Davenport Diamond Design Visuals and Public Open House Meeting

Metrolinx recently unveiled the winning art concept for the Davenport Diamond Guideway. Created by Canadian Artist Alex MacLeod, the mural when complete will be the largest digitally printed image in the world. You can find more more images and information about the artist and design by visiting: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/projectsandprograms/integratedart/artwork/secret-park-gate.aspx.

Metrolinx is also holding a public meeting to share more details about the the new artwork and Davenport Diamond Project on Tuesday March 27, 2018 from 6:30pm-8:30pm at the Casa da Madeira Community Centre (1621 Dupont St).

This new public art is the result of the incredible work done together with residents, organizations and stakeholders and I look forward to continuing this work to ensure our community's vision for a strong public realm and community space is realized!

Metrolinx held their final Community Advisory Council (CAC) Meeting for the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project in November. The CAC is comprised of local stakeholders and has been providing feedback to Metrolinx on the project. At the meeting, Metrolinx presented updates on their Integrated Art and Public Realm Plans, provided a preliminary construction management overview, in addition to receiving feedback and answering questions from CAC members. I encourage you to review the Meeting Presentation, download the Public Realm Plan and look at the Meeting Minutes by going to Metrolinx's Davenport Diamond project website at http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/davenport.aspx. It is anticipated that Metrolinx will be holding a public meeting about the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project in the new year. 

At the latest Davenport Diamond Community Advisory Committee Meeting, Metrolinx presented their Public Realm Plan, Lighting Concept and Integrated Art Strategy as part of their work on advancing detailed design of the project.

You can find the slides from these presentations and other project details on their project website at: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/davenport.aspx

If you would like to share your feedback with Metrolinx on the Public Ream Plan, you can do so via e-mail to [email protected] by 5pm on July 10, 2017.

I am continuing to work with community members and other elected officials to advocate for the community requirements that we established together to ensure that our community benefits from this project. In addition to the new station at Bloor and Lansdowne, we have been making steady progress on many of the other community requirements. I look forward to sharing more information on this as it becomes available.

Metrolinx has indicated that they will be holding another public community consultation meeting this fall. Once I have more details on this meeting, I will be sure to share this with you as well.

Metrolinx is also undertaking the Transit Project Assessment Process (Environmental Assessments) for both the entire Barrie Corridor (click here) and the electrification of the GO Train network (click here) and you can click on the links under each item for more information.

As always, you can view my previous updates on the Davenport Diamond project by clicking here.  

Since Metrolinx first brought forward their Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project, our community has been clear that any proposal must address our community's priorities and concerns. I have continually advocated for community benefits and for the ideas that residents have put forward. As mentioned above, we secured a new GO Station at Bloor and Lansdowne, but there is still work to be done.

At November's City Council meeting, I gained the endorsement and support of Mayor Tory and City Council for our community's concerns and priorities regarding Metrolinx's Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project. This important endorsement is a testament to the effort and hard work residents and community groups have put in to ensuring our voice is heard. The motion adopted at the meeting endorses and requests that Metrolinx address our community's issues related to this project. To view the full motion, please click here. You can review my previous updates on this matter by clicking here.

Earlier this month, the Minster of Environment and Climate Change gave final approval as part of the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) for Metrolinx's Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project. Though the TPAP process has concluded, I will continue advocate to Metrolinx and fight for the community building principles outlined in our community petition and open letter. I will keep you informed with updates to this project as they become available. To view my previous updates on this project please click here.  

As many of you are now aware, I have been working alongside a coalition of 9 different community groups and other elected representatives in advocating for the best possible community outcome from Metrolinx's proposed Davenport Diamond project. On Tuesday it was announced by the Province that a GO Train station at Bloor and Lansdowne on the Barrie GO Line is a part of their new station plans.

This is a strong victory for our community and it wouldn't have been possible if not for the work of many community members who came together and helped to advocate for our community. Thank you to everyone who has engaged on this issue and to the Province for making this announcement. While a station has finally been committed, there is a lot more work to do in order to ensure that our community fully benefits as part of this project.

