Item - 2019.EC6.17

The Economic and Community Development Committee recommends that:

1.  City Council direct the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration, the General Manager, Shelter, Support and Housing Administration, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, and in consultation with other divisions as needed, as an interdivisional working group, to implement the workplan referenced in Attachment 1 to the report (June 11, 2019) from the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration for the coordinated review of current City of Toronto community uses and facilities in the Downtown West area against the current and projected needs and report to the Economic and Community Development Committee with a comprehensive strategy in the second quarter of 2020.

2.  City Council request the Executive Director Social Development Finance and Administration to establish a working group composed of lead staff from Alexandra Park Community Centre, Cecil Street Community Centre, Scadding Court Community Centre, University Settlement House, and Yonge Street Mission, to work with the interdivisional working group set out in Recommendation 1, to implement the Downtown West Service Review Workplan.

3.  City Council authorize the interdivisional working group to undertake an expedited review of Alexandra Park Community Centre, Cecil Community Centre, Harrison Pool, University Settlement House, and Scadding Court Community Centre, that are identified in this report as the "priority sites" and report back as needed on sites that require capital work, and/or service changes to optimize services.

4.  City Council authorize the Executive Director, Social Development, Finance and Administration to create and administer a migration plan for programs and resources for the programs at Cecil Community Centre to other locations in the catchment in consultation with the local Councillors, stakeholders and the community to accommodate the temporary closure of the facility for required facility upgrades.

This report is in response to direction from the Community Development and Recreation Committee to conduct a review of the City of Toronto community facilities, and identified needs in the Downtown West area. Downtown West is an area that is bounded by Bay Street to the east, College Street to the north, Adelaide Ave West to the south, and Bathurst Street to the west. This area has experienced significant growth and demographic change in recent years which is expected to continue through 2041.

This report outlines a workplan for a coordinated interdivisional response to several directions from Committees and Council for the area. The intent of this work is to address current and future service needs of the area and optimize the utility of existing community facilities and City-owned assets. This interdivisional workplan establishes a framework to jointly align divisional interests and advance priority projects to enhance the utilization and delivery of community services in the Downtown West.