Parc Downsview Park Inc.

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Parc Downsview Park Inc.
A Sustainable Communityin the Making
Fourth International Conference on Community
Indicators

• December 1-3, 2005

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Downsview Park Site Facts

• Approximately 231.5 hectares (572 acres)
• Large underutilized tract of land in the heart of
  the Greater Toronto Area
• Excellent transportation access (subway,
  401/404/400/407/Allen Road/GO Transit/runway)
• Old assets and some Heritage buildings
• Great opportunity for showcasing sustainability
  model development

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Downsview Park History

• Area originally called Downs View

• De Havilland Aircraft relocated here in 1929
  and is now owned by Bombardier Aerospace

• Royal Canadian Air Force Station Downsview in
  1952

• Canadian Forces Base Toronto was closed in 1996

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Downsview Park Governance

• Agent and deemed parent Crown Corporation from
  non-agent subsidiary corporation
• Report to Parliament through the Minister of
  State (Infrastructure Communities)
• Board of Directors and President CEO appointed
  by Government to set the framework to implement
  the mandate of the Corporation

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Building a sense of a park
Keele Street Entrance
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National and Local Educational Programs
Our Canada Millennium Quilt

• Include
• Backyard Birds
• Waste Not Want Not
• Flight in the Park
• Water World
• Butterfly Landing
• Tree City
• Natural Habitats and Wildlife
• History in the Making
• Walking Tours

• Commitment to Sustainable Education and
• Community Development and Awareness
• Programming beyond the local community

Programs continue to be developed to expand
awareness of the park.
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Events Community Programs
WinterFest
SpringFest
Earth Day
Canada Day
Fall Fair
Remembrance Day
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World Youth Day 2002 / SARS Benefit Concert 2003
Attendance of 800,000
Attendance of 450,000
On the International Stage
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Creating Sustainability Together
Mandate Challenge Agenda Park Plan Balancing
Factors Sustainability Filter
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Downsview Park Mandate

• To develop Downsview Park as a unique
  recreational greenspace, to be held in perpetuity
  for the enjoyment of future generations.
• To be entirely self-financing and sustainable.
• To be a positive federal presence in the GTA and
  for all Canadians.

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Vision Statement

• Vision Statement
• Downsview Park is a unique urban recreational
  greenspace, a safe and peaceful place, developed
  according to the principles of environmental,
  economic and social sustainability, for Canadians
  to enjoy in all seasons. The Park reflects
  Canadas mosaic brilliance and celebrates its
  past, present and future accomplishments.
• Board of Directors August 2002

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Downsview Park Opportunities

• Ambition and Core Idea from Tree City integral
  to the implementation of the opportunity across
  the entire 231.5 hectare site.
• Infrastructure development, both physical (roads,
  services) and natural.
• Innovation and the economy.
• Social and cultural legacy.
• To bring economic change and vitality.
• Example of leadership role in urban sustainable
  development.

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Five Core Values

• Sustainability Design the Maintenance
• Stewardship Design the Educational Effect
• Play Redefine Leisure
• Legacy Build a Living Database
• Beauty Design the Icon

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Park Plan
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Open Space Plan

• Green in attitude
• Green in form
• Green in approach
• Integrated planning and development

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A Sustainable Community in the Making

• PDP has a strong commitment to sustainability and
  sustainable communities. Our focus is on
  Education, Demonstration and Collaboration.
• PDPs Sustainable Community focuses on
• Sustainable building design
• Ecosystem health and ecological restoration
• Sustainable enterprise
• Tree City Design Elements and Values
• Action Sports Complex Canadian Olympic
  Committee Performance Centre
• Residential Areas
• New Employment Uses
• Sustainable Technologies, Systems and Processes
• Sustainable Energy and Transportation

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Sustainability

• Environmental, economic and social sustainability
  policy statements developed to guide actions from
  broad policy initiative to on-site development
  and management

Sustainability Filter
Self- Financing Mandate
Tree City Design
Sustainable Community


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Sustainability Approach

• Sustainability indicators reconcile the diverse
  objectives of increasing social opportunities,
  increasing economic activity and enhancing the
  natural environment challenging the conventional
  notion that sustainable parks in urban areas are
  solely islands of nature.
• Sustainability helps in the process the park
  as a business and the business as a park.
  Each needs the other to thrive and survive.
• Economic, social and environmental sustainability
  objectives work together developing a new
  synergy.

