The project pilots a transit-oriented community model in Thorncliffe Park, a fast-growing neighbourhood in northeast Toronto.

The project proposes flora-lined pathways to stitch together green spaces of Thorncliffe Parks to help the community feel safer reaching different parts of the neighbourhood. Sections of the neighbourhood were also closed to vehicles to create a pedestrian community space where people could enjoy gatherings, cultural events, business vendor spaces, and non-profit events. Additionally, the project utilised green space for pollinator gardens and insect hotels allowing for improved ecology and stormwater quality to reconnect Thorncliffe Park with the Don Valley River. 

On participating in the competition, the team said “Students Reinventing Cities initiative has allowed us to gain real-life experiences in a key neighbourhood in the City of Toronto. Thorncliffe Park is bustling with new development projects and diverse immigrant families while being in an environmentally sensitive area adjacent to the Don Valley River. Through multidisciplinary research and site engagements, we proudly present this planning opportunity to make Thorncliffe Park a green and thriving neighbourhood. The most rewarding part has been the practical experience in Thorncliffe Park that C40 Cities has connected SixPod with.”

The area is undergoing major changes, largely due to the construction of the Ontario Line (OL). This new 15.6km rapid transit line, with interchanges to Lines 1, 2, and 5 of the Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), will connect downtown Toronto to Eglinton  Avenue, going through Thorncliffe Park. As a result, the Thorncliffe Park study site will be significantly transformed from its current employment use and low-density built form to a higher-density transit-oriented form of development, with a future elevated guideway and transit station proposed within the site boundaries. A holistic planning approach is necessary to address land use, built form, servicing capacity, streets and blocks, parks and open spaces, heritage, and environmental considerations. 

Thorncliffe Park is identified as one of 31 Neighbourhood Improvement Areas (NIA) in the city. The Toronto Strong Neighbourhoods Strategy (TSNS) is Toronto’s action plan for increasing equitable opportunities for designated neighbourhoods by building partnerships so they can succeed and thrive. Action items in this report will ensure that equity, adequate affordable housing options, displacement and gentrification are addressed in redevelopment proposals for the area. 

This report, along with the Official Plan, relevant Secondary Plans (Don Mills Crossing) and the City of Toronto's Housing Action Plan, are provided in the Dataroom, and teams should refer to these documents when developing their designs. 

Approx. site area:

• 17 acres in size. 
• The site is generally flat and of sufficient size to consider as a precinct.

Key Information

• The wider neighbourhood is home to a large and diverse immigrant community of newcomer, younger and lower-income families living in mostly high-rise and townhouse developments, with large South Asian representation.

Priority areas & main expectations:

Students should develop a holistic mini-precinct plan that promotes livability, equity and resilience, with a special focus on the following priorities: 

1. Introduce public art and strategies to activate the public realm at prominent locations.

2. Develop a Transport Oriented Community, by connecting the new Thorncliffe Park transit station to the existing neighbourhood by creating a walkable public realm. 

3. Integrate green infrastructure and low-impact development.

• Address land use incompatibility to create an attractive environment that supports the creation of new housing, businesses and jobs. 

The jury panel who evaluated all submitted projects consisted of the following members:

 

• Thomas Schwerdtfeger, Program Manager Transportation Planning | City of Toronto

• Margherita Cosentino, Senior Planner | City of Toronto

• David MacMillan, Manager Public Energy Initiatives | City of Toronto

• Gladys Leung, Senior Advisor, Transit Oriented Communities | Infrastructure Ontario

• Jason Ash, Co-Founder | Friends of Thorncliffe Park

• Karma Lhamo, Manager, Community Development & Special Projects | The Neighbourhood Organization

• Michael O'Neill, Green and Thriving Neighbourhoods Project Manager | C40 Cities