BIRCHCLIFF QUARRY LANDS STUDYPhase 1 Report: Study Area Profile

Urban Development ServicesPaula M. Dill, Commissioner

Table of ContentsStudy Area Profile Summary

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study Overview

Quarry Lands and Study Area Profile

Profile of the Quarry Lands

Land Use and Ownership

Scarborough Official Plan

New Official Plan

Birchcliff Community Zoning By-law

Natural Environment

Past Uses and Environmental Constraints

Quarry Land Profile – Key Considerations

Study Area Profile

Demographic and Housing Profile

Community Profile

Community Services and Facilities Profile

Transportation Profile

Physical Infrastructure Profile

Other Planning Initiatives

Study Area Profile – Key Considerations

Next Steps

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The lands situated on the east side of VictoriaPark Avenue, west of Clonmore Drive, north ofGerrard Street and south of the CN rail line arecommonly referred to as the Quarry Lands. TheQuarry Lands are about 20 hectares (49 acres).Today they are mostly vacant except for a fewcommercial businesses along Gerrard Street. Inthe past a sand and gravel quarry and a municipallandfill operated on the Quarry Lands. As aresult, there are environmental issues.

The City owns the second largest property (6.7hectare) on the Quarry Lands. Apartments havebeen proposed on the largest property (7.5hectares) on the Quarry Lands since the late1960s.

Council initiated a land use study to develop aframework for planning a new neighbourhood onthe Quarry Lands in the context of the policiesand directions of the new Official Plan. TheQuarry Lands are designated Mixed Use Areas inthe new Official Plan, where a broad range of res-idential, commercial, institutional and parks andopen space uses are permitted.

The land use study begins the process of integrat-ing the Quarry Lands into the broader communi-ty: for considering the range of the uses that areappropriate, as well as the infrastructure, streets,parks and local services that exist and that may beneeded to support new development and to con-nect the new neighbourhood with the surroundingfabric of the City. The study includes three phas-es; a study area profile, a vision for the QuarryLands and an implementation strategy.

Study AreaThe Quarry Lands are the focus of the study. Alarger study area was established to provide anunderstanding of the broader community. Thelarger study area extends from Main Street in thewest to Birchmount Road in the east, DanforthAvenue to the north and Kingston Road to thesouth. The study area profile examines theQuarry Lands and the larger study area: the exist-ing uses, ownership, natural features, environmen-tal conditions, and policy framework for theQuarry Lands and the community services andfacilities, roads, transit, and other services avail-able within the surrounding neighbourhoods.

Key FindingsThe profile of the Quarry Lands and the largerstudy area presents a number of key findings forconsideration in later phases of the study.

The Mixed Use Areas designation in the newOfficial Plan provides an opportunity to con-sider a wide range of uses on the QuarryLands.

The 1968 Zoning By-law permits 1455 resi-dential units on the largest property within thearea.

The influence of the apartment developmenton the rest of the Quarry Lands and the adja-cent neighbourhoods needs to be explored.

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Study Area Profile Summary

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The City is a large landowner within the area,with lands designated Mixed Use Areas andlands designated Park and Open SpacesAreas. This presents an opportunity toachieve larger City objectives on the lands.

There are environmental constraints on theQuarry Lands which may affect the range anddistribution of land uses considered appropri-ate.

Information is known about the environmen-tal constraints on the apartment site. Morecomplete environmental information is need-ed for the larger area, especially for the Citylands.

A community services and facilities strategyis needed to identify service gaps, to establishpriorities, and to determine if improvementsor changes are needed to community servicesand facilities to meet community needs.

An assessment of the capacity of the road net-work is needed to identify existing deficien-cies and to determine the impacts of futuredevelopment.

Next StepsThe Study Area Profile will inform the work inlater phases of the study. Phase 2 of the studyprocess is the development of guiding principlesand a vision for the future development of theQuarry Lands. Concept plans will be preparedthat reflect the vision and development principles.Phase 2 of the study will be conducted in consul-tation with landowners, community associations,residents and other stakeholders. A workinggroup of landowners, community representatives,Ward Councillors and City staff will guide thevisioning exercise. Larger community meetingswill be held to ensure that the broader communityhas an opportunity for input into the study.

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The Birchcliff Quarry Lands (Quarry Lands),about 20 hectares (49 acres), are situated in theBirchcliff Community, on the north side ofGerrard Street, south of the CN rail line, east ofVictoria Park Avenue and west of Clonmore Drive(figure 1). In the past a sand and gravel quarryand a municipal landfill operated on the QuarryLands. Other industrial uses may have also oper-ated on the Lands. As a result of the past uses,there are environmental issues on the QuarryLands.

Today, most of the Quarry Lands are vacant,except for a few commercial establishments alongGerrard Street. There are no residential uses onthe lands. However, since the 1960’s an apart-ment development has been proposed on the east-ern portion of the lands but has not been built(Gerrard/Clonmore apartment site). The Cityowns a 6.7 hectare (16.7 acre) property within theQuarry Lands. Surrounding the Quarry Lands,neighbourhoods have developed, matured and arenow well established with a variety of residentialuses, parks, schools, institutions, and businesses.

City Council initiated a land use study of theQuarry Lands in September 2003. In March2005, Council endorsed an approach for the landuse study that involved examining the futuredevelopment of the Quarry Lands in the contextof the City’s new Official Plan adopted byCouncil in November 2002. The BirchcliffQuarry Lands Study begins the process of inte-grating the lands into the broader community.

Council also directed that staff report to the April

2005 meeting of the Planning and TransportationCommittee with the Phase 1 background reportfor the Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study. Thisreport presents Phase 1 of the study whichincludes an overview of the study and a StudyArea Profile. The Study Area Profile will informthe work in later phases of the study.

Study Purpose and ObjectivesThe purpose of the study is to provide a frame-work for planning a new neighbourhood on theQuarry Lands: for considering the range of theuses that are appropriate, as well as the infrastruc-ture, streets, parks and local services that existand that may be needed to support new develop-ment and to connect the new neighbourhood withthe surrounding fabric of the City. The study con-siders the future development of the Quarry Landsin a comprehensive fashion.

The main objectives of the study are to:

Develop a consultation process that engagesthe landowners, residents, and other stake-holders in identifying a vision for the futureuse of the Quarry Lands and principles forfuture development.

Identify options for the future development ofthe Quarry Lands that are consistent with thedirections and policies of the new OfficialPlan.

Prepare concept plan(s) for the future use ofthe Quarry Lands.

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Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study Overview

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Oakridge Jr.Public School

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Scotia ParketteScotia Parkette

Hollis/KalmarHollis/KalmarParkPark

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KenworthyKenworthyParkPark

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Toronto Hunt Club Golf Course

ParketteParketteGolf ClubGolf ClubParketteGolf Club

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Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Location Map

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Figure 1

identify options for the implementation of theconcept plan(s) over the longer term.

Study AreaThe study will focus on the Quarry Lands situatedin the former City of Scarborough. The largerstudy area extends from Main Street in the west toBirchmount Road in the east, Danforth Avenue tothe north and Kingston Road to the south. Thelarger study area includes neighbourhoods on thewest side of Victoria Park Avenue in the formerCity of Toronto and Borough of East York. Thelarger study area will give a broader understand-ing of the neighbourhoods surrounding the QuarryLands and the existing facilities and services inthe area. This information will assist in determin-ing if infrastructure improvements, or additionalfacilities and services are needed to support futuredevelopment of the Quarry Lands.

Study ProcessThe Study is conducted in three phases:

Phase 1: Study Area ProfileThis phase provides an overview and analysis ofexisting conditions within the study area includ-ing: land uses, housing, population, environment,infrastructure, transit, roads and community serv-ices and facilities. This information will guidethe work in later phases of the study. The Phase 1report also identifies information gaps that mayrequire additional investigation.

Phase 2: Vision for the Quarry LandsIn consultation with landowners, community asso-ciations, residents and other stakeholders, guidingprinciples and a vision for the future developmentof the Quarry Lands will be developed. Conceptplans will be prepared that reflect this vision. Aworking group of landowners, community repre-sentatives, Ward Councillors and City staff willguide the visioning exercise. Larger communitymeetings will be held to ensure that the broadercommunity has an opportunity for input into thestudy.

Other stakeholders will be invited to participate inthe consultation process. Stakeholders that mayhave an interest include: community agencies andservice providers, the Toronto District SchoolBoard (TDSB), the Toronto Catholic DistrictSchool Board (TCDSB), CN Rail, GO Transit, theToronto Transit Commission (TTC), the Torontoand Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) andthe Ministry of the Environment (MOE).

Phase 3: Implementation PlanBased on the results of the Phase 2 visioningexercise, implementation strategies for the futuredevelopment of the Quarry Lands will beexplored. This will include a process for thereview of concept plans as new information aboutthe environmental condition of the area becomesavailable.

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Past Uses and EnvironmentalIssuesThe past uses of the Quarry Lands are constraintsto the future development of the area. There isinformation on the extent of contamination andthe remedial measures required to support devel-opment on the apartment site. Information about the environmental condition of the City propertywithin the Quarry Lands is needed. An approachfor the further examination of the environmentalissues will be outlined in a separate report toCouncil in Spring 2005. Directions provided byCouncil with respect to these matters will beaddressed in later phases of the study.

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The profile includes two main components: anexamination of the Quarry Lands, and an exami-nation of the larger study area.

The Quarry Lands are the focus of the land usestudy. The existing uses, ownership, natural fea-tures, environmental conditions, and the policyframework are key factors for planning the futuredevelopment of the Quarry Lands. A detailedexamination of the Quarry Lands will assist inidentifying opportunities and constraints to devel-opment presented by these factors.

The Quarry Lands are situated within a built uparea of the City. Understanding the communitycontext will assist in identifying the range of usesthat are appropriate and where changes orimprovements to services and facilities will berequired to support new development and meetcommunity needs.

Profile of the Quarry LandsLand Use and Ownership

The Quarry Lands comprise about 20 hectares (49acres). There are ten properties on the QuarryLands. The largest property is the Gerrard/Clonmore site which has been the subject of pre-vious applications for apartment development.The Gerrard/Clonmore apartment site is approxi-mately 7.5 hectares (18.5 acres) and is situated onthe eastern side of the Quarry Lands. The Cityowns the second largest property in the area,about 6.7 hectares (16.7 acres). The other eightproperties total approximately 6 hectares (15acres) (figure 2).

