Author(s)

T. Genco

Abstract

How does one transform a former military base in suburban Toronto into Canada’s First Nation Urban Park? This paper explores this opportunity in the re-invention of this new public space and the impacts it has on public planning and policy development for the community, the city and the country. The crown corporation responsible, Parc Downsview Park Inc. must resolve to do this on a self-financing basis no less! Sustainability is therefore fundamental to the planning and development to-date and the opportunities for positive fundamental change in the future. Following the creation of the park design through an international design competition, the park vision was to transform the rest of the lands required for the self-financing mandate and process. Key to the integration for the rest of the lands and vision was the development of sustainable community development guidelines that would make the site an integrated and cohesive property, and that would challenge the local community to live the sustainability challenges as well. The paper will update on our successes, challenges and next steps. Keywords: sustainability, public open space, public planning, policy development, self-financing, international design competition, sustainable community development guidelines, public consultation, communications. 1 Introduction When the Government of Canada announced the closure of Canadian Forces Base (CFB) Toronto in 1994 it stipulated, \“the existing DND-owned lands

Keywords

sustainability, public open space, public planning, policy development, self-financing, international design competition, sustainable community development guidelines, public consultation, communications.