Through our collective efforts over three weeks in May and June, my office alongside these 9 community groups managed to collect over 2,000 signatures in support of a petition that calls on the Government of Ontario and Metrolinx to:

• develop a comprehensive vision that includes a design competition;
• address noise, vibration, and safety issues and concerns;
• create a multi-modal station at Bloor;
• establish cycling and walking connections throughout including connections to the West Toronto Railpath, the Green Line, and an elevated connection to Earlscourt Park;
• devise a long-term maintenance plan and endowment fund for community programming;
• resolve concerns relating to Dupont St;
• provide the community with a date commitment to electrify the corridor; and
• guarantee that no more than the proposed 36 trains per day will be in use until electric trains are operational on the corridor.

MPP Cristina Martins has read the petition in the Ontario Legislature and added her name to it as well. You can read the petition in full by clicking here.

A new City staff report on the Davenport Diamond has also been released and it contains the following staff recommendation that City Council will be debating and voting on:

That the City continue negotiations with Metrolinx to secure a new multi-modal GO Station at Bloor Street, a Community Improvement Plan for the study mitigation area, a multi-use path and connection south to the West Toronto Railpath, a design solution and mitigation strategy for the rail corridor intersection at Dupont Street, and to participate in the project Community Advisory Committee.

The report can be viewed in full detail here: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2016/ex/bgrd/backgroundfile-94293.pdf

Finally, the 30-day review period as part of the Transit Project Assessment Process is ongoing and is scheduled to be completed on June 27, 2016. As part of this process Metrolinx has released their Environmental Project Report (EPR). The EPR and more information on the 30-day review period can be found on the Metrolinx project website here: http://www.metrolinx.com/en/regionalplanning/rer/davenport.aspx

Once again, thank you to all of the community groups for working with me and so many others in presenting a real and achievable community vision for this project. I truly believe that when our community comes together, we can accomplish so much. I look forward to updating you on our work in the near future.

In late April, Metrolinx hosted a community meeting about the proposed Davenport Diamond Rail Grade Separation project as part of the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP). At the meeting, Metrolinx provided new project data and renderings of the proposed guideway and berm. It was great to see engaged and passionate residents attend the meeting to learn more about the project, to ask questions and provide comments. To view the presentation and materials from the meeting, please click here.

A coalition of nine different community groups have come together and wrote an Open Letter to Metrolinx outlining the issues and concerns that they have with the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation project. Prior to the letter being written, I convened a meeting between them and City staff to discuss this project and to see what issues and concerns are in alignment. The letter articulates a strong and united community voice on this issue and you can read it by clicking here.

Additionally, a petition has been created which is addressed to the Legislative Assembly of Ontario calling for the Province and Metrolinx to meet the requirements of the Davenport community as outlined in the Open Letter. The petition presents a clear community vision for this project. MPP Martins will be reading the petition in the Legislature. Community groups will be collecting petitions across our community over the next few weeks and I encourage you to sign it when you have the opportunity. I also have a copy of the petition at my office that you are able to sign. To view the petition, please click here.

As Metrolinx continues to move forward with this project, I will continue to work with local residents' groups, elected representatives, City staff, and Metrolinx to advocate for our community and to ensure that our community receives the best possible outcome from this project.

The City of Toronto's Design Review Panel met yesterday on April 5, 2016 to discuss the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation Project. This is the first time that this project has been reviewed before the Panel and this initial review was meant to be an information session for the Panel. I have been advised that this project will be before the Panel at least one more time for a more full commentary. Once I have those details I will be sharing them with you.

Unfortunately we were unable to get the meeting recorded on video but my office was able to audio record the meeting and you can listen to that recording by clicking here. You will have to turn up the volume on your computer in order to fully hear the discussion.

The City presented first and went through the general background of the project from the City perspective and some of the City Council decision history. The City then highlighted some land use and urban design considerations for the area impacted by the project. Based on our notes, some of this includes but is not limited to:

• The need for a station at Bloor St W and Lansdowne Ave.
• Some development in the area was not originally intended to be so close to the overpass.
• Restoring Dupont St at grade.
• The need to connect to the West Toronto Railpath.
• Issues of focus for the City are the relationship of the overpass to Bloor St W, Dupont St, and adjacent parks with a need for a larger cycling and parks focus.