About 16 hectares (40 acres) of the Quarry Landsare vacant. There are commercial uses includingtwo plazas, three service stations, a car wash anda fast food restaurant. A portion of the Cityowned property is leased for a driving range. TheCN Rail main line that extends along the northernboundary of the Quarry Lands carries a high levelof rail traffic including commuter, passenger,freight and switcher trains. CN Rail reviews pro-posals for development along and near its mainlines to ensure that issues with respect to noiseand vibration as well as setbacks from CN Railproperty are adequately addressed. Developmentconcepts prepared during Phase 2 of the studywill be reviewed in consultation with CN Rail.

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Quarry Lands and Study Area Profile

Quarry Plaza

GO train along CN rail line

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(1.1 ac)

(0.41 ac)0.09ha(0.23ac)

2.46ha (6.09ac) 0.89ha (2.20 ac)

7.47 ha (18.46 ac)

(0.79 ac)

(0.97 ac)

0.82 ha (2.03 ac)

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Total Area: 20 hectares (49 acres)

Data Source: Assessment Database, 2003 - 2nd Quarter

Property Boundaries

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Land Use & Ownership Map

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Figure 2

Scarborough Official PlanThe land use designations in the ScarboroughOfficial Plan generally separate residential andcommercial areas on the Quarry Lands (figure 3).Most of the vacant properties within the QuarryLands are designated for High DensityResidential uses. This designation provides fortownhouses and apartments to a maximum densi-ty of 150 units per hectare (60 units per acre).The High Density Residential designation isintended to encourage residential concentrationsin locations where there is a high level of accessi-bility to commercial uses, transit facilities, com-munity facilities, employment centres and directaccessibility to major roads. Safe and convenientaccess to schools, parks and other neighbourhoodfacilities is promoted in the planning for high den-sity residential uses

The gas stations and car wash along GerrardStreet are designated for Highway Commercialuses. Highway commercial uses are generallyintended to serve the traveling public and includeuses such as; services stations, restaurants andmotels. There is one Residential Commercialdesignation along Gerrard Street that provides formixed uses: retail stores on the ground floor ofhigh-rise apartments.

There is a Neighbourhood Park designation on aportion of the Quarry Lands. Parks are intendedfor active and passive recreational activities tomeet the needs of local neighbourhoods and com-munities. The Birchcliff Secondary Plan includesspecific requirements for parks in association with

the High Density Residential designations on theQuarry Lands. An overall parkland requirementof 1 hectare per 1000 persons applies. Some ofthis parkland is required for NeighbourhoodParks, some for District or Community parks anda portion must be provided on the apartment sites.

There are two Waste Disposal sites identified inthe Official Plan on the Quarry Lands. Prior toapproval, development proposals on or near thesesites are reviewed to ensure that the developmentcan safely take place. Studies to determinemethane gas generation, leachate or other contam-inants, soils and hydrogeology and outliningappropriate mitigation measure are required to besubmitted by proponents of development to thesatisfaction of the City and in consultation withthe Ministry of the Environment.

The lands along the south side of the rail line aredesignated Special Study Area. This SpecialStudy Area is associated with the formerScarborough Transportation Corridor (STC). TheSTC was intended to provide for the extension ofthe Gardiner Expressway through southernScarborough to connect to Highway 401. Theexpressway would have crossed the QuarryLands. Land use studies for portions of the for-mer STC have been ongoing since 1996. Some ofthese studies have been completed. The land usestudy proposed for this section of the STC has notbeen initiated.

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Figure 3

New Official Plan

In November 2002 Council adopted the newOfficial Plan for the City of Toronto. TheMinister of Municipal Affairs and Housingapproved the new Plan, in part, with modifica-tions. The Minister’s decision has been appealedto the Ontario Municipal Board (OMB) in itsentirety. The Official Plan is now before theOMB and pre-hearing conferences are takingplace. The OMB has scheduled the commence-ment of the hearing for June 13, 2005. The statusof the hearings for the new Official Plan will bereported through the later phases of the study.

Building a successful City requires that newneighbourhoods be carefully integrated into theexisting fabric of the City. They must also func-tion as communities not just housing.

In the new Official Plan most of the Quarry Landsare designated Mixed Use Areas with a Parks andOpen Space Areas designation in the center of thearea (figure 4). The Mixed Use Areas designationprovides for a broad range of commercial, resi-dential, institutional and parks and open spaceuses. They are intended to achieve multiple plan-ning objectives by developing as places wherepeople can live, work, and play.

The Parks and Open Spaces Areas are generallyintended for recreational and cultural activitiesand facilities. Parks and open spaces are essentialelements of the City’s green space system. As theCity grows and changes, the parks and open spacesystem will need to expand. In assessing new

development, the amount of local parkland is con-sidered in accordance with a number of factorssuch as; the amount of existing parkland, parklandcharacteristics and quality, natural features, popu-lation change, demographic and social character-istics, anticipated development and urban form.The policies stipulate that no City-owned lands inParks and Open Space areas will be disposed of.

Mixed Use Areas are intended to be growth areas.However, not all Mixed Use Areas will experi-ence the same scale or intensity of development.For example, the Mixed Use Areas within theDowntown and in the Centres are areas where theintensity of development will be higher than inother Mixed Use Areas such as the Quarry Lands.

The Quarry Lands cannot be considered in isola-tion. They are a part of a larger Mixed Use Areasdesignation that extends west of Victoria ParkAvenue north to Danforth Avenue. For instance,the large format Loblaws located west of VictoriaPark Avenue opposite the Quarry Lands, and themix of residential, commercial, and employmentuses along Danforth Avenue are within this largerMixed Use Areas designation.

There are established residential neighbourhoodsnear the Quarry Lands that are developed predom-inantly with single and semi-detached houses andtownhouses. These areas north of the CN railline, and east and south of the Quarry Lands aredesignated Neighbourhoods in the new OfficialPlan. The policies of the Neighbourhoods desig-nation are intended to reinforce the existing physi-cal character of these areas. Change within

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Figure 4

Neighbourhoods must be sensitive, gradual andgenerally fit the existing physical character.

Criteria for development within Mixed Use Areasare included in the Official Plan that address theinterface between Mixed Use Areas andNeighbourhoods.

The new Official Plan provides that in Mixed UseAreas development will:

create a balance of high quality commercial,residential, institutional and open space usesthat reduces automobile dependency andmeets the needs of the local community;

provide new jobs and homes for Toronto’sgrowing population on underutilized lands inDowntown, the Central Waterfront, Centres,Avenues and other lands designated MixedUse Areas and create and sustain well-paid,stable, safe and fulfilling employment oppor-tunities for all Torontonians;

locate and mass new buildings to provide atransition between areas of different develop-ment intensity and scale, particularly provid-ing setbacks from and stepping down ofheights towards lower scale Neighbourhoods;

locate and mass new buildings to minimizeshadow impacts on adjacent Neighbourhoodsduring the spring and fall equinox;

locate and mass new buildings to frame edgesof streets and parks with good proportion andmaintain sunlight and comfortable wind con-ditions for pedestrians on adjacent streets,parks and open spaces;

provide an attractive, comfortable and safepedestrian environment;

have access to schools, parks, communityservices, libraries and child care;

take advantage of nearby transit services;

provide good site access and circulation andan adequate supply of parking for residentsand visitors;

locate and screen service areas, ramps andgarbage storage to minimize the impact onadjacent streets and residences; and

provide indoor and outdoor recreation spacefor building residents.

The above criteria will provide guidance forpreparing a comprehensive framework for thefuture development of the Quarry Lands includ-ing: the range of uses that are considered appro-priate, the general pattern of development that isdesired, potential street layouts, and the parks andopen space areas in keeping with the broader Cityobjectives and within the local context.

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Birchcliff Community Zoning By-law

The current zoning permits a variety of uses onthe Quarry Lands (figure 5). Some of the existingcommercial establishments, as well as vacantlands along the rail line, are zoned forCommunity Commercial uses. There is an areazoned Park abutting the west side of the Gerrard/Clonmore apartment site. A large area on thewestern half of the Quarry Lands, including landowned by the City is zoned Agriculture Holding.The driving range, a service station and a carwash are within this area. Also, the Zoning By-law permits industrial uses in the AgricultureHolding Zone.

The Zoning By-law for the Gerrard/Clonmoreapartment site, which was passed in 1968,includes performance standards for the permittedapartment uses that are very precise with respectto the development form (figure 6). The By-lawincludes provisions on how to calculate the maxi-mum number of units based on the area of thesite. A maximum of 1455 units are permitted. Itestablishes the size of the units and includes pro-visions to determine the mix of one, two and threebedroom units. The By-law also establishes thelocation of a proposed new road, and includes set-backs from the new road, existing roads and prop-erty boundaries for buildings. The zoningrequires that one of the apartment blocks (A-104)be used only for landscaping. The setbacks pro-vide little flexibility with respect to the location ofthe buildings on the site or the form of the devel-opment. As a result, the current Zoning By-lawlimits the ability to change the form of the devel-

opment while still achieving the overall apartmentpermissions established by the By-law.

Natural EnvironmentNatural Heritage Assessment

An inventory of the vegetation communities andspecies on the Quarry Lands was undertaken in2000 by the TRCA as a component of the City’sNatural Heritage Study background report for thenew Official Plan. Using this information, theTRCA prepared a report on the area entitled“Gerrard Prairie - Biological Inventory andAssessment” in January of 2004. This reportincludes an assessment of the undeveloped areasof the Quarry lands.

The TRCA used their Terrestrial Natural HeritageApproach for the assessment. This approachscores and ranks biodiversity at three levels ofdetail; landscape, vegetation community andspecies levels. At the landscape level, patches ofnatural cover are evaluated based on spatial char-acteristics such as size and shape. Vegetationcommunities and species are evaluated accordingto criteria related to abundance and sensitivity.

Landscape patches, vegetation communities andspecies are then ranked according to their level ofconservation concern (value). The ranking sys-tem ranges from L1 to L5. A rank of L1 is thehighest local rank and L5 the lowest local rank.A rank of L1 to L3 indicates that there is a con-servation concern within the TRCA jurisdiction.A ranking of L4 indicates a concern within theurban context. For example, a species with an L4

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Figure 5

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Schedule 'A' to the Birchcliff Community Bylaw 8786

as Amended by Bylaw 13310

(Passed by Council - September 9, 1968)

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Figure 6

rank on the Quarry Lands would be considered aspecies of conservation concern, whereas aspecies with an L4 ranking outside of the urbanarea may not be considered of conservation con-cern. An L5 ranking generally indicates that thereis no conservation concern.

Vegetation Communities and Species onthe Quarry Lands

The Quarry Lands have a varied topography andmost of the undeveloped areas are covered bymeadow and thicket vegetation communities (fig-ure 7). The lands are located on a former sandand gravel bar that was a sand spit at the mouth ofthe bay of former Lake Iroquois. The soils heresupported a drier environment than normal for theToronto area and this enabled oak woodland andprairie species to become established. Remnantsof these vegetation communities are found alongthe northern and eastern edges of the QuarryLands.