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ExamplesSustainable Energy

• Existing
• Gas fed steam heating plant
• Contemplated Pilot Project
• Solar generated thermal
• Ground source heat pumps for community level
  facilities
• Wind power
• Future
• Tri generation (heating, cooling and electricity)
  District Energy Plant
• Heavy focus on renewable energy source
• Fixing and then reducing fossil fuel dependency
• Net exporting of electricity and heating and
  cooling

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Integrated Stormwater Management

• Controlled outflow to support local tributaries
• Improved water quality
• Zero outflow to combined sewers
• Capturing Roof top stormwater

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Energy Management

• Life cycle costing on both new energy plant and
  all new buildings
• Analysis of grey energy energy used in making
  building materials
• Commitment to specific LEED performance level and
  hopefully beyond.

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Sustainable CommunityDevelopment Guidelines

• PDP anticipates a two-phase process to deliver
  an Urban Development Plan and the Sustainable
  Community Development Guidelines.
• Phase One
• The Urban Development Plan includes the
  following components
• 1. Urban Development Plan and Development
  Policies
• Takes advantage of existing infrastructure
• Provides for incremental growth
• 2. Streets, Blocks and Community Plan
• Public spaces will be interconnected to all parts
  of the site
• 3. The Open Space Plan
• Will feature parkettes, linear parks and sub
  community parks
• 4. Sustainable Urban Design Criteria
• Open Space and Building relationships
• Primary goal of ecosystem health and alternative
  energy

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Sustainable CommunityDevelopment Guidelines
continued

• The results of the Urban Development Plan (Phase
  One) will provide the foundation and physical
  framework for the completion of a comprehensive
  set of Sustainable Community Development
  Guidelines
• Phase Two
• The Sustainable Community Development Guidelines
  includes the following components
• 1. Regional Planning Context
• PDP to define future and growth within framework
  of the Provincial Future Growth strategy while
  remaining true to its vision and mandate
• 2. Energy Utilization Plan
• Focus on renewable energy sources
• Establish reduction and conservation protocols
• 3. Sustainable Building Standards
• LEED current standard PDP Inc. as future
  standard
• incorporation of proven and emerging
  technologies

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Sustainable CommunityDevelopment Guidelines
continued

• The results of the Urban Development Plan (Phase
  One) will provide the foundation and physical
  framework for the completion of a comprehensive
  set of Sustainable Community Development
  Guidelines
• Phase Two contd
• The Sustainable Community Development Guidelines
  includes the following components
• 4. Sewer and Water Treatment Plans
• Water management across entire site
• Improvement over todays conditions
• 5. Sustainable Housing Plan
• Demonstration projects
• Housing types and market development
• 6. Transportation
• Currently in discussions with TTC regarding a
  subway alignment through the site

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Sustainable CommunityDevelopment Guidelines
continued

• The results of the Urban Development Plan (Phase
  One) will provide the foundation and physical
  framework for the completion of a comprehensive
  set of Sustainable Community Development
  Guidelines
• Phase Two contd
• The Sustainable Community Development Guidelines
  includes the following components
• 7. Cost Assessment
• Analysis of traditional construction versus LEED
  buildings
• 8. New Ideas for further Investigation-Innovatio
  n for the future
• A living document to evolve as the site develops
• 9. Public Participation and Communication Plan
• Green and sustainable ideas to be communicated to
  stakeholders through Public Meetings
• PDP Sustainability Policy to be used as reference
  tool throughout the development

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Sustainability Indicators

• Indicators are essential in providing a base-line
  of information to truly monitor whether a
  positive change has occurred.
• In order to address the environmental, social
  and economic objectives, indicators have been
  specifically developed on a policy-by-policy
  basis.

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Environmental SustainabilityPDP Policies
Indicators

• Policy Enhancement of the Urban Ecosystem
• Indicators include things such as
• Percent of land in forest cover
• Change in the number of non-native species in
  natural areas
• Quantity of herbicide and pesticide use
• Change in the number of desired terrestrial
  species
• Change in number of desired bird species

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Environmental SustainabilityPDP Policies
Indicators

• Policy Environmental Education Partnerships
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of environmental education opportunities
  offered
• Number of people using the park
• Policy Sustainable Transportation
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of non-auto transportation opportunities
  provided to access the park
• Percent of trips to park by alternative
  transportation modes
• Change in ridership on local transit routes

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Environmental SustainabilityPDP Policies
Indicators

