adequate provision of public infrastructure to respond to existing and projected demand.  The recently approved proposed Downtown Plan identifies parks and public realm as an infrastructure priority to support growth.

The proposed Secondary Plan designates the Site as Park and Open Space Areas, which is consistent with the direction of the proposed Downtown Plan, the City's Official Plan and Provincial policies.

The proposed Rail Deck Park Secondary Plan responds to the substantial population growth and ongoing high demand for parks and community services in the adjacent neighbourhoods and Downtown Toronto.  These areas are defined as the Local Study Area and Downtown Study area for the purposes of this study, and are illustrated in Figure 2 on page 7.  It is expected that by 2041, the residential population of the Downtown Study Area will grow by 82% to exceed 500,000 residents, far outpacing growth in the rest of the city.  Over the same period, employment is projected to reach 758,000, adding 234,000 jobs to Canada's largest employment cluster.  The Downtown Study Area is on track to achieve the Urban Growth Centre density target by 2031 as identified by the Provincial Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, 2017.

Unless actively addressed through the creation of a significant new park and open space in the Downtown, this growth will place even greater strain on existing park areas and exacerbate the relatively low levels of parkland provision currently experienced in Downtown Toronto: 3.73 m2 per resident/employee in the Downtown Study Area and 2.83 m2 for the Local Study Area, compared to 18.3 m2 city-wide.

This site represents one of the only remaining opportunities that can realistically accommodate a major park and open space required to serve the Downtown, comparatively unencumbered by existing development.

The planning study concludes that residential and/or non-residential development over all or part of the Site would eliminate the opportunity to create a large-scale, multi-functional park in Downtown.  Substantial residential and non-residential growth can and is being accommodated in other areas across the Downtown.

The proposed Rail Deck Park Secondary Plan provides a new planning framework for the Site and direction on public realm and park design, heritage, transportation and connectivity, environment, servicing and infrastructure, land use, and implementation.

The proposed Secondary Plan:

-    Designates the Site as Parks and Open Space Areas to preserve the future opportunity for a large contiguous open space which will serve as a new signature park for the city, stitching together regional and neighbourhood functions that benefit from its scale, location and accessibility.

-    Is guided by a Vision to transform the space above the rail corridor into a major public park and recognizes the park as a long-term commitment to social equity and a high standard of liveability for all the city's residents.

-    Establishes the desired city-building outcomes through a number of Objectives, including: providing a park for all Toronto; enhancing connectivity and accessibility; creating a place to gather and celebrate; investing in resiliency and green infrastructure; supporting and integrating rail; and  acknowledging and conserving the history of the Railway Lands.

-  Provides a comprehensive framework to guide detailed design and development of the park including: direction for programming and cultural heritage; landscape design; universal accessibility; pedestrian and cycling connectivity; transit integration and servicing.

-  Includes coordination with the planned Spadina-Front GO Regional Express Rail (RER) Station in order to enhance city-building opportunities associated with the station and ensure pedestrian and cycling access to and from the park is seamless from both sides of the rail corridor.

-  Sets out implementation requirements to ensure a comprehensive approach to developing the decking structure and park, including: a park master plan; comprehensive environmental and technical studies; rail corridor study; servicing and transportation; and stewardship and partnerships, among other matters.