These remnant vegetation communities have Lrankings of conservation concern:

a patch of Dry Tallgrass Prairie (L1) adjacentto the rail line

a patch of White Oak Cultural Savannah (L2)on the southeast portion of the site

two patches of Dry-Fresh Oak DeciduousForest (L2) with red oak and a mix of red andwhite oak along the north and east boundariesof the lands

There were two species of concern associatedwith these vegetation communities:

a White Oak (L3) at the eastern edge of thelands

Big Bluestem Grass (L4) adjacent to the railline

There are 14 other species of concern along thenorthern and eastern boundaries of the QuarryLands with rankings of L3 and L4. These speciesare not unique to the vegetation communities onthe Quarry Lands and can be found in dry uplandforests on the Oak Ridges Moraine as well asLake Iroquois sand plains.

There is a wetland area on the southern portion ofthe Quarry Lands associated with the former quar-ry operations. It consists of cattail and commonreed marsh vegetation communities with willowmineral thicket swamp areas along the fringe.

Vegetation on the Quarry Lands

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C.N.R.C.N.R.C.N.R.

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Victoria P

ark Ave

Victoria P

ark Ave

Victoria P

ark Ave

White oak

White oak

Eastern bracken

Eastern bracken Eastern bracken

Sky-blue aster

Big bluestem

Beaked hazel

Beaked hazel

Eastern snowberry

Pennsylvania sedge

Fire-weed

Downy arrow-wood

Round-leaved dogwood

Maple-leaved viburnum

Witch-hazel

(one poplar forest patch)

18

Figure 7

The marsh and swamp vegetation communitiesand the species that predominate within this wet-land area do not have L ranks of conservationconcern.

The Quarry Lands contribute to the natural coverin the City. They also provide a staging area formigrating birds as the site is a stepping stonebetween the lakeshore to the south and the ravinesystem of Taylor Creek to the northwest. Theprairie, and oak/savannah vegetation communitieson the site are remnant features. As a result, theoverall score on the landscape analysis for thisarea is low. There are vegetation communitiesand flora species of concern as well as a sizeablewetland on the lands. These are noteworthy andcontribute to a higher habitat quality than mightotherwise be the case by landscape measuresalone.

The Quarry Lands are not identified within thenatural heritage system in the new Official Plan.One of the oak forest areas is situated on landowned by the City, and the patch of tall grassprairie is situated on the land owned by CN Rail.Ten species of conservation concern are locatedon lands owned by the City or CN Rail. A patchof oak savannah, an oak forest patch and sixspecies of concern are situated on the privatelyowned property that includes the apartment site.The wetland area is situated on the apartment siteand is not identified as a vegetation community ofconservation concern. Issues with respect to thenatural heritage features on the site will beexplored further in later phases of the study.

Past Uses and Environmental Constraints

Gerrard/Clonmore Apartment SiteThere is information about the nature and extentof contaminants on the Gerrard/Clonmore apart-ment site and the possible remedial measures thatare needed prior to development.

In 1991, an environmental review was commis-sioned by the former City of Scarborough for theproposed apartment development. The environ-mental review was undertaken at the direction ofthe Minister of the Environment, who in 1990required the review after considering a petition tohave the lands designated for an EnvironmentalAssessment under the Environmental AssessmentAct. The Minister declined to designate the site,but required the City of Scarborough to retain aconsultant to undertake a review of the proposeddevelopment and report on the waste situation.

The City retained McLaren Engineering to under-take the review and it was completed in 1992.The McLaren report was reviewed by theMinistry of the Environment (MOE), which askedfor additional information. The consultant under-took further investigations on the site in responseto MOE requests for additional information overthe following three years. In 1995, the Cityinformed both the MOE and the landowner thatthe City had met its obligations under the terms ofthe 1990 Minister’s Order and it was up to theproponent to obtain a final approval from theMinistry. As a result of these past environmentalinvestigations, there is more information about theenvironmental condition of the apartment site

19

than on the remaining area of the Quarry Lands.

There have also been studies of the environmentalconditions of the apartment site undertaken by theproperty owner which have been submitted to theMOE: Landfill Gas Control Report for theProposed Development prepared by Dames &Moore, Canada in 1996, and Risk Assessment forthe Proposed Development of the Gerrard StreetEast and Clonmore Drive Landfill Site preparedby SNC, Lavalin Engineers & Constructors Inc.in 2000. The information included in thesereports is more recent than the McLaren Reportand may also be of assistance in undertaking theland use study. The use of the information fromthese reports will be pursued in consultation withthe landowner.

City Land and Other Properties The nature and extent of past uses on the Citylands and the impacts of these uses have not beeninvestigated. To undertake environmental investi-gations on the City lands expert consultantswould need to be hired by the City.

In addition to the Gerrard/Clonmore apartmentsite, there are eight other privately owned proper-ties on the Quarry Lands. These property ownerswill be approached to determine whether theywould have an interest in participating in under-taking an environmental review on their proper-ties in concert with the City.

A separate report on these matters will be present-ed for the consideration of Council in Spring2005. The report will include a review of theCity lands in the context of existing Provincialenvironmental legislation and regulations, thenature of the environmental investigations that areneeded on the City lands, the expertise that isrequired to undertake these investigations and theassociated costs. The report will also exploreopportunities to work with other landowners inthe area to undertake an environmental review ontheir lands in concert with the City and to exploreopportunities for cost-sharing in this review.

A study of the broader area would provide a morecomplete understanding of the environmental con-ditions, and assist in identifying associated con-straints to development. This would assist in thepreparation of concept plans in Phase 2 of thestudy. Directions provided by Council withrespect to these matters will be addressed in laterphases of the study.

UARRYlandsQ

20

The profile of the Quarry Lands presents a num-ber of issues for consideration in later phases ofthe land use study. These include:

The new Official Plan provides an opportuni-ty to consider a wider range of uses on theQuarry Lands than does the ScarboroughOfficial Plan.

The 1968 Zoning By-law permits 1455 resi-dential units on the largest property within thearea.

There are existing commercial uses on theQuarry Lands. These sites present opportuni-ties for redevelopment in the context of theMixed Use Areas designation in the newOfficial Plan.

The Quarry Lands are within a mature urbanarea and there are several property ownerswithin the Quarry Lands. As a result, thereare multiple interests in the future develop-ment of the Quarry Lands.

The City is a large landowner within the area,with lands designated Mixed Use Areas andlands designated Park and Open SpacesAreas. This presents an opportunity toachieve larger City objectives on the lands.

There are environmental constraints on theQuarry Lands which may affect the range anddistribution of future land uses consideredappropriate in the area.

More information is known about the envi-ronmental constraints on the apartment sitethan on other lands. More complete environ-mental information is needed for the largerarea, especially for the City lands.

There are established neighbourhoods of sin-gle and semi-detached housing adjacent to thesite which is zoned for high-rise apartments.The relationship of development on this siteto the rest of the Quarry Lands and to theadjacent neighbourhoods needs to be exploredfurther.

There are some vegetation communities andspecies on the northern and eastern edges ofthe Quarry Lands that are considered impor-tant from a conservation perspective. Someare located on City lands, and others on landsowned by Gerrard/Clonmore and CN Rail.

21

Q U A R R Y L A N D S

Quarry Lands Profile - Key Considerations

Demographic and Housing Profile

Statistics Canada Census data is used to describepopulation and housing in the study area and howthis compares to the City as a whole. This infor-mation is used to assist in planning for servicesand facilities to meet the needs of the community.Census data was gathered for all of the Censustracts within the study area. Detailed demograph-ic and housing summary tables for the study areaare included in Appendix 1.

Population

in 2001, there were 14,978 people living inthe study area.

between 1996 and 2001, the study area expe-rienced a growth rate of 2.7%. This is lessthan the City growth rate of 4%.

Age Distribution:

in 2001, the age distribution in the study areawas similar to the City overall in most agecategories.

in the study area there was a higher propor-tion of adults (35-44) and a lower proportionof children and adults ages (15-24) and (25-34).

between 1996 and 2001 the trends in popula-tion change in the study area and in the Cityare similar. However, there were differencesbetween the study area and the City in the

degree of change in some age groups.

in the study area there was a much largerdecrease (about 20%) in the percentage ofyoung children (0-4) and adults (25-34) thanin the City which saw a decline of about 8%in each of these age groups.

the study area experienced a larger increase inthe percentage of older adults (45 to 65+)than the City overall.

Q U A R R Y L A N D S

Study Area Profile

Population by Age Group, 2001

Percent Change in Population by Age Group, 1996-2001

22

Immigration:

the study area is different than the City over-all with respect to immigrant population.

the immigrant population represents a smallerproportion (22.9%) of the population in thestudy area than it does in the City overall(49.4%).

the majority of the immigrant population(62.5 %) within the study area immigratedbefore 1980, whereas in the City the majorityof the immigrant population (62.5%) immi-grated after 1980.

recent immigrants (people who immigrated inthe 5 years preceding the Census) account foronly 3% of the population within the studyarea compared with the City where recentimmigrants account for 21% of the popula-tion.

the majority of the immigrant population inthe study area immigrated from the UnitedKingdom and the majority of the recent immi-grant population within the study area immi-grated from the Philippines.

Birchcliff Quarry Lan f Toronto

Immigrant Population by Period of Immigration, 2001

Immigrants, 2001

23

Families:

families in the study area are generally similarin composition to those in the City overall,with the highest proportion of families having1 child.

Dwelling Type and Tenure:

there were 6,280 occupied private dwellingsin the study area in 2001.

in 2001, about 48% of the dwelling unitswithin the study area were single detachedhouses which is higher than the proportion inthe City overall which is about 32%.

in 2001, about 11% of the dwellings units inthe study area were in apartment buildings offive or more storeys compared with 37% inthe City overall.

housing stock within the study area is quiteold with almost half (47.3%) constructedbefore 1946.

there is a higher percentage of ownership ofoccupied private dwellings in the study area(67.3%) than in the City (50.7%).

UARRYlandsQ

Families by Type, 2001

Families by Number of Children, 2001

Occupied Private Dwelling by Structure Type, 2001

24

Households

there were 6,285 households in the study areain 2001.

in 2001, there was a slightly higher proportionof 1 person households and non-family house-holds in the study area than in the City over-all.

Occupied Private Dwellings by Period of Construction, 2001

Tenure Type, 2001 Private Households by Size, 2001

Private Households by Type, 2001

25

Mobility

the proportion of movers and non-moverswithin the study area was similar to the Cityoverall in the one year period prior to 2001.However, over a five year period a smallerproportion (39.7%) of the study area residentsmoved compared with the proportion ofmovers in the City overall (45.5%).

