Item - 2016.EX17.1

The Executive Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to initiate Official Plan Amendments for both the Railway Lands West and Railway Lands Central Secondary Plans, informed by community and stakeholder consultation, to provide a planning framework for park use over the rail corridor.

2.  City Council request the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to initiate amendments to the applicable Zoning By-laws as necessary to implement the Official Plan Amendments for both the Railway Lands West and Railway Lands Central Secondary Plans.

3.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A and the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer, report back in 2017 with an Implementation Strategy for a major park space above the rail corridor between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way ("Rail Deck Park") which addresses the following:

a.  feasibility and options for securing air rights above the rail corridor for the purposes of parkland development;

b.  Class 4 cost estimates and phasing options for development and construction of Rail Deck Park;

c.  funding options, with an emphasis on growth-related revenue sources that minimize debt-financing requirements for Rail Deck Park;

d.  partnership strategy to encourage corporate and community partners to participate in the planning and funding for the construction, programming, operations and maintenance of Rail Deck Park; and

e.  assess opportunities to create an implementation strategy to create new connections to Rail Deck Park, including the Green Line along the hydro lands and the northern and southern extensions of the West Toronto Railpath, for the purpose of creating an inter-connected network of parks, including feasibility and funding options

4.  City Council approve a Rail Deck Park capital project with a project cost of $2.423 million be created within the Corporate Initiatives Capital Program with cash flow approvals of $78,000 in 2016 and $2.345 million in 2017, funded through the following adjustments:

a.  $400,000 transfer of 2017 approved cash flow from the City Planning Growth Studies capital project, with $360,000 in Development Charge funding and the remaining $40,000 Capital from Current (CFC) funded;

b.  $1,200,000 funding from the Section 42 reserve fund (XR2209);

c.  $202,300 funding from Development Charges (XR2114); and

d.  $621,000 in Capital from Current (CFC) funding available from closed capital projects.

5.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer to review the eligible growth related funds for the funding requirements in Recommendation 4, and report back as part of the 2017 Budget process on necessary funding adjustments.

6.  City Council approve an increase to the 2016 Operating Budget of $78,000 gross and $0 net, and an increase of 7 temporary positions, fully funded from a contribution from the Rail Deck Park capital project, between the following City Programs:

a.  $41,000 gross and $0 net increase in City Planning's Operating Budget for 2016 part year funding of 4 new positions;

b.  $25,000 gross and $0 net increase in Legal Services' Operating Budget for 2016 part year funding of 2 new positions; and

c.  $12,000 gross and $0 net increase in Parks, Forestry and Recreation's Operating Budget for 2016 part year funding of 1 new position.

7. City Council request the City Manager to review opportunities to use staff within the existing complement of the Waterfront Secretariat, City Planning, Legal Services, and Parks Forestry and Recreation to work with the consultant team to execute the proposed work plan for the Rail Deck Park.

8.  City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Cluster B and the Deputy City Manager, Cluster A, in consultation with the Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer, to ensure that the Rail Deck Park Implementation Strategy be developed consistent with the principles and directions of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan and that this be addressed as a part of the report to Council in 2017.

The Deputy City Manager, Cluster B and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning gave a presentation on Rail Deck Park.

This report seeks Council direction to initiate planning for a significant new park over the rail corridor between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way called "Rail Deck Park." It outlines a proposed work plan, to be completed by the end of 2017, for (i) Official Plan Amendments to establish a park above the rail corridor and (ii) an Implementation Strategy for Rail Deck Park.

Rail Deck Park is an ambitious civic infrastructure project. If fully realized, it will involve the development of approximately 8.5 hectares (21 acres) of new park and open space in the heart of Toronto. It has the potential to significantly alter the western area of Downtown by connecting neighbourhoods currently divided by the rail corridor. The park will serve as a city-wide asset accessible to all Torontonians. It will be a high-profile visitor attraction, comparable to large urban parks in other major cities. Based on precedent projects elsewhere in North America, Rail Deck Park is anticipated to generate economic, social and environmental benefits.

