Item - 2022.TE32.104

The Toronto and East York Community Council recommend that: 

1. City Council rescind the existing parking machine regulation in effect from 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday at a rate of $3.00 per hour and for a maximum period of three hours, on the east side of Parliament Street, between Carlton Street and Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday September, 13, 2022.

2. City Council rescind the existing parking machine regulation in effect from 9:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Monday to Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., Saturday and 1:00 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Sunday at a rate of $3.00 per hour and for a maximum period of three hours, on the west side of Parliament Street, between Carlton Street and Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

3. City Council rescind the existing stopping prohibition in effect from 7:00 a.m. to 9:00 a.m., Monday to Friday, public holidays excepted, on the west side of Parliament Street, between Carlton Street and Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

4. City Council prohibit stopping at all times on the east side of Parliament Street, between Carlton Street (east leg) and a point 41.9 metres north, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

5. City Council designate a commercial loading zone to be in effect at all times on the east side of Parliament Street, between a point 41.9 metres north of Carlton Street (east leg) and a point 15.2 metres further north, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

6. City Council prohibit stopping at all times on the east side of Parliament Street, between a point 57.1 metres north of Carlton Street (east leg) and a point 49.5 metres south of Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

7. City Council authorize parking for a maximum period of 15 minutes all times on the east side of Parliament Street, between a point 30.5 metres south of Winchester Street and a point 19 metres further south, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

8. City Council prohibit stopping at all times on the west side of Parliament Street, between a point 32.6 metres north of Carlton Street (west leg) and a point 46.5 metres south of Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

9. City Council authorize parking for a maximum period of 15 minutes at all times on the west side of Parliament Street, between a point 30.5 metres south of Winchester Street and a point 16 metres further south, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

10. City Council authorize a 30 km/h maximum speed limit on Parliament Street, between Carlton Street and Winchester Street, from Monday, June 27, 2022 to Wednesday, September, 13, 2022.

11. City Council authorize the appropriate City officials to submit directly to Council at the appropriate time any necessary bills to amend the appropriate City of Toronto Municipal Code Chapters, and any Schedules thereto, to reinstate the traffic and parking regulations to what they were immediately prior to the by-law amendments made in connection with the motion (April 21, 2022).

The following recommendations are set out to support and allow for the below portion of Parliament Street to be transformed into a ten-week outdoor public realm festival. The street will be animated with natural features to completely redesign the space with logs, stones, tree canopy and other natural features.

The goal of this project is to create a safe, natural, and comfortable public realm destination in the Cabbagetown neighbourhood and to foster a high-quality shopping and dining destination to accelerate the economic recovery of the small businesses affected by the pandemic.

The Cabbagetown BIA (CBIA) is the host neighbourhood of this festival and strongly supports this initiative as an important step in helping the local business community redefine itself by establishing a bold new summertime experience. By repurposing existing street parking spots into vibrant, usable park space, the Cabbagetown BIA is supporting the creation of new public spaces for the community and stimulating economic activity in the downtown east.

Designed by Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds, Cabbagetown Naturescape will comprise of five interactive natural parklette islands that will incorporate natural elements into the landscape and add placemaking opportunities, programming spaces and additional seating for residents and businesses.

The Cabbagetown Naturescape project is co-produced by the Cabbagetown BIA and the Office of Councillor Wong-Tam. There have been multiple rounds of local engagement meetings including stakeholder meetings with the BIA members and surveys to assess and manage the needs and expectations of the surrounding businesses and residents to ensure community safety, project targets are achieved.

To date, there have also been multiple rounds of consultation with senior city staff from over ten City of Toronto divisions who have guided and offered key points of insight into the project planning and implementation process and have played a critical role in project discussions from the outset of the design and implementation phase.