Income

the average family income in the study area in2000 was $76,460, slightly higher than theCity average of $76, 082. Average householdincome was slightly lower in the study area.

the percentage of tenant households spendingover 30% of the household income on shelterwas lower in the study area (11%) than in theCity overall (21%).

UARRYlandsQ

Average Income, 2000

Percent of all Household Spending Over 30% of HouseholdIncome on Shelter Costs, 2000

26

Community Profile

One of the most distinctive qualities of the City isthe diversity of its neighbourhoods. The QuarryLands are in a mature diverse urban area. Thereis more than one neighbourhood in the study area.To better understand the character of the area: theland uses, the development pattern, and the com-munity services and facilities were examined inmore detail. The study area was divided intothree ‘neighbourhoods’ for this purpose:

Neighbourhood ‘A’:Victoria Park Avenue to Warden Avenue.

Neighbourhood ‘B’:Main Street to Victoria Park Avenue

Neighbourhood ‘C’:Warden Avenue to Birchmount Avenue

The major streets running north and south throughthe study area were used as the boundariesbetween neighbourhood areas. Although the CNrail line extends in an east west direction acrossthe study area, the neighbourhoods were config-ured to ensure that shopping, employment andresidential areas were included in each. Localresidents may perceive the boundaries differentlyand their neighbourhoods may extend beyond thestudy area.

Neighbourhood ‘A’Characteristics

This area is bounded by Victoria Park on thewest, Warden Avenue on the east, DanforthAvenue to the north and Kingston Road to thesouth (figure 8). The Quarry Lands are situated inthis neighbourhood. This is a well-establishedneighbourhood developed mostly with singledetached houses. There are single detached hous-es adjacent to the east of the apartment site on theQuarry Lands.

There are three apartment developments in thisarea with buildings over five storeys. One is onthe north side of the Danforth Avenue and the oth-ers are at Kingston Road and Victoria ParkAvenue.

Most of the commercial activity within this neigh-bourhood is along Danforth Avenue in smallstores. There are clusters of commercial estab-

Houses on Clonmore Drive adjacent to east of Quarry Lands

27

lishments along Kingston Road, and on theQuarry Lands. There are a number of auto relatedbusinesses in these areas.

The area north of the CN rail line to DanforthAvenue contains a mix of commercial, industrialand low density residential uses.

Council adopted a Community Improvement Planin 2003 for Danforth Avenue to promote revital-ization of this commercial area. An Avenue Studyfor Danforth Avenue through this neighbourhoodis underway that will establish zoning standardsand urban design guidelines. A revitalizationstudy of the commercial areas along KingstonRoad has also been initiated.

There are relatively few community services andfacilities in this neighbourhood. There is one ele-mentary school (Blantyre Public School) and twoneighbourhood parks; the Blantyre Park (2.5hectares) south of the Quarry Lands, andOakridge Park (1.8 hectares) north of the rail line. Oakridge Park is owned by the Toronto District

School Board and is leased by the City. There isundeveloped parkland on the Quarry Lands and asmall parkette at the east end of Ferncroft Drive.Other community services include TaylorMemorial library on the corner of Warden Avenueand Kingston Road, an indoor bocce court onThora Avenue and a City Childcare Servicesoffice in the plaza on the Quarry Lands. Also,there are six Places of Worship within this neigh-bourhood.

Recent Development ActivityDevelopment applications in the area consistmostly of minor variances applications to the zon-ing by-law for renovations and additions to hous-es. There is one large development; a long termcare facility under construction on DanforthAvenue near Warden Avenue. This facility willprovide 203 long term care beds.

UARRYlandsQ

Kingston Road at Fallingbrook Road

Blantyre Public School

28

Victoria Park

PARKER AVE

KENNY AVE

CLONMORE DR

IONSON BLVD

RE

D D

EE

R A

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CO

RN

EL

L A

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DODGE RD

LYNN RD

EAST RD

CO

RN

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L A

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TIL

BU

RN

PL

COALPORT DR

QU

EE

NS

BU

RY

AV

E

AU

DR

EY

AV

E

NORTH DR

LINTON AVE

WO

OD

LA

ND

PA

RK

RD

WINSTON CHURCHILL DR

PARKLAND RD

AVE

HA

IG A

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FE

RN

CR

OF

T D

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HU

NT

CL

UB

DR

BRIAR DALE BLVD

PA

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VIE

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S

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M V

IEW

DR

WINSTON AVE

CLO

NM

ORE D

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NORTHVIEW AVE

FA

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BR

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FA

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LANDRY AVE

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COVENTRY ST

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MANSION AVEKE

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LUCY AVE

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WAKEHOOD ST

SWANWICK

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GERRARD STREET EAST

VIC

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UE

KINGSTON ROAD

WA

RD

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DANFO

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ROAD

DANFORTH AVENUE

C.N.R.

CR

C

C CC

C

C

A5A4

A4C

CR

C

C

C

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A9

A7

A16

PW

A4

A4

A3

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A3C

PW

Toronto Hunt Club

Blantyre

Public

School

Neil McNeil

Separate Secondary

School

Blantyre Park

Golf ClubParkette PW

PW

CRC

A4C

C

CCR

A4

CR

CL

C CRC

Kenworthy

Park

(2480-2490)(2520)(2498) (2560)

(150)

C / IND

C / IND

CRPW C CR CR CR CR CR C A9

A7C P

W

C C CRCC

I

IC

CPW

CC C

C

C

Oakridge

Runneymede

Park

CCR

C

CRC

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C

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CC

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C

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CR

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Toronto Hunt Club

Blantyre

Public

School

Neil McNeil

Separate Secondary

School

Blantyre Park

Golf ClubParkette PW

PW

CRC

A4C

C

CCR

A4

CR

CL

C CRC

Kenworthy

Park

(2480-2490)(2520)(2498) (2560)

(150)

C / IND

C / IND

CRPW C CR CR CR CR CR C A9

A7C P

W

C C CRCC

I

IC

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CC C

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Runneymede

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Driving

Range

CCR

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Urban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Neighbourhood A

CR Commercial/Residential

C Commercial

PW Place of Worship

I Institutional

IND Industrial

L Library

Study Area Boundary

Quarry Lands

Apartment Dwellings

A4 Number denotes

building height

in storeys

SE

E N

EIG

HB

OU

RH

OO

D B

SE

E N

EIG

HB

OU

RH

OO

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29

Figure 8

Neighbourhood ‘B’Characteristics

This area is bounded by Main Street on the west,Victoria Park Avenue on the east, DanforthAvenue on the north and Kingston Road on thesouth (figure 9). This area is the most diverse ofthe three neighbourhoods. Much of the area isdeveloped with lower density housing likeNeighbourhood A. However, there is a greatermix of single and semi-detached dwellings andtownhouses throughout the area, and the lots aresmaller. Also, the housing stock is older.

There are 13 apartments buildings of 5 storeys ormore within this neighbourhood. For the mostpart these are located along main streets. TheMain Square apartments at Main Street andDanforth Avenue are the largest in the area andinclude 1,123 units.

The commercial areas along Danforth Avenue andKingston Road are more vibrant than in the otherneighbourhoods. Large retailers like CanadianTire, Leons and Zellers (Shopper’s World Plaza)are within this area.

Similar to Neighbourhood A, there are remainingindustrial uses along the north side of the CN railline. Gerrard Street has a mix of uses, with indus-trial and commercial predominating. A large for-mat Loblaws and gas bar were recently construct-ed at Victoria Park Avenue and Gerrard Street.

The Danforth GO Station and the Main Streetsubway station are in this neighbourhood andstreetcars operate along Gerrard Street and MainStreet. Main Street is also a signed bicycle routethat extends north to Stan Wadlow Park andTaylor Creek Park, and south to Queen Street andKew Gardens.

A number of public and private community serv-ices and facilities are in this neighbourhood and

UARRYlandsQ

Main Street looking north to Main Square Apartments

Danforth Avenue west of Victoria Park Avenue

30

many are clustered along Main Street. There arethree elementary schools and two secondaryschools in the area.

Kimberly Road Public School and the BeachesAlternative School are in one building on the cor-ner of Main Street and Swanwick Avenue. TheMain Street library and Community Centre 55 arenext door to these schools. Community Centre 55offers a number of children’s programs includinglunch and after school programs, and many othercommunity programs. A fire station is besideCommunity Centre 55. The Toronto DistrictSchool Board offers English as a SecondLanguage programs in the Adult Learning Centreon the corner of Danforth Avenue and SibleyAvenue.

Parks include the East Toronto Athletics Field (3.6hectares) and Adam Beck Park (0.6 hectare) adja-cent to Sir Adam Beck Public Elementary school

and Adam Beck Community Centre. The TedReeve Arena is at Main Street and Gerrard Street.The East City YMCA is located on KingstonRoad and operates a nursery school and manyother community programs.

There are seven Places of Worship and a LegionHall in this neighbourhood.

Notre Dame Secondary School on Malvern Avenue East City YMCA on Kingston Road

31

UARRYlandsQ

Main

DANFORTH

Urban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Neighbourhood B

CR Commercial/Residential

C Commercial

L Library

I Institutional

PW Place of Worship

U Utility

IND Industrial

Study Area Boundary BTH Block Town Houses

Apartment Dwellings

A4 Number denotes

building height

in storeys

SE

E N

EIG

HB

OU

RH

OO

D A

C

Glen Stewart Park

C A4

C CYMCA C

CR CCR C

PW

PW

A3CR

CR

CRCCR

CCR

CR

CR

CR

A7

CR

I

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Notre DameSeparate

SecondarySchool

St. John

Separate

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A5

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A2

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FH

Malvern

Collegiate

Institute

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Sir Adam Beck

Public School,

Park and

Adam Beck

Community

Centre

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A5C

PW

C

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East Toronto

Athletic Field

Beaches

Alternative/

Kimberly

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C

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A7

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CR CCR C

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A4

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FH

Malvern

Collegiate

Institute

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Sir Adam Beck

Public School,

Park and

Adam Beck

Community

Centre

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A5C

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Arena

East Toronto

Athletic Field

Beaches

Alternative/

Kimberly

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C

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Centre

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32

Figure 9

Recent Development Activity

This neighbourhood is the most dynamic withrespect to development activity. The formerindustrial area to the west of Loblaws is redevel-oping with single and semi-detached houses andtownhouses (480 units). A number of thesehomes are now occupied. A second phase of thedevelopment has been approved (187 townhous-es). The East Toronto Athletics Field Park will be

expanded and a new park (1.5 hectares) will be developed in this neighbourhood. Two new apart-ments (32 and 15 storeys) were recently approvedfor Main Square at Danforth Avenue and MainStreet. These include about 500 units.