Downtown Toronto is currently home to approximately 250,000 residents, increasing to more than 830,000 when daytime employment and tourism-related populations are included. Downtown has grown strongly over the past twenty-five years and this growth is accelerating.  Between 1991 and 2016, Downtown grew by about 122,000 residents, with approximately 50,000 of that growth occurring in the past five years alone. By 2041, the Downtown population is projected to more than double from 2011 levels (increasing from 200,000 to 475,000 residents), representing a potential of 158,000 new residential units. Recent trends indicate that the Downtown could realize even more growth than anticipated.

Addressing the shortage of parks in the Downtown area is a priority infrastructure need, most recently identified in the City's "TOcore: Planning Downtown" study. Existing parks and open space in Downtown Toronto is increasingly strained by rapid residential and employment growth in the core. Downtown has been identified among the areas with the lowest levels of park provision in the city and expected growth will compound this issue over the coming decades. New parkland is required to support future development in the Downtown area. If this cannot be achieved, it may be necessary for the City to reconsider the pace and amount of future development in the Downtown. Balancing growth and infrastructure provision in the Downtown will be comprehensively addressed through TOcore.

The rail corridor is the last opportunity to secure space for a major park to serve the Downtown area. Through the advancement of the work plan described in this report, staff will identify options to enhance growth-oriented revenues so that local development activity can fund a significant portion of the Rail Deck Park project.

A cross-divisional project team will be tasked with implementing a proposed work plan for Rail Deck Park. A corporate structure will be established, involving a number of City divisions, to ensure long-term capacity and a comprehensive approach to project management. The Deputy City Manager, Cluster B will be the corporate lead for the project team and City Planning will provide project coordination support. As necessary, external consultants will be engaged to provide expertise for components of the work plan. This report identifies a budget of $2.423 million to support the first phase of work on the Rail Deck Park project in 2017.

Official Plan Amendments (OPAs) to the Railway Lands Central and Railway Lands West Secondary Plans will be initiated to support development of a park above the rail corridor. Consultations will be undertaken to solicit public input to the OPAs. Planning policies for the rail corridor will give consideration to enhanced transportation connectivity between adjacent neighbourhoods and the opportunity for a potential Regional Express Rail station at Spadina Avenue and Front Street and appropriate facilities to access the rail corridor.

The project team will also undertake development of a comprehensive Implementation Strategy for Rail Deck Park that includes real estate analysis and engagement with property owners; structural design and engineering analysis, including a design concept and phasing options; financial analysis, including detailed project costs and potential funding sources; and a partnership strategy to support community and corporate involvement in the development and funding of the park, including programming, operations and maintenance.

In order to determine the feasibility of the Rail Deck Park proposal, the Implementation Strategy will address project costs, appropriate funding options, permissions and/or agreements with property owners and various technical and design considerations.

This report provides initial information concerning comparable projects and development typologies to support discussion regarding potential costs. Further analysis will be undertaken through the Implementation Strategy which will support development of a Class 4 cost estimate (i.e., based on 10 percent or greater design). Any cost figures used prior to the completion of this due diligence work are for illustrative purposes only.

Given the significant development projected for the Downtown, growth-oriented revenues will be targeted as the primary funding source for Rail Deck Park. Through the Implementation Strategy, staff will analyze cash-in-lieu of parkland dedication ("Section 42") funds, Section 37 benefits, Development Charges as well as other options to support Rail Deck Park. The analysis will also consider partnership funding opportunities including donations and sponsorships and grant funding from other orders of government for capital and long-term programming, operations and maintenance costs.

The Implementation Strategy will be developed with substantial public and stakeholder involvement. In addition to engaging with the rail companies and other parties with property interests in the rail corridor, input will be gathered from local resident associations, Business Improvement Areas, parks users, adjacent landowners and the broader public. The project team will seek out new ideas for the design and operations of Rail Deck Park through workshops, stakeholder and special interest group engagement, town hall forums and other tactics. A key focus will be bringing together the broad range of stakeholders, from potential corporate sponsors, foundations and other philanthropic organizations to design experts and community groups to advance Rail Deck Park as a partnership-based city building project.

Staff will report back to City Council in 2017 with an update and for approval of the proposed Official Plan Amendments and the Rail Deck Park Implementation Strategy.