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www.joecressy.com

Public Consultation on Next Steps for Quayside

City Councillor, Ward 10, Spadina-Fort York
www.joecressy.com


Public Consultation on Next Steps for Quayside

Waterfront Toronto is launching a public forum on the next steps for the Quayside project.

Quayside is a central project in Waterfront Toronto’s mission to revitalize and reclaim our city’s waterfront. Since day one, our objective with Quayside has been to develop a new model for how we can build a 21st century neighbourhood – one that is truly affordable, liveable, and sustainable. It is critical that we get it right.

Three years ago, Waterfront Toronto set out to create an ambitious plan for a next-generation sustainable community at Quayside. Through planning work and thoughtful public discussion, Quayside was envisioned as an opportunity to build a neighbourhood that serves everyone, while addressing the urban challenges of housing affordability, active transportation, and climate change. While Sidewalk Labs is no longer pursuing this project, the engagement and feedback received from residents and community organizations has provided a solid framework to build on.

Among the next steps for the project, Waterfront Toronto is preparing a Request for Proposal (RFP) for a development partner for Quayside, which will be released this winter and is planned to be awarded by next summer.

Waterfront Toronto is now asking for the public to weigh in on the renewed goals for the project- Inclusive, Resilient, Dynamic. A number of public consultation resources are being provided to gather feedback:

  1. Stay informed: Watch the video presentation (9 minutes) and read this project backgrounder.
  2. Get Involved: Take the online survey and share your opinion on the updated project goals. The survey is open until October 23.
  3. Ask questions: Join one of three informal interactive sessions on October 15, 16 and 21 to ask questions you have about the latest plans for Quayside. Click here to register.
  4. A Summary Report on the feedback will be published in November.
Click here to view this material and more detailed background on the project.
 
Article on the site and process in The Star

Steve Diamond (WT Chair) promising Iconic architecture and lots of affordable housing.

www.thestar.com

Forget Sidewalk Labs. Quayside plans promise ‘iconic’ architecture — and affordable housing

The chair of Waterfront Toronto’s board says that a new neighbouhood at Quayside will put Sidewalk Labs in the “rear view mirror.”
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com

RFQ next month: January

RFP April 2021

RFP Award: Fall 2021

Also of note, recently assessed land value for Quayside: 500 Million.
 
Sounds wonderful. It's also what they said would happen on East Bayfront.

I'd like to believe we'll be seeing iconic architecture here....until Menkes is announced as the developer.
 
syn said:
Sounds wonderful. It's also what they said would happen on East Bayfront.

I'd like to believe we'll be seeing iconic architecture here....until Menkes is announced as the developer.
Click to expand...

WT has also (or is in the process) of giving us 'The Arbour"

We also have Monde.

They've been a bit 'hit and miss'; but if we rightly blame them for the misses; lets accord credit for the 'hits'.

Worth noting the CEO and Board Chair have changed since some of the earlier misses.
 
Doug Ford's ears must be ringing

Northern Light said:
www.thestar.com

Forget Sidewalk Labs. Quayside plans promise ‘iconic’ architecture — and affordable housing

The chair of Waterfront Toronto’s board says that a new neighbouhood at Quayside will put Sidewalk Labs in the “rear view mirror.”
www.thestar.com www.thestar.com
Click to expand...

Shauna Brail, an associate professor with the Institute for Management and Innovation at the University of Toronto, believes the Quayside site should be about housing — and much more.

“I actually am a fan of waterfront ferris wheels. I know that they privilege the spectacular over the ordinary, but done well, they are fun and interesting and add to the urban landscape.

“Hong Kong, Bangkok, London, Singapore all have them. There’s nothing to say that a ferris wheel, or some other sculptural and functional piece that provides a view of the city, the water and the new neighbourhood, couldn’t also be designed using renewable energy sources, highlighting local design and architecture, nodding to the history of the site and be a centrepiece that attracts people.”
Click to expand...
 
Not the first time Toronto had a unique Ferris wheel:

Drive-in_Wheel.jpg

Source: Wikimedia Commons

This one was a drive-in Ferris wheel installed by the Power Plant in Harbourfront in 2004

Full story:

News - Canadian Architect

www.canadianarchitect.com www.canadianarchitect.com
 
Northern Light said:
WT has also (or is in the process) of giving us 'The Arbour"

We also have Monde.

They've been a bit 'hit and miss'; but if we rightly blame them for the misses; lets accord credit for the 'hits'.

Worth noting the CEO and Board Chair have changed since some of the earlier misses.
Click to expand...

That's fair.

I would counter that the misses have been far more plentiful than the hits - especially for an area that's was nearly a blank slate. And the misses, in some cases, are among the most despised projects in Toronto. I don't think it's come close to fulfilling the promise this area had when initially conceived.

You're right there are some good projects in the area. Even so, I'd hope the overall quality, design and implementation for Quayside is orders of magnitude greater than it's been for East Bayfront.
 
The Waterfront Toronto Strategic Plan 2020/21–2024/25 talks of 4 key future projects along the waterfront - I believe all are unfunded at this point.

The projects are Waterfront Walk (more wave decks, wooden boardwalk etc), the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal (you know, the proposed wooden swoopy one), Destination Playground (a giant playground in the new Promontory Park in the Port Lands) and Landmark Institution.

The document describes Landmark Institution as "a distinctive structure to anchor and animate the surrounding public realm", and shows pictures of a variety of performing arts/opera houses as an example. "We’re now assessing the potential for a major institutional or cultural site that would draw up to a million visitors a year to the waterfront."

I do wonder if Quayside is the site they're thinking of...
Realistically this would mean giving away a large chunk of real estate for free to a museum/gallery/opera house thing, thereby reducing the affordable housing that Quayside could conceivably deliver. On the other hand, I do agree that a major attraction encouraging people to travel through the East Bayfront towards the Portlands would be great for the area, and probably spur the development of transit, too.

10 years ago or so, I would have suggested a University campus on the site, but the George Brown/OCAD/UOF mini campus(es) seems to be doing quite well!
 
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