Other developments proposed within the areainclude: 36 townhouses on the north side ofGerrard Street at Ted Reeve Drive, 10 units onKimberly Avenue and 25 units on DanforthAvenue east of Dawes Road.

Neighbourhood ‘C’Characteristics

This area is bounded by Warden Avenue to thewest, Birchmount Avenue to the east, KingstonRoad to the south and Danforth Avenue to thenorth (figure 10). This neighbourhood is the mosthomogeneous of the three. It is developed almostexclusively with low density housing, most ofwhich is single detached dwellings.

There are clusters of 2, 3 and 4 storey apartmentbuildings along Kingston Road and some town-houses. There are no apartment buildings withmore than 4 storeys in this neighbourhood.

Kingston Road is the main street in this neigh-bourhood. There are only a few commercialestablishments along Danforth Road in this area.The Kingston Road revitalization study includesthe commercial areas along Kingston Road in thisneighbourhood.

New Homes - North Side of Gerrard Street Kalmar Avenue South of Hollis Avenue

33

There is one local park in this neighbourhood.The Hollis Kalmar Park adjacent to the rail line is1.3 hectares. Also, there are two small parkettes.Birchcliff Public School is the largest local greenspace in the area. Birchmount Park, a DistrictPark, is located on the east side of BirchmountRoad. The Scarborough Gardens Arena,Birchmount Community Centre and theBirchmount Stadium are located in this park. TheBirchmount Stadium is one of only a few stadi-ums in the City and it is in need of repair. TheBirchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, a non-profit agency runs several programs from theCommunity Centre. Immaculate Heart of MaryElementary School is beside the park.

Other community services include a fire hall, anambulance station and a Legion Hall. There are 4Places of Worship in this Neighbourhood.

Recent Development Activity

Most development activity consists of minor vari-ances to the zoning by-law for renovations toexisting houses.

UARRYlandsQ

Commercial Cluster on Kingston Road Legion Hall on Kingston Road with Mural

34

PARKETTE PL

EA

ST

WO

OD

AV

ERHYDWEN AVE

HOLLIS AVE

AV

AL

ON

BL

VD

BIR

CH

CL

IFF

AV

E

PH

EN

IX D

R

HA

RD

ING

BL

VD

KA

LM

AR

AV

E

FREEMAN ST

EA

ST

WO

OD

AV

E

KA

LM

AR

AV

E

HA

RD

ING

BL

VD

MA

ND

ER

LE

Y D

R

BIR

CH

CLIF

F A

VE

DU

NIN

GT

ON

DR

LYNN RD

LA

KE

SID

E A

VE

KIL

DO

NA

N D

R

VIEWBANK RD

VA

LH

ALLA

BLV

D

ME

DF

OR

D A

VE

SC

OT

IA A

VE

KIMRID

GE AVE

EA

ST

WO

OD

AV

E

DANFORTH AVENUE

BIR

CH

MO

UN

T R

OA

D

WA

RD

EN

AV

EN

UE

KINGSTON ROAD

C.N.R.

C

Hollis / Kalmar

Park

Scotia

Parkette

C

FH

Birchmount Parkette A4

Avalon

Parkette

CCR

CR

PW

CCR

C

A3

A4

A4

I

A2C

PWCI

C

CR

EMS

BTH

A4A4

A4A4

A4

A4

A3

A3 A3

A3A3

A3A3

C

C

PW

C

CCR

CR

Birchcliff

Public

School

C

PW

Scarboro

Arena

Gardens

Immaculate

Heart of Mary

Separate School

Birchmount Bluffs

Community

Centre

IND

Birchmount

Park

C

Hollis / Kalmar

Park

Scotia

Parkette

C

FH

Birchmount Parkette A4

Avalon

Parkette

CCR

CR

PW

CCR

C

A3

A4

A4

I

A2C

PWCI

C

CR

EMS

BTH

A4A4

A4A4

A4

A4

A3

A3 A3

A3A3

A3A3

C

C

PW

C

CCR

CR

Birchcliff

Public

School

C

PW

Scarboro

Arena

Gardens

Immaculate

Heart of Mary

Separate School

Birchmount Bluffs

Community

Centre

IND

Birchmount

Park

Urban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Neighbourhood C

CR Commercial/Residential

C Commercial

PW Place of Worship

I Institutional

EMS Emergency Medical Services

FH Fire Hall

IND Industrial

Study Area Boundary BTH Block Town Houses

Apartment Dwellings

A4 Number denotes

building height

in storeys

SE

E N

EIG

HB

OU

RH

OO

D A

35

Figure 10

Community Services andFacilities ProfileCommunity services and facilities are a vital partof neighbourhoods in the City, contributing to thequality of life and well being of residents.Schools, child care centres, community centres,libraries, emergency services and parks are allcomponents of the social infrastructure and are asimportant to the future of the City as hard servicessuch as water, roads and transit. Ensuring thatthere are adequate community services and facili-ties to meet existing community needs and fornew residents in areas where growth is anticipatedare fundamental considerations in planning newneighbourhoods.

Community services and facilities within thestudy area were inventoried to identify the rangeof services and facilities available in the area andto begin to assess the capacity of these servicesand facilities. Figure 11 shows community serv-ices and facilities within the study area. Moredetailed information on the existing communityservices and facilities is provided in Appendix 2.

Public SchoolsThere are eight schools within the study area:

4 elementary schools (2 public, 2 separate)

2 junior public elementary/junior alternativeschool

2 secondary schools (1 public, 1 separate –girls)

All of the elementary schools within the studyarea are operating below capacity. BlantyrePublic Elementary and Sir Adam Beck JuniorPublic Elementary are the two elementary schoolswithin the study area closest to the Quarry Lands.These schools have utilization rates of 77% and68% respectively.

The secondary schools; Malvern CollegiateInstitute and Notre Dame Catholic SecondarySchool are operating above capacity. Notre DameSecondary school is an all female school. Malestudents within the separate school system attendNeil McNeil Secondary School on Victoria ParkAvenue south of Kingston Road, just outside ofthe study area. Malvern Collegiate Institute is theclosest secondary school to the Quarry Lands.The TDSB also provides English as a SecondLanguage programs from the adult learning centreon Danforth Avenue.

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Malvern Collegiate Institute

36

Birchcliff Quarry LandsCommunity Services

Development ServicesUrban

Data Current to July 2004

Study Area Boundary

Quarry Lands

Birch

mou

nt R

dB

irchm

oun

t Rd

Main

St

Main

St

Daw

es Rd

Daw

es Rd

Gerrard St EastGerrard St East

Kingston RdKingston Rd

Danforth AveDanforth Ave

C.N.R.C.N.R.

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Victoria P

ark Ave

Victoria P

ark Ave

Ph

armacy A

veP

harm

acy Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Main

St

Daw

es Rd

Gerrard St East

Kingston Rd

Danforth Ave

C.N.R.

Clonmore Dr

Victoria P

ark Ave

Ph

armacy A

ve

Warden

Ave

Birch

mou

nt R

d

Park

East TorontoEast TorontoAthletic FieldAthletic FieldEast TorontoAthletic Field

Glen StewartGlen StewartParkPark

Glen StewartPark

BlantyreBlantyreParkPark

BlantyrePark

OakridgeOakridgeParkPark

OakridgePark

Hollis /Hollis /Kalmar ParkKalmar Park

Hollis /Kalmar Park

Birchmount ParkBirchmount ParkBirchmount ParkOakridge Seniors BoceeOakridge Seniors BoceeOakridge Seniors Bocee Kenworthy ParkKenworthy ParkKenworthy Park

Lucy Tot LotLucy Tot LotLucy Tot Lot

Scotia ParketteScotia ParketteScotia ParketteDanforth/BirchmountDanforth/BirchmountParketteParketteDanforth/BirchmountParkette

ParketteParketteParkette

Avalon ParkAvalon ParkAvalon Park

Winston Churchillroad IslandWinston Churchillroad IslandWinston Churchillroad Island

Golf Club ParketteGolf Club ParketteGolf Club Parkette

Adam Beck ParkAdam Beck ParkAdam Beck Park

RunneymedeRunneymede

ParkPark

Runneymede

Park

Pool - Outdoor

Blantyre Outdoor PoolBlantyre Outdoor PoolBlantyre Outdoor Pool

TCDSB SecondarySchool

Notre Dame SSNotre Dame SSNotre Dame SS

TCDSB Elementary School

ImmaculateImmaculateHeart of MaryHeart of MaryImmaculateHeart of Mary

St. JohnSt. JohnSt. John

TDSB Secondary School

Malvern CIMalvern CIMalvern CI

TDSB Elementary School

Kimberley Jr PS /Kimberley Jr PS /Beaches Alternative School JrBeaches Alternative School JrKimberley Jr PS /Beaches Alternative School Jr

Blantyre PSBlantyre PSBlantyre PS

Birch Cliff PSBirch Cliff PSBirch Cliff PS

Sir Adam Beck Jr PSSir Adam Beck Jr PSSir Adam Beck Jr PS

Child Care

Avalon MontessoriAvalon MontessoriAvalon MontessoriBroadview FrenchBroadview FrenchMontessori SchoolMontessori SchoolBroadview FrenchMontessori School

Beaches Co-opBeaches Co-opBeaches Co-op

Birchmount BluffsBirchmount BluffsBirchmount Bluffs

Scarborough Day NsScarborough Day NsScarborough Day Ns

Hampers Participating NurseryHampers Participating NurseryHampers Participating Nursery

Kids Club Day CareKids Club Day CareConnectionConnectionKids Club Day CareConnection

East CityEast City(YMCA)(YMCA)East City(YMCA)

Main SquareMain SquareMain Square

East Toronto VillageEast Toronto VillageEast Toronto Village

LerouxLerouxFroebelFroebelLerouxFroebel

Today's Child - BlantyreToday's Child - BlantyreToday's Child - Blantyre

Long Term Care FacilityL T CL T CL T C

L T CL T CL T CVersa-Care CentreVersa-Care CentreVersa-Care Centre

Place(s) of WorshipP WP WP W

P WP WP WP WP WP W P WP WP W

P WP WP WP WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP WP WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP WP WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP W

P WP WP W

Toronto Public Library

TaylorTaylorMemorialMemorialLibraryLibrary

TaylorMemorialLibrary

Main St.Main St.LibraryLibraryMain St.Library

Community Centre

Community Centre 55Community Centre 55Community Centre 55

Ted Reeve ArenaTed Reeve ArenaTed Reeve Arena

ScarboroughScarboroughGardens ArenaGardens ArenaScarboroughGardens Arena

Main Square CommunityMain Square CommunityRecreation CentreRecreation CentreMain Square CommunityRecreation Centre

Adam Beck CCAdam Beck CCAdam Beck CC

Birchmount CCBirchmount CCBirchmount CC

Toronto Fire Services

Fire StationFire StationFire Station

Fire StationFire StationFire Station

Emergency Medical Services

EMS StationEMS StationEMS Station37

Figure 11

Child Care Facilities

There are twelve child care centres/nurseryschools in the study area and eight of these arenon-profit centres. These centres are located inschools, places of worship, community centresand in other buildings. In total these centres pro-vide 557 licensed daycare spaces with a range ofprograms from preschool to school age children.About half of these spaces are for children aged2½ to 5 years old. Two of the centres provideservice in French. Only three of the centresreport any vacancies and for two of the centresthere are only a few spaces available. The MainSquare Daycare Centre has a waiting list for allage groups.

