Toronto Rail Deck Development | 239.43m | 72s | LIUNA | Sweeny &Co

I don’t mind the ORCA project concept, if private business builds all or part of the park then we get green space for less tax$. I know that the total parkland they propose is smaller but there are more railway lands east and west of this. Why can’t this proposal be extended in both directions? We’d end up with a larger park and the railway tracks will be out of sight. I could see this extending for several kilometres. Just a thought.
 
The city planner at the last town hall said there's a possibility down the road it could be extended to Strachan I believe. But they are spending a lot of coin on a bridge right now over there so it was probably not included so they didn't look wasteful
 
I say, let the developers (Ivanhoe, Allied, Oxford, ORCA) take care of decking from Yonge to Bathurst.
... The money the city wants to spend here would be better spent to deck the rail corridor from Bathurst to Dufferin, where they would unite 2 or 3 large neighbourhoods that are severed by the tracks
 
Automation Gallery said:
I say, let the developers (Ivanhoe, Allied, Oxford, ORCA) take care of decking from Yonge to Bathurst.
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Problem is its barely big enough without a development in there... to me there's no point if you throw another dozen buidings in there. Will be an overpopulated hell.
 
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DouginTO said:
I don’t mind the ORCA project concept, if private business builds all or part of the park then we get green space for less tax$. I know that the total parkland they propose is smaller but there are more railway lands east and west of this. Why can’t this proposal be extended in both directions? We’d end up with a larger park and the railway tracks will be out of sight. I could see this extending for several kilometres. Just a thought.
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I'm kind of leaning towards what you're saying. If ORCA is also going to be maintaining this park from condo fees then i'm for it. As we all know the city doesn't do much to maintain their green spaces. Also, the element of a GO station for that area is huge. I previously wasn't in favor of this development, but i'm starting to see the benefits.
 
The GO station is already in the plans. one could debate whether it makes more sense as part of a park of a mixed-use development, I suppose. Metrolinx has understandably kept their mouths shut while all this is going on but they've presumably had conversations with both parties about the various scenarios.

In general, the way things work is you hand the city for the land and they maintain the park but that's a perfect example of the sort of thing that could be negotiated, if the 2 parties actually saw fit to negotiate. No matter who started it, it seems clear they're not talking to each other and each is staking out their ground through what's available to them.
 
From the City report on the Rail Deck Park OPA:

"The P.I.T.S. application proposes a mixed-use development including 7 residential buildings, one office building, and one retail/institutional building addressed on Front Street. South of the buildings open space of approximately 5 ha is proposed and this includes the existing Northern Linear Park (City-owned and controlled) that runs along the south side of the rail corridor. Excluding the Northern Linear Park, the new open space would be approximately 4 ha. The application proposes that parkland dedication be in accordance with the Planning Act as implemented by the City's parkland Official Plan policies and parkland dedication by-law. The application advises that 1.47 ha of parkland would be required. The application provides that the remaining open space (2.5 ha) could be secured by the City as publicly accessible open space or public parkland through agreements or purchase. The private OPA provides that, if the City does not secure the remaining open space, the area may be considered for the development of a range of residential, commercial or institutional uses subject to a number of criteria, among these, a further official plan amendment."
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Sure is some interesting spin in there, which isn't surprising.
ORCA is only offering 4 hectares of open space? Oh, and a vaguely defined 4-part "linear green space," mentioned in the SHAPE section.

(I think the thing I find most irksome about the city's argument is that a 12-acre park two blocks north of the lake somehow is a "significant scale and central location." Can't we just sell it on its own merits?)

At least the City is big enough to admit the only air rights they own in the entire corridor is the thin strip over the Puente de Luz bridge.

Sigh. This thing could be lots of fun by the time it gets to court or the OMB or wherever it gets settled.
 
City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
==========================================

Media Advisory

November 21, 2017

Technical briefing on results of feasibility analysis and next steps for implementation of Rail Deck Park

Toronto Deputy City Manager John Livey and Acting Chief Planner Gregg Lintern will hold a technical media briefing on the results of the feasibility analysis and outline next steps for implementation of Rail Deck Park that will be considered at the City's Executive Committee on Tuesday, November 28.

Date: Tuesday, November 21
Time: 1:15 p.m.
Location: Toronto City Hall, 23rd floor East Tower, Boardroom, 100 Queen St. W.

Note: The technical briefing is for background purposes only and is not for attribution. Cameras are not permitted. Audio devices are permitted for note-taking only. Media will be asked to sign in.

Following the technical briefing, John Livey and Gregg Lintern will provide a media availability.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. In 2017, Toronto is honouring Canada's 150th birthday with "TO Canada with Love," a year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto.

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Estimated costs for Toronto’s Rail Deck Park rise to $1.66 billion
City staff say funds from developers could pay a significant portion of the costs for the proposed 21-acre park — called a “now-or-never opportunity” by Mayor John Tory — but did not release details about how much money different financing methods might raise.
More......https://www.thestar.com/news/city_h...ontos-rail-deck-park-rise-to-166-billion.html
 
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