Following the City's presentation, Metrolinx presented on the project and gave an overview of their public realm plan and preliminary design strategy. After the presentations, the Panel asked questions of both the City and Metrolinx. At the end of the meeting, the Panel then provided their initial comments on this project. All of this is included in the audio recording. Urban Toronto also wrote about the Panel meeting and you can read it by clicking here. 

To view the slides from Metrolinx's presentation, please click the image below to download the PDF.

The Design Review Panel is comprised of private sector design professionals – architects, landscape architects, urban designers and engineers – who provide independent, objective advice to city staff aimed at improving matters of design that affect the public realm. This includes matters such as preserving the uniqueness of place, maintaining vitality, ensuring comfort and safety, and making new development compatible with its surroundings. The Panel provides advice for both private development and public projects, including advice on new urban design policy. Advice is based on professional judgment, understanding of good design principles, conformance with the Official Plan and other related documents (design guidelines, secondary plans etc.), and the design quality of the subject project.

Design Review Panel meetings are open to the public, however there is no opportunity for members of the public to ask questions or to make a deputation during these meetings. The public nature of the meetings is intended to ensure a transparent process, while also contributing to public education about design of the public realm. To find out more about the Design Review Panel, please click here.

Dear Neighbour,

I would like to inform you that the City of Toronto's Design Review Panel will be reviewing Metrolinx's Davenport Diamond project on Tuesday April 5 at 11am in Committee Room 2 at Toronto City Hall, 100 Queen St W.

The Design Review Panel is comprised of private sector design professionals – architects, landscape architects, urban designers and engineers – who provide independent, objective advice to city staff aimed at improving matters of design that affect the public realm. This includes matters such as preserving the uniqueness of place, maintaining vitality, ensuring comfort and safety, and making new development compatible with its surroundings. The Panel provides advice for both private development and public projects, including advice on new urban design policy. Advice is based on professional judgment, understanding of good design principles, conformance with the Official Plan and other related documents (design guidelines, secondary plans etc.), and the design quality of the subject project.

Design Review Panel meetings are open to the public, however there is no opportunity for members of the public to ask questions or to make a deputation during these meetings. The public nature of the meetings is intended to ensure a transparent process, while also contributing to public education about design of the public realm. To find out more about the Design Review Panel, please click here.

Sincerely,


Ana Bailão
City Councillor
Ward 18, Davenport

Metrolinx has issued Notice of Commencement for the Transit Project Assessment Process (TPAP) on the Davenport Diamond Grade Separation. A TPAP is a six month streamlined environmental assessment process to expedite the development of transit projects. The first four months of this process is when the proponent (Metrolinx) needs to formally consult stakeholders including the public and document those findings in an Environmental Project Report (EPR). To find out more about the TPAP process please click here to read an in-depth guide from the Province of Ontario. 

Metrolinx has organized community drop-in sessions to give residents an opportunity to directly ask questions and to record your feedback as part of the formal record for the project. The drop-in sessions are taking place on Wednesday February 24 from 11am to 1pm at the Perth-Dupont Library (1589 Dupont St), Friday February 26 from 11:30am to 1:30pm at MPP Cristina Martin's Office (1199 Bloor St W), and on Saturday February 27 from 12pm to 2pm at the Perth-Dupont Library (1589 Dupont St). It is also my understanding that they will be organizing a public meeting to discuss this project further. 

The Bloor Improvement Group (BIG) has also organized a meeting for Metrolinx and two different residents groups to present to the community about the work that they are currently doing. There will also be a question and answer session for the benefit of those attending. The meeting is being held on Wednesday March 2 from 6:30pm to 8:30pm at the New Horizons Tower (1140 Bloor St W).

I have been working hard in advocating for the best possible outcome for our community ever since Metrolinx proposed this project back in March 2015. To see my previous updates on this project please click here. I encourage you to participate in this process, to ask any questions that you may have, and to share your thoughts with Metrolinx as part of the TPAP process. You can view the Metrolinx project website by clicking here.