A needs assessment for child care services wasnot undertaken as a part of the background workin Phase 1 of the study. Also, licensed privatehome day care agencies and private home careproviders within the study area were not invento-ried during the phase 1 work. Without an assess-ment, it is difficult to determine whether or notthis area is considered underserved with respect tochild care. However, most of the child carespaces offered in centres are utilized indicatingthat there may be a need for additional spaces. Aneeds assessment should be undertaken in laterphases of the study after development conceptshave been prepared. Information on anticipatedresidential development on the Quarry Lands canbe used in the needs assessment.

Libraries

There are two public libraries within the studyarea. The Main Street Library is closest to theQuarry Lands at 137 Main Street. TaylorMemorial Library is located on the corner ofKingston Road and Warden Avenue. Bothlibraries are neighbourhood branches.

The Main Street library is the larger of the twoand has a collection of about 50,000 materials.There is one program room at Main Street libraryand 8 internet work stations. Main Street pro-vides preschool and toddler programs, summerand March break reading programs. The libraryalso provides User Education programs for adults.Main Street Library is not at capacity.

Taylor Memorial Library has a collection of about30,500 materials. There is a multi-purpose roomat Taylor Memorial that seats 40, and there are 7internet stations. The main users at this libraryare seniors. Taylor Memorial Library is one offour satellite branches supported by the largerAlbert Campbell District Library. The library isnot at capacity.

UARRYlandsQ

Taylor Memorial Library

38

Parks and Open SpaceThere are twelve public parks totalling about 20hectares (49 acres) within the study area. Theserange from small natural areas and local play-grounds to large active community parks. Thereis a park on the Quarry Lands that is not devel-oped. The largest park in the study area is theBirchmount Park, a 7.7 hectare District Park.There a number of facilities at Birchmount Park: acommunity centre, stadium, sports fields and ten-nis courts. The East Toronto Athletics Field Parkon Main Street is the second largest (3.6 ha) andhas sports fields, a playground and wading pool.Development concepts prepared in Phase 2 of thestudy will be reviewed to determine impacts onexisting park facilities and to assess the need fornew park facilities.

Community Centres and RecreationFacilitiesThere are three City-owned and operated commu-nity centres within the study area; Main SquareCommunity Recreation Centre, Adam BeckCommunity Centre and the BirchmountCommunity Centre. The City offers a variety ofrecreational programs and services from thesefacilities for all age groups. Details of the pro-grams operating at these community centres areincluded in Appendix 2.

Birchmount Community Centre andScarborough Gardens ArenaThe Birchmount Community Centre (BCC) andScarborough Gardens Arena are located inBirchmount Park at the eastern edge of the studyarea. BCC is the largest of the three communitycentres within the study area, and offers the mostprograms. There is an indoor pool, communityroom, meeting rooms and multi-purpose rooms atBCC.

Tobogganing in Blantyre Park

Birchmount Community Centre

39

The swimming programs account for the majorityof the programs offered at the centre. BCC isoperating at an overall capacity of about 75% ,with the “all ages” programs operating at over90% capacity.

The Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre(BBNC), a not-for-profit social service agency,operates from the BCC. The BBNC offers a widerange of services for individuals and groups. AFamily Resource Centre, Community NurserySchool, Surf ‘N’ Search Job Lounge, youth andteen programs, general interest, integrated andadapted, seniors, and fitness and wellness pro-grams are some of the services provided by theBBNC.

The Scarborough Gardens Arena has one ice pad.The Wexford minor hockey league operates theirhockey program from this arena. The City pro-vides recreational skating and shinny for 8 hoursper week.

Adam Beck Community CentreAdam Beck Community Centre (ABCC) and SirAdam Beck Junior Elementary School are in onebuilding. The ABCC is the smallest communitycentre within the study area and programming isshared with the school. Facilities include a gym,a meeting room and multi purpose rooms. Abouthalf of the programs offered at ABCC are for chil-dren and the most popular programs are thoseoffered during March break and in the summer.Enrollment in programs for older adults is low.Overall, the programs at ABCC are operating atabout 67% capacity.

Main Square Community Recreation Centre

Main Square Community Recreation Centre(MSCRC) is located beside the Main Squareapartments on the east side of Main Street southof Danforth Avenue. Facilities at MSCRCinclude an indoor pool, fitness and weight roomand multi-purpose space. Most of the programsoffered at MSCRC are for swimming.Participants in swimming account for over half ofthose enrolled at the centre. The swimming pro-grams are operating at about half of their capacity.All ages programs are the most popular atMSCRC. Enrollment in older adult programs islow. This centre is operating at about 52%capacity overall.

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Main Square Community Recreation Centre - Main Street

40

Other Services and Facilities

The City also operates recreation programs fromthe Blantyre Public Elementary school and hasoperated a summer camp program at the school.Other City facilities in the area include theBlantyre Outdoor Pool and the Oakridge seniorsindoor bocce court on Thora Avenue. The swim-ming program at the Blantyre Pool is at about50% capacity. The Ted Reeve Arena is operatedby a volunteer Board and has two ice pads.Hockey and public skating are offered at thisarena.

There are two community centres within the studyarea operated by non-profit agencies; CommunityCentre 55 and East City YMCA.

Community Centre 55, an agency of the City, islocated on the corner of Main Street andSwanwick Avenue. Community Centre 55 runsmany children’s programs including before and

after school programs, lunch programs, JK/SKenrichment programs, Summer and March breakcamps, and operates a licensed child care centre.Community Centre 55 also provides programs forteens and adults (ie. exercise, dance, music,drama) and service groups use the centre.

East City YMCA is located on the south side of Kingston Road between Balsam Avenue andBeech Avenue. This YMCA includes a gymnasi-um, playrooms and an office. The YMCA pro-grams are designed to meet the needs of the localcommunity. At this time the YMCA provides awide range of programs for families with infantsand young children. Summer and March breakcamps are also available. Evening programs foradults and seniors are also offered and servicegroups use the YMCA. The nursery school oper-ated by the YMCA is unique as it provides parttime childcare and therefore can serve more fami-lies than a typical child care centre.

Ted Reeve Arena on Main Street

Community Centre 55 - Main Street and Swanwick Avenue

41

Places of Worship

There are fourteen Places of Worship in the studyarea. Many of the Places of Worship providecommunity space and daycares operate in some.There are many programs provided in thesePlaces of Worship: music, dance, theatre, art,teen and youth, health and wellness and seniorsprograms, addiction services, family resourceservices, and space for service groups such as theboy scouts and the girl guides are just some of theservices provided in these important communityspaces.

Community Service and Facilities and thenew Official Plan

The directions and policies of the new OfficialPlan place a high level of importance on buildingthe City’s social infrastructure particularly inareas where growth is anticipated and in areas thatare poorly served. The social infrastructureincludes the whole system of government andcommunity resources, programs, facilities andsocial networks that contribute to people’s health,safety, mobility and well-being. Preserving andimproving access to services and facilities is aresponsibility to be shared by the City, publicagencies and the development community.

The Quarry Lands are designated Mixed UseAreas where a wide range of residential, commer-cial and employment uses can be considered. TheOfficial Plan requires that a Community ServicesStrategy be prepared in larger mixed use areas (5hectares or larger) that are experiencing growth orchange. A Community Services Strategy includesthe following components:

a demographic profile of area residents

an inventory of existing services within thearea, or readily accessible to area residents

identification of existing capacity and servicegaps in local facilities

identification of local priorities

UARRYlandsQ

Church of the Immaculate Heart of Mary - Birchmount Road

42

recommended range of service and co-loca-tion opportunities.

identification of funding strategies, includingbut not limited to funds secured through thedevelopment approval process, the City’s cap-ital and operating budgets and public/privatepartnership.

The Phase 1 report includes a demographic profileof area residents and an inventory of the main community services and facilities in the area. Theinventory is not an exhaustive list. There may beother local agencies and service providers withinthe area. Also, the capacity of the services and facilities has not been assessed to identify gaps.Local priorities need to be identified in consulta-tion with the community and service providers. ACommunity Services Strategy will be prepared inlater phases of the study.

43

Transportation ProfileThe Quarry Lands are situated within an area ofthe City with a well established transportationnetwork. The Quarry lands are bounded by arteri-al roads; Victoria Park Avenue, Gerrard Street andClonmore Drive, and the CN rail line. As aresult, access to the site is not dependent onroutes through local streets. There are a varietyof transit options available in the area includingbus, streetcar, subway and GO train service. Thehigh level of transit service provides access tocommunity services and facilities and employ-ment, shopping and entertainment uses within thelocal area, in centres throughout the City, and toareas outside the City.

Existing information on traffic volumes, transitavailability, bike routes, and planned roadimprovements were examined to give an indica-tion of existing capacities in the system and todetermine where additional information is needed.This will provide the base information needed toassess the impacts of future development anddetermine whether transportation improvementsare needed.

Road Network

The road network within the study area is devel-oped primarily on a grid pattern consisting ofmajor and minor arterial roads and a collector andlocal street system. The CN rail line extends inan east west direction across the study area.

Figure 12 shows the key elements of the road net-

work in the study area; main streets, signalizedintersections, and pedestrian crosswalks on mainroads. Intersections that have recent (2002-2005)traffic count data are highlighted. The detailedinformation about the traffic counts at each ofthese intersections is in Appendix 3.

There are four main north/south roads within thestudy area including Main Street, Victoria ParkAvenue, Warden Avenue and Birchmount Road.All of these streets are classified as minor arterialroads within the study area, except for the sectionof Victoria Park Avenue, from Gerrard Street toDanforth Avenue, which is classified as a majorarterial road. The four main north/south streetswithin the area cross the CN rail line at grade sep-arations. None of the local north/south streetscrosses the rail line.

