Public Consultation Process

Public and stakeholder consultation for the Harbourfront Park system has been a critical building block for the eventual completion of this unique urban park system. Now that the majority of residential development is coming to an end in Harbourfront, the design and phased-in construction of the parks represents, to many people, the fulfillment of a long awaited promise - the completion of Harbourfront.

In anticipation of the design and development of the remaining parks and open spaces, the City engaged residents, user groups, and other key stakeholders in a public dialogue in 2002 to assist in developing a vision for the parks and open space system. The results of this dialogue are summarized below.

The comprehensive public consultation process was designed to create dialogue between the City of Toronto, key stakeholders and the public that builds a common vision for the New Harbourfront Parks.

Key Elements to the Consultation Plan

The consultation plan that guided the dialogue with the public and stakeholders was built on three key elements. The first element was an extensive 'Stakeholder Scan'. A comprehensive survey of interest groups and individuals, the purpose of this scan was to gain their insight to both how the consultation process should unfold, and on key issues, themes and elements that they believed would help form the basis for a shared vision of the new parks system.

As a second element, a stream of 'active engagement' was developed, guided by feedback gained from the Stakeholder Scan. City staff and the consultants pursued speaking engagements, neighbourhood and community meetings, and special meetings with recreational and other business interests.

At those sessions, the waterfront development context was introduced and the history of Harbourfront reviewed. The City heard ideas for the individual land parcels, and each group's vision and needs for the Harbourfront Parks System. The City's activities also included three public meetings. The first was hosted by a neighbourhood community association, and the second included a walking tour of the parks sites with staff and City Councillors Pantalone and Chow. In a final session, the public reviewed the Harbourfront Parks Advisory Group's vision, five key themes, and related design principles.

The Harbourfront Parks Advisory Group (HPAG) was the key third element of the public consultation strategy. Designed to build consensus and a shared vision for the new parks system, the City invited representation from the following interest sectors:

• neighbourhood associations and residents
• recreational users
• the arts and culture community
• conservation and natural environment groups
• tourism and local business

The HPAG held a number of meetings. At these meetings, the group heard presentations from experts in the fields of parks design, culture and heritage, and natural environment. Each group brought an important direction and perspective, both international and local, to the process that the HPAG used in creating its shared vision of excellence for the new parks system.

City of Toronto staff provided important information and resources both on the area's historical base as a ship building and small industrial center, and the more recent development history of the Harbourfront community, dating back to its inception in the 1970's. Staff also provided crucial information on the recent planning and development context. This included a review of possible connections and opportunities outlined in recent reports, including Making Waves, and the City's Waterfront Culture and Heritage Infrastructure Plan.

Five Themes and Six Principles

Together, the HPAG members developed a shared vision statement for the new parks, built on five key themes. The parks should:

• reflect excellence in design;
• be a cultural and heritage destination;
• protect and enhance the natural environment;
• add to the neighbourhood quality of life;
• connect people to the water

The five key themes above are supported by six principles which the HPAG proposes as direction to those organizing the next steps of the design and implementation of the Harbourfront Parks System. They believe the new parks system should:

• Be a shared place for both residents and visitors - the design of the parks system needs to acknowledge the needs of a rapidly growing residential community and its present function as one of Toronto's biggest tourism draws;
• Be a place for everyone - the design should take into account accessibility issues, serve young family needs and those of older visitors, as well as a more active community;
• Be physically connected and offer continuity - the parks' unique location along the water's edge should inspire design that connects the disperse parcels along the the Harbour, and also connects the sites to the rest of the City, especially Toronto's key culture and heritage areas;
• Accommodate and enhance existing uses - especially those of the thriving tourism and boating community and the Harbourfront Centre;
• Build on partnerships - designing for longer term stewardship projects and ongoing public involvement;
• Emphasize the rich cultural heritage of the area by telling stories and creating a sense of place - through public art, parks interpretation and heritage and culture events, the design should leave visitors and users with a new understanding of this area's rich historical context and a lasting impression of it's amenities.

The six-month public consultation process built lasting relationships between interested stakeholder groups, local businesses, Toronto's design community, cultural and heritage organizations, conservation and environmental interests and the City. With over 200 individuals actively engaged in the process, the final report captures the information provided, the insights gained and the consensus reached on the challenges, opportunities and promise of the new Harbourfront parks system.

Harbourfront Parks Steering Committee

In July of 2002, Toronto City Council established the Harbourfront Parks Steering Committee (HPSC), the primary purpose of which was to provide recommendations to Council on the design and development of the Harbourfront Parks.

In early February of 2003, City Council received the public consultation report prepared by Lura Consulting, and authorized the Steering Committee's recommendation to proceed with a four-stage international design competition for the Harbourfront parks and open space system.