Item - 2024.MM16.7
Tracking Status
- City Council adopted this item on March 20, 2024 with amendments.
MM16.7 - Exploring Innovative Adaptive Reuse of the Scarborough Rapid Transit Elevated Guideway and Assets - by Councillor Jamaal Myers, seconded by Councillor Paul Ainslie
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Amended
- Wards:
- All
City Council Decision
City Council on March 20 and 21, 2024, adopted the following:
1. City Council affirm the goals of 2013.CC39.5 and 2022.MM39.24 to consider the technical and fiscal feasibility of adaptively reusing Line 3 assets that are no longer required to provide bus or train service as part of a new linear park and active transportation corridor.
2. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services, in consultation with the Executive Director, Transit Expansion, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning or their designates, to urgently complete a preliminary assessment of the potential for the adaptive reuse of the right-of-way and station assets which comprised the Scarborough Rapid Transit (Line 3) between Ellesmere Station and McCowan Station, and Kennedy Station to McCowan Station, and report back to City Council by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024; such report shall include information of how the following can be achieved, including resource considerations and identification of feasibility studies that may be needed to explore:
a. opportunities for the development of a new linear park and active transportation corridor leveraging the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit infrastructure, informed by similar projects including the High Line in New York, the Beltline in Atlanta, Cuernavaca’s Railway Linear Park in Mexico City, and the Potrero Yard Modernization Project in San Francisco;
b. high-capacity mobility solutions along the corridor to meet ongoing resident and business needs in partnership with Metrolinx; and
c. commercial and housing development potential along, adjacent, and integrated into the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit corridor, including opportunities to support city-building objectives facilitated by the provision of people and goods movement solutions along the existing corridor;
such report shall also include:
d. an approach for broader engagement and consultation to promote innovation and human centred design excellence, specifically with academia (University of Toronto Scarborough), architecture and design experts via a charette or competitions, and local public engagement; and
e. exploration of funding opportunities, including the Canada Infrastructure Bank.
City Council Decision Advice and Other Information
City Council considered Items MM16.7 and MM16.29 together.
Background Information (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-244156.pdf
(March 14, 2024) Answer from the City Manager Regarding New Linear Park for Scarborough in Review (IA16.1a)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-244425.pdf
Communications (City Council)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178114.pdf
(March 19, 2024) E-mail from Tristan Downe-Dewdney (MM.Supp)
(March 19, 2024) Letter from Michael Longfield, Executive Director, Cycle Toronto (MM.Supp)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178095.pdf
(March 20, 2024) E-mail from Amanda O’Rourke (MM.New)
(March 20, 2024) Letter from Larry Whatmore, President, Scarborough Community Renewal Organization (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178137.pdf
(March 19, 2024) Letter from Rhoda Potter President & Executive, Agincourt Village Community Association (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178138.pdf
(March 18, 2024) Letter from Amanda O’Rourke (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178139.pdf
(March 20, 2024) Letter from Sergio Montero, University of Toronto (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178147.pdf
(March 20, 2024) E-mail from Paty Romero-Lankao, Canada Excellence Research Chair in Sustainability Transitions, Associate Director of Climate Positive Energy, Professor Department of Sociology, University of Toronto Scarborough (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178150.pdf
(March 21, 2024) Letter from Councillor Michael Thompson, Scarborough Centre (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178186.pdf
(March 18, 2024) Letter from John Casola, Chief Investment Officer, Canada Infrastructure Bank (MM.New)
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2024/mm/comm/communicationfile-178188.pdf
Motions (City Council)
Speaker Nunziata advised Council that the provisions of Chapter 27, Council Procedures, require that Motion MM16.7 be referred to the Executive Committee. A two-thirds vote of the Council Members present is required to waive referral.
That City Council amend Recommendation 2, so that it now reads:
2. City Council request the Deputy City Manager, Development and Growth Services in consultation with the Executive Director, Transit Expansion, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning or their designates to urgently complete a preliminary assessment of the potential for the adaptive reuse of the right-of-way and station assets which comprised the Scarborough Rapid Transit (Line 3) between Ellesmere Station and McCowan Station, and Kennedy Station to McCowan Station, and report back to City Council by the end of the fourth quarter of 2024; such report shall include information of how the following can be achieved, including resource considerations and identification of feasibility studies that may be needed to explore:
a. opportunities for the development of a new linear park and active transportation corridor leveraging the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit infrastructure, informed by similar projects including the High Line in New York, the Beltline in Atlanta, Cuernavaca’s Railway Linear Park in Mexico City, and the Potrero Yard Modernization Project in San Francisco;
b. high-capacity mobility solutions along the corridor to meet ongoing resident and business needs in partnership with Metrolinx; and
c. commercial and housing development potential along, adjacent, and integrated into the existing Scarborough Rapid Transit corridor, including opportunities to support city-building objectives facilitated by the provision of people and goods movement solutions along the existing corridor;
such report shall also include:
d. an approach for broader engagement and consultation to promote innovation and human centred design excellence, specifically with academia (University of Toronto Scarborough), architecture and design experts via a charette or competitions, and local public engagement; and,
e. exploration of funding opportunities, including the Canada Infrastructure Bank.