The major east/west street network includesDanforth Avenue, Gerrard Street, Clonmore Driveand Kingston Road. All of these streets are clas-sified as minor arterial roads except KingstonRoad which is classified as a major arterial road.

Traffic Volumes

Arterial roads are intended to function as the maintraffic arteries within the area, carrying highervolumes of traffic than collector or local streets.The number of vehicles at the main intersectionswithin the study area in the morning and after-noon peak hour is shown on figure 13. Also, thedate of each traffic count is shown.

This data indicates that Kingston Road is the

UARRYlandsQ

44

Study Area

Quarry Lands

Note:

Traffic data available for the aboveintersections. See appendix 3 for thedetailed counts.

Signalized Intersection

Unsignalized Intersection/pedestrian crossing

Main

St

Main

St

Main

St

Daw

es Rd

Daw

es Rd

Daw

es Rd

Gerrard StGerrard StGerrard St

SwanwickSwanwickSwanwick

Lyall AveLyall AveLyall Ave

Musgrave

Kingston RdKingston RdKingston Rd

Danforth AveDanforth AveDanforth Ave

C.N.R.C.N.R.C.N.R.

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Victoria P

ark Ave

Victoria P

ark Ave

Victoria P

ark Ave

Ph

armacy A

veP

harm

acy Ave

Ph

armacy A

ve

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Birch

cliff Ave

Birch

cliff Ave

Birch

cliff Ave

Qu

eensbu

ry Ave

Qu

eensbu

ry Ave

Qu

eensbu

ry Ave

Scarborou

gh R

dS

carborough

Rd

Scarborou

gh R

d

Pickerin

g St

Pickerin

g St

Pickerin

g St

Malvern

Ave

Malvern

Ave

Malvern

Ave

Osborn

e Ave

Osborn

e Ave

Osborn

e Ave

Glen

Man

or Dr

Glen

Man

or Dr

Glen

Man

or Dr

Man

derlay Dr

Man

derlay Dr

Man

derley Dr

Birch

mou

nt R

dB

irchm

oun

t Rd

Birch

mou

nt R

d

Danfo

rth

Rd

Danfo

rth

Rd

Danfo

rth

Rd

Hollis AveHollis AveHollis Ave

21 23

26

1

11

19

1617

1815

14

12

13

9

27

106 7 8

24

25

3 4 51 28

20 22

2Canadian

Tire

Urban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Road Network

45

Figure 12

UARRYlands

Q

Main

St

Main

St

Daw

es Rd

Daw

es Rd

Main

St

Daw

es Rd

Gerrard St

Kingston Rd

Kingston Rd

Kingston Rd

Danforth AveDanforth AveDanforth Ave

C.N.R.C.N.R.C.N.R.

ClClonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore D

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

lonClonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

more

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dre Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Drr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Clonmore Dr

Vicroria P

ark Ave

Vicroria P

ark Ave

Ph

armacy A

veP

harm

acy Ave

Vicroria P

ark Ave

Ph

armacy A

ve

Av

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Av

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Warden

Ave

Birch

mou

nt R

dB

irchm

oun

t Rd

Birch

mou

nt R

d

537(1740

916592)(1052)

351(428)

91479)(702)

286286286(414)

758(852 )(806)

770(2045

31823)(636)

355(308)

671(654)

485485555)4)

386(535)

124(58)

704(1473)

(600)

105(255)

18(13)

1650(622)

696969(149)

382(451)

7)

1224(285)

398(671)

601(1319)

800(410)

653(498)

361(715)(715)

353(589)

590(875)(875)

1702(725)

805(1298)(1298)

631(905)

am peak hr.(pm peak hr.)

am peak hr.(pm peak hr.)

am peak hr.(pm peak hr.)

am peak hr.(pm peak hr.)

74(182)(182)

720(716)

518(721)

6866686(154(1546)(1546)((1546

July 2002

Oct. 2003

Mar. 2003

Oct. 2003

Aug. 2004

Dec. 2003

Aug. 2002

Jan. 2005

Jan. 2003

Jan. 2005

Jan. 2002

Apr. 2003

Jan. 2005

Study Area

Quarry Lands

Survey DateUrban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Traffic Flow

46

Figure 13

busiest road within the study area, followed byDanforth Avenue. Traffic counts were taken inJanuary 2005 at the intersections of both of theseroads with Warden Avenue. These counts showabout 400 more cars travelling west on KingstonRoad during the morning peak hour than alongDanforth Avenue, and about 400 more cars travel-ling east during the evening peak hour. The earli-er counts at the intersections of Main Street andVictoria Park Avenue with Danforth Avenue andKingston Road also indicate that Kingston Roadis busier, particularly eastbound in the afternoonrush hour. The data indicates that BirchmountRoad between Danforth Avenue and KingstonRoad is the least busy main street in the network.

The intersection of Gerrard Street and VictoriaPark Avenue is also busy. The data indicates thata common route through the area in both themorning and afternoon peak periods is alongVictoria Park Avenue between Danforth Avenueand Gerrard Street, and along Gerrard Streetbetween Victoria Park Avenue and Main Street.

The number of southbound vehicles at the WardenAvenue and Clonmore Drive intersection in themorning peak hour is one of the highest in thestudy area with about 1700 vehicles. The dataindicates that most of these vehicles turn rightonto Clonmore Drive and pass the Quarry Lands.

An assessment of road and intersection capacitieswas not undertaken in Phase 1. The developmentconcepts for the Quarry Lands prepared in Phase2 of the study will provide additional informationwith respect to traffic expected to be generated

from development. A traffic assessment will beundertaken in later phases of the study to deter-mine the capacity of the existing road networkand the impacts of development. Some of thefactors considered in undertaking the analysisinclude; the type of land uses proposed (commer-cial, residential, employment), the intensity ofdevelopment (gross floor area or density of devel-opment) and the availability of transit.Proponents of development are also required toconduct traffic assessments when proposingdevelopment.

Public Streets and the new Official Plan

The Quarry Lands are large and new streets willbe needed for access to new development. Thenew Official Plan places a strong emphasis on allaspects of the public realm including City streets.Streets are considered significant public openspaces and new streets should be public streets.They should provide connections and be integrat-ed with the existing street system in adjacentneighbourhoods. There should be adequate spaceto provide for pedestrians, bicycles and landscap-ing as well as transit, vehicles and utilities. Forthe Quarry Lands the emphasis will be on creatinga system of public streets consistent with the poli-cies and directions of the new Official Plan.

Bicycle Network

The Toronto Bike Plan “Shifting Gears” wasadopted by Council in July 2001. The Bike Planrecommends the development of a 1,000 km bike-way network consisting of off-road trails and on-

47

road bike lanes and routes throughout the City.There is currently one signed bike route withinthe study area along Main Street that extendsnorth to Hamstead Road and Stan Wadlow Parkand Taylor Creek Park and south to Queen Streetand Kew Gardens.

A combination bike lane and signed bicycle routeis proposed along Gerrard Street, Clonmore Driveand Hollis Drive to connect Main Street toBirchmount Road. This bicycle route will pass bythe Quarry Lands. Signed bike routes are alsoproposed on Clonmore Drive south of GerrardStreet as well as along Fallingbrook Avenue toconnect to Queen Street East and Kew Gardens.

The traffic survey conducted in 2003 at the inter-section of Victoria Park Avenue and GerrardStreet counted 99 bicycles passing through thisintersection in an 8 hour period.

Transit Network

The study area is well served with transit includ-ing surface transit by bus and streetcar, subwayservice along the Bloor-Danforth subway line andGO train service. The transit network through thestudy area is shown on figure 14.

Bus and Streetcar Routes

The Quarry Lands are directly served by busalong Gerrard Street, Victoria Park Avenue andClonmore Drive and these connect to the streetcarand subway lines. These include:

135 Gerrard: Gerrard Street and ClonmoreDrive between the Warden and Main subwaystations and connects to the 506 Streetcar atMain Street.

12 Kingston: Victoria Park subway stationsouth along Victoria Park Avenue and alongKingston Road with connections to theKennedy and Warden subway stations, andthe 502 and 503 Streetcar on Kingston Road.

324 Victoria Park: Late night along VictoriaPark Avenue.

69 Warden: Clonmore Drive at WardenAvenue.

404 Community Bus: Daytime hourly serv-ice from the Shoppers World Plaza to the EastYork Civic Centre and East General Hospitalat Coxwell Avenue and Mortimer Avenue.

UARRYlandsQ

Main Street Bicycle Route 59

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GO Transit Line and StationGO

DanforthGO StationGO

TTC Community Bus Main Route 404404

404

40

4

404

404

506

506

502

TTC Street Car Main and Blue Night Routes 502,503,506

503

TTC Bus Main Routes 12,20,64,69,135; Main and Blue Night Routes 22,113; Blue Night Route 324135

13

5

135

12

+

12

+

12+

20 20113

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135

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12+

20

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2222

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TTC Line and Station

Main StreetTTC Station

Victoria ParkTTC Station

CRESCENTTOWN

DENTONIA PARKCOMMUNITY

Ted Reeve Arena

CommunityMain Square

Recreation Centre

Public

Park and

BeckAdam Public School

Blantyre

CollegiateMalvern

Secondary SchoolNeil McNeil Separate

School,

SecondarySeparate

Notre Dame

SchoolSchoolSeparateSt.John

CentreCommunity

BirchcliffPublic School

Samuel HearneSr. Public School

Oakridge Jr.Public School

St.Dunstan

SchoolSeparate

PublicAlternative

School

BeachesKimberley/

Scotia Parkette

Oakridge

Kenworthy

Runneymede Park

Elm Park

Toronto Hunt Club Golf Course

Parkette

GolfClub

Hollis/Kalmar Park

Birchmount Parkette

Crescentwood

Hullmar

ParketteAvalon

Main St

Maryland

Dentonia Park

Parkette

Ravine

Lynndale

East Toronto

Coleman

Glen Stewart Park

Madelaine

Oakridge

Blantyre Park

Parkette

Park

Park

Athletic Field

Park

Prairie Drive Park

ParkDentonia ParkGolf Course

Park

Park

Warden Woods ParkLeyton

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MA

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KINGSTON RD

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AV

WA

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AV DANFORTH R

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Lake Ontario

Quarry LandsUrban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Transit

49

Figure 14

Bloor-Danforth Subway

The Bloor-Danforth subway line linking theKipling and Kennedy subway stations runs just tothe north of Danforth Avenue with stations atMain Street, Victoria Park Avenue and WardenAvenue. The Victoria Park station is the closestto the Quarry Lands about 0.9 km to the north.

GO Transit

GO Transit operates frequent commuter rail serv-ice on the CN rail tracks abutting the QuarryLands, serving the Lakeshore line. The DanforthGO station is on Main Street south of DanforthAvenue. During the weekday peak periods trainsrun every 30 minutes or so, and every hour offpeak and on weekends and holidays.

