Item - 2023.GG4.22

The General Government Committee recommends that:

1. City Council authorize the City of Toronto to enter into, and the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation in consultation with the General Manager, Transportation Services to execute on behalf of the City, a Construction Management Agreement with Toronto Community Housing Corporation for the construction of the above base park and public realm components of the subject land at 200 Wellesley Street East and 275 Bleecker Street on terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Transportation Services, in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor, and in accordance with City policies applicable to capital projects, including compliance with the City’s fair wage policy and other procurement policies, as well as the City’s Labour Trades Contractual Obligations in the Construction Industry.

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to transfer up to $4.615 million from Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s 2023 Council Approved Capital Budget and 2024-2032 Capital Plan from the St. James Town Open Space Construction (account CPR117-52-39) sub-project in the Park Development project, with funding from the Section 37 community benefits received from 6 - 16 Glen Road, 4 - 100 Howard Street, and 603 - 611 Sherbourne Street (source account: XR3026-3701030), subject to entering into a Construction Management Agreement with Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to fund the City’s cash portion for the construction of above base park and public realm components of the subject land at 200 Wellesley Street East and 275 Bleecker Street.

3. City Council authorize the City of Toronto to enter into a lease agreement with Toronto Community Housing Corporation, to lease the future park for nominal consideration, on terms as generally set out in the Term Sheet attached as Schedule B to the Design Services Agreement authorized by adoption of TE21.62 on December 16, 17 and 18, 2020 and appended to the report  (May 12, 2023) from the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and the General Manager, Transportation Services as Attachment 2.

4. City Council authorize the City of Toronto to transfer funding to Toronto Community Housing Corporation on the condition that Toronto Community Housing Corporation must enter into an acceptable Construction Management Agreement, and that within the Agreement there is included a condition that Toronto Community Housing Corporation should be contractually obligated to enter into a lease with the City before the City advances any funding for the project.

In December 2020, City Council authorized the City of Toronto to enter into a Design Services Funding Agreement with Toronto Community Housing Corporation (TCHC) and to transfer funds for the design of the St. James Town Open Space and Public Realm. The City is now seeking authority to enter into a Construction Management Agreement with TCHC and transfer up to $4.722 million for project construction costs. The construction will be managed by TCHC in coordination with the City and is anticipated to start in 2024 and last until approximately 2027.

The project is located within land owned by TCHC and comprises a large open space, a shared walking/cycling corridor (formerly referred to as Ontario Street South) and the public realm surrounding the TCHC buildings located at 275 Bleecker Street and 200 Wellesley Street East. The open space will become a City park (limits yet to be defined) and a walking/cycling corridor under a lease agreement with TCHC. The term of the lease will commence once construction of the park is complete.

The future park is designed to increase the amount and quality of green space in the St. James Town neighbourhood and will include a playground, water play, a large open lawn and a stage.