• Policy Sustainable Energy Use
• Indicators include things such as
• Percent of energy consumed from green power
• Number of energy conservation measures being
  implemented
• Policy Water Wastewater Conservation
• Indicators include things such as
• Percent of water consumption recycled for use in
  park
• Percent of stormwater retained on site

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Economic SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Enhance the Capital Base of PDP
• Indicators include things such as
• Progress on establishing a Foundation to raise
  funds
• Change in the real estate value of lands and
  buildings as they relate to the park
• Policy Evaluation of Costs Benefits of Park
  Activities
• Indicators include things such as
• Development and implementation of an event
  evaluation system

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Economic SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Innovative Environmental Practices
  Leading Technologies
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of innovative environmental practices
  being tested and implemented at the park.
• Number of environmentally innovative businesses
  located at the park
• Policy Green Building Practices
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of buildings retained for alternative uses
  ie. The Hangar
• Number of new buildings developed using green
  sustainability practices
• LEED Processes to launch the standard

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Economic SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Promote Economic Development of Community
• Indicators include things such as
• Change in income characteristics of community
  over time.
• Degree of re-investment in local businesses and
  properties.
• View of the City to enhance and create positive
  conditions for success for the entire area
• National identity for the site and engage the
  process at that level too. A park for all
  Canadians.

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Social SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Meet Human Needs for Recreation,
  Relaxation, Exercise Other Aspects of Healthy
  Living
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of person days in formal PDP programs
• Number of individuals visiting Downsview Park
• Percent of Tree City design implemented
• Policy Respect for Cultural Diversity Equity
  of Opportunity
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of multi-cultural or cross-cultural
  activities
• Percent of PDP programs that are offered at no
  cost
• Number of person days in formal PDP Programs

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Social SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Heritage Preservation Commemoration,
  Education Research
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of heritage or heritage-like structures
  reused
• Number of heritage education and interpretation
  opportunities in the park

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Social SustainabilityPDP Policies Indicators

• Policy Encourage Public Participation
  Democratic Decision-Making
• Indicators include things such as
• Number of public consultation opportunities
  provided
• Quantity and quality of public responses on
  consultation
• Policy Social Economic Impetus, Raising
  Quality of Life in Community
• Indicators include things such as
• Average income of surrounding neighbourhood
• Progress on the complementary commercial agenda
  of the corporation

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New Opportunities - Subway Extension
Subway extension

• Terms of Reference
• Submitted in June 2004
• MOE approval September 2004
• EA Study
• Technical Study by URS
• Retained October 2004
• One-year EA study
• Commenced November 2004
• MOE has up to 30 weeks to approve
• Spring 2006

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Subway Extension
Route 1
Subway is an important and unique opportunity to
grow the park
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Subway Extension contd

• Subway Extension
• Route alignment confirmed, station locations
  defined
• PDP portion of line 100m south of Sheppard
  Avenue
• Future (potential) GO Train station connection
  inside PDP
• Allows for higher density residential/commercial
  development
• EA Study
• completed October 2005
• City Council approval December 5, 2005
• EA to MOE by December 31, 2005
• MOE response/approval by July 30, 2006

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Spadina Subway Extension contd

• Funding
• City, Provincial and Federal approvals required
• Current budget estimate 1.47 Billion
• Timetable
• Initial construction design early 2005
• Construction to commence within 1 year after
  funding approvals
• Estimated time to completion 7 years after go
  ahead confirmed

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A Sustainable Community
PDP as a Sustainable Community Legacy Contact
Us
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Downsview Park ASustainable Community

• A 572 acre sustainable community that includes
  approx. 300 acres of public open space, sports,
  recreational, educational and cultural amenities
  in harmony with forms of self financing
  development opportunities such as sustainable
  business, retail and residential uses and
  innovative green development ideas at the leading
  edge of 21st Century thinking.

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Parc Downsview Park Inc.

• PDP is about
• A New Way of Development thinking Outside the
  Box
• Partnerships - all levels of government working
  together
• Looking to the Future - expansion of our
  sustainable community beyond our boundaries
• Creating a place where all Canadians visiting
  Downsview Park can call home

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The Legacy

• To grow Downsview Park into one of the
  greatest parks in the world

The journey of 1000 miles begins with the first
step
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Parc Downsview Park Inc.Virtual Tour
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Parc Downsview Park Inc.Virtual Tour
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Contact Information
416-952-2223
www.pdp.ca
Tony Genco tgenco_at_pdp.ca