GO Transit is currently conducting a ClassEnvironmental Assessment of a proposal to add athird track along the south side of the CNR right-of-way to provide more frequent service on theStouffville line which shares the Lakeshore linetracks west of the Scarborough station at MidlandAvenue. Development concepts prepared inPhase 2 of the study will be reviewed in consulta-tion with GO Transit.

Transportation and the new Official Plan

The new Official Plan integrates transportationand land use planning. The directions and poli-cies of the Plan seek to protect and improve thetransportation system. They also emphasize themore efficient use of roads to move more peopleinstead of more vehicles and the reduction of thedemand for vehicle travel. To achieve theseobjectives the Plan promotes a more intensemixed use pattern of development. It also pro-motes mixed use development in areas that arewell served by transit.

Mixed use developments (residential, employ-ment, commercial) help to minimize the long termcosts of infrastructure improvements to increasecapacity of roads and the transit system. A mixeduse development pattern also provides the oppor-tunity to develop a better pedestrian and bicyclesystem.

UARRYlandsQ

Danforth GO Station on Main Street

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The designation of the Quarry Lands as MixedUse Areas integrates land use planning and trans-portation. The Quarry Lands are large and wellserved by transit. This provides an opportunity toconsider a wide range of uses at densities that aretransit supportive.

Kingston Road is identified in the new OfficialPlan as a higher order transit corridor, andKingston Road and Main Street north of GerrardStreet are within the surface transit priority net-work. Within higher order transit corridors, theprotection of existing and planned rapid transitnetworks is given a priority, and new transit lineswill be implemented in these corridors over thelonger term.

The City is in the early stages of examining futuretransit improvements along Kingston Road andDanforth Avenue. At the January 12, 2005 meetingof the Toronto Transit Commission, TTC and CityPlanning staff presented the “Building A TransitCity” proposal to the Commission. This presenta-tion outlined proposals for future transportationimprovements in the City, including the idea ofdeveloping higher order transit service onKingston Road from Victoria Park to EglintonAvenue East (bus or streetcar) and on DanforthAvenue west of Kingston Road. The Commissionsupported the general approach put forward in“Building a Transit City” and requested furtherstaff reports on the matter.

The Official Plan promotes increasing transit pri-ority along roads within the surface transit priori-ty network through measures such as; signal pri-

ority for buses and streetcars, limiting on-streetparking and providing exclusive transit lanes.

Physical Infrastructure Profile

The physical infrastructure includes the sanitaryand storm sewers and watermains that service thearea. It also deals with the management ofstormwater in relation to development. Municipalwater, storm and sanitary sewer service is avail-able to the Quarry Lands, and there are currentlyno water supply, capacity, or pressure problemswithin the area. Services available within thisarea are detailed in Appendix 4.

More detailed assessments of servicing capacitywill be undertaken during Phase 2 of the studyafter development concepts are prepared. Theconcepts will be used to identify any constraintsrelated to servicing and to determine if improve-ments are needed. Opportunities to address issueswith respect to stormwater quality and quantitywill also be explored further in relation to theconcept plans prepared in Phase 2. Proponents ofdevelopment are also required to submit assess-ments of services and stormwater managementplans with development applications.

There are trunk services that cross the Quarrylands, including a watermain, storm sewers andcombined sanitary and storm sewers. These areshown on figure 15. There are municipal ease-ments for these services where they cross privatelands. The location of the services must be con-sidered in developing concept plans for theQuarry Lands, as structures cannot be built over

51

top these trunk mains. As a result, the pattern of development may be impacted by these trunkmains. The location of roads and the develop-ment blocks within the area will need to be

planned in relation to the location of these servic-es to ensure that buildings and structure will avoidthese services.

UARRYlandsQ

52

Figure 15

Watermain (2000)

T

T

T

T

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T

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Storm Sewer (2003)

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Combined/Sanitary Sewer (2000)

Source: WES/Water/IAM&P and WES/TS/Surveys & Mapping (Dated 2000)

Quarry LandsUrban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Water Distribution & Sewer Systems

Victo

ria Park Ave

CNR

Wakehood St

Tho

ra Ave

Sneath

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Lucy AveEm

mo

tt Ave

Leyton

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Clonmore Dr

CNR

Mansion Ave

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Blvd

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Gerrard St East

There are four other recent or ongoing planningstudies within this area of the City:

Community Improvement Plan (CIP)Danforth Avenue and Danforth Road.

Danforth Avenue Study from Victoria ParkAvenue to Warden Avenue

Warden Corridor and Victoria Park StationLand Use Planning Studies

Kingston Road Revitalization Study

An overview of these initiatives is provided aseach of these studies share portions of theirrespective study area boundaries with the QuarryLands Study area. Background information fromthese studies provides additional information thatcan assist in undertaking the Quarry Lands study.Opportunities for new development are also beingexplored through each of the studies. The loca-tions of the studies are shown on figure 16.

Community Improvement Plan - Danforth Avenue and Danforth Road

In September of 2003 Council approved aCommunity Improvement Plan (CIP) for DanforthAvenue and Danforth Road between Victoria ParkAvenue and Warden Avenue. The objective ofthis CIP is to enhance and revitalize the commer-cial frontages along Danforth Avenue andDanforth Road, through incentives for façadeimprovements and with improvements to theroads and streetscapes with landscaping, decora-

tive pavers, pavement markings, signage, lightingand gateway features. A Façade ImprovementGrant Program was established for this area thatprovides grants to commercial building owners toimprove their building façades.

Danforth Avenue Study – Victoria Park Avenue to Warden Avenue

An Avenue Study was initiated in December of2004 for Danforth Avenue, from Victoria ParkAvenue to Warden Avenue. The new OfficialPlan identifies selected corridors along majorstreets as “Avenues” where transit-supportivereurbanization is promoted. The Avenue studywill set out the mix of uses, heights, setbacks andother zoning standards, along with priorities forinvestment that may enhance open spaces, streetamenities and community services along this sec-tion of Danforth Avenue. The Danforth AvenueStudy is in its initial phase and a backgroundreport is being prepared. It is anticipated that thisstudy will be completed in 2005.

Warden Corridor Study and Victoria ParkStation Land Use Studies

These studies were initiated in December of 2003to examine opportunities for the reurbanization ofthe TTC parking lots at the two subway stationsand to create a vision for areas of potential landuse change in their vicinities.

These studies have advanced to the final phase.Background work has been completed and con-cepts for land use change on specific sites within

Q U A R R Y L A N D S

Other Planning Initiatives

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Danfo

rth R

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Eglinton AveEglinton AveEglinton Ave

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Queen St Queen St Queen St

Kingston RoadRevitalization Study

WardenWardenCorridorCorridorStudy Study

WardenCorridorStudy

Danforth Avenue StudyDanforth Avenue StudyDanforth CommunityDanforth CommunityImprovement PlanImprovement Plan

Danforth Avenue Study/Danforth CommunityImprovement Plan

Victoria ParkVictoria ParkStation StudyStation StudyVictoria ParkStation Study

Lake Ontario

Quarry LandsQuarry LandsQuarry Lands

Birchcliff QuarryBirchcliff QuarryLands StudyLands StudyBirchcliff QuarryLands Study

Gerrard StGerrard StGerrard St

Danforth Ave

Danforth Ave

Danforth Ave

Urban Development Services

Birchcliff Quarry Lands Study

Planning Initiatives

Kingston Rd

Kingston Rd

Kingston Rd

54

Figure 16

UARRYlandsQ

the study areas have been prepared. One of thefindings of these studies to date is that these areasare underserved with respect to community serv-ices and facilities. A key component of the Phase3 work for both study areas is the preparation ofCommunity Services and Facilities Strategies, thatwill identify appropriate community services andfacilities required to support the existing and anynew residential communities. It is expected thatthese studies will be completed by the end of2005.

Kingston Road Revitalization Study

In February of 2005 Council initiated theKingston Road Revitalization Study. This studywill identify key sites within the commercial areasalong Kingston Road in the Birchliff Communityand develop a strategy to promote revitalization ofthese areas. It will also examine Kingston Roadand its function as a transit priority corridor,including the idea of developing higher ordertransit service on Kingston Road (bus or street-car). Terms of Reference for the study will beconsidered by Council in Spring 2005.

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The information presented in the study area pro-file raises the following considerations:

Population in the study area is growing at aslower rate than the City overall. Similar tothe City the population within the study areais aging, and children represent a smaller pro-portion of the population than adults. Thelarge decrease between 1996 and 2001 in theproportion of small children in the study areamay account for the additional capacity in theelementary schools today.

In the study area the proportion of small chil-dren is declining at a faster rate than in theCity overall, and the proportion of olderadults in increasing at a faster rate than in theCity overall.

A community services and facilities needsassessment is required to determine if thepopulation trends apparent in the 2001 Censusare continuing, to identify priorities and serv-ice gaps and to determine if improvements orchanges are needed to meet community needs.

The neighbourhoods in the study area are pre-dominantly developed with lower densityhousing such as single and semi-detacheddwellings and townhouses. The local contextmust be considered in development of theQuarry Lands.

The variety of transit options available in thisarea provides an opportunity to consider awide range of uses on the Quarry Lands.

An assessment of the capacity of the road net-work is needed to identify existing deficien-cies and to determine the impacts of futuredevelopment.

Other studies in the area will provide opportu-nities for redevelopment along DanforthAvenue, in the Warden Corridor and alongKingston Road. The progress of these studiesand decisions concerning development needto be considered in planning for the Quarrylands.

Concept plans for the Quarry Lands need tobe designed carefully with respect to theplacement of roads, and the pattern of devel-opment blocks to ensure that developmentwill avoid the watermain, storm sewers andcombined sanitary and storm sewers thatcross the area.

The range and distribution of lands uses onthe Quarry Lands may also be affected bythese large trunk services.

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Q U A R R Y L A N D S

Study Area Profile - Key Considerations

The Study Area Profile will inform the work inlater phases of the study. It also identifies infor-mation gaps and further assessment will berequired in later phases of the study with respectto community services and facilities and trans-portation issues.

Phase 2 of the study process is the developmentof guiding principles and a vision for the future development of the Quarry Lands. Concept plans

will be prepared that reflect the vision and devel-opment principles. Phase 2 of the study will beconducted in consultation with landowners, com-munity associations, residents and other stake-holders. A working group of landowners, com-munity representatives, Ward Councillors andCity staff will guide the visioning exercise.Larger community meetings will be held to ensurethat the broader community has an opportunityfor input into the study.

Q U A R R Y L A N D S

Next Steps

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