Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct:

Measures to Deter Suicide Attempts

- Selection of Preferred Design.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits, without recommendation, the report (September 2, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports, for the information of Council, having set up a Working Group, comprised of Councillors Adams, Bossons, Layton, McConnell and Moeser:

(a)to examine the recommended design in greater detail in order to determine why it was chosen as the preferred option;

(b)to listen to, and evaluate, any concerns expressed by Heritage Toronto;

(c)to host an open house prior to October 1, 1998, in order to receive input from members of the public;

(d)to submit its recommendations with regard to the preferred design directly to City Council, for consideration with this matter on October 1, 1998; and

(e)to monitor the implementation phase of the project to avert suicides on the PrinceEdward (Bloor Street) Viaduct.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee submits the following report (September 2, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to submit the recommendation of the Project Steering Committee for the selection of a preferred design which will introduce measures to deter suicide attempts from the Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct.

This report is to be read in conjunction with Report No. 2(a) on this same agenda of the Urban Environment and Development Committee.

Funding Sources and Requirements:

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on June 25, 1998, recommended that the following recommendations of the Budget Committee be adopted:

(1)an adequate expenditure be allocated from the Corporate Contingency Account to undertake the project to avert suicides on the Bloor Street Viaduct and that the cost be no more than $1.5 million; and

(2)the recommendation of the Urban Environment and Development Committee be brought back to the Budget Committee in the fall for the final allocation of funding.

City Council approved these recommendations at the July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 meeting.

Recommendations:

It is recommended that:

(1)the design submitted by Dereck Revington Studio, with Yolles Partnership Inc. as Consulting Engineers, be adopted as the preferred design for the Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct;

(2)Dereck Revington Studio, with Yolles Partnership Inc. as Consulting Engineers, be retained to prepare the detailed design and tender documents, as well as to provide project management and site supervision services throughout the design, tender and construction stages in accordance with terms and conditions satisfactory to the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services and the City Solicitor;

(3)the appropriate City of Toronto officials be directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto; and

(4)City Council express its appreciation to the design teams and members of the Selection Committee for their work on this project.

Council Reference/Background/History:

Background information for this project is contained in Report No. 2(a) on this same agenda of the Urban Environment and Development Committee.

Discussion:

Following notification to architectural and engineering firms in Ontario, 16 Stage 1 Expressions of Interest were received. These submissions came from firms and teams representing a range of multi-disciplinary expertise. The Project Steering Committee met on July 30, 1998, and selected four qualified firms/teams to compete in Stage II of the design competition. The firms/teams were as follows:

-Brown and Storey Architects,

in association with Yolles Engineering Inc., studio blackbox, Gary Michael Dault, RolloMeyers and Anne Michaels;

-Dereck Revington Studio,

in association with Yolles Partnership Inc. Strategic Engineering Consultants;

-E.R.A. Architect Inc.,

in association with David Dennis, Judith Schwarz, Adams and Associates and Read Jones Christoffersen Ltd.; and

-Montgomery and Sisam Architects,

in association with Delcan - Structural Division and Golden Eichenberg Art/Design.

Four design submissions were received on August 27, 1998, and the Project Steering Committee (comprising both the Selection Committee and advisors) met on August 28, 1998, to review the schemes.

The members of the Selection Committee were as follows:

Al BirneySchizophrenia Society of Ontario;

Adrian DiCastriB. Arch., Chair, Public Art Commission;

Les KelmanWorks and Emergency Services;

Ellis KirklandM. Arch. (representing Toronto Urban Planning and Development Services);

Karen LetofskyCouncil on Suicide Prevention and the Toronto Distress Centre;

Dr. Isaac SakinofskyClarke Institute of Psychiatry; and

Carol StimmellBoard Member, Heritage Toronto.

Members of the Selection Committee for the Prince Edward Viaduct (Bloor Street) design competition were impressed by the range of ideas and thoughtful approaches demonstrated by the four Stage II submissions.

Foremost throughout the deliberations was the question of functionality, and the need to save lives. This requirement demanded that the successful scheme eliminate, to the greatest degree possible, opportunities to overcome the protective barrier. While the issue of functionality was the central concern, there was extensive discussion of the need for a high quality design solution, worthy of being added to this heritage architectural/engineering landmark.

Following detailed analysis and discussion, the Selection Committee is recommending the scheme submitted by Dereck Revington Studio in association with Yolles Partnership Inc. The majority of Selection Committee members agreed that this scheme meets the competition criteria to the closest degree, and that it provides an acceptable solution from a functional, structural and design perspective.

Conclusion:

The Design Competition succeeded in delivering a design for the Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct that meets the functional and heritage design requirements defined for this project.

Adoption of the recommended design and approval of the design team will enable the staff of the Works and Emergency Services Department to proceed as quickly as possible into the implementation stage.

Contact Name and Telephone Number:

Mr. Les Kelman, Director, Transportation Systems, 392-5372.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee also submits the following report (August 24, 1998) from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services:

Purpose:

The purpose of this report is to provide the Urban Environment and Development Committee with a status report on this project. The Project Steering Committee is scheduled to select a preferred design during the week of August 31 to September 4, 1998 and will be submitting a recommendation to the Urban Environment and Development Committee at its meeting on September 8, 1998.

Due to the tight schedule, the report containing the recommendation on the selection of a preferred design may only be distributed to Committee Members at the meeting. This "advance" report provides information on the selection process to date in preparation for the Committee meeting on September 8, 1998.

Funding Sources and Requirement:

The Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee on June 25, 1998, recommended that the following recommendations of the Budget Committee be adopted:

(1)an adequate expenditure be allocated from the Corporate Contingency Account to undertake the project to avert suicides on the Bloor Street Viaduct and that the cost be no more than $1.5 million; and

(2)the recommendation of the Urban Environment and Development Committee be brought back to the Budget Committee in the fall for the final allocation of funding.

City Council approved these recommendations at the July 8, 9 and 10, 1998 meeting.

Recommendation:

It is recommended that this report be received for information.

Council Reference/Background/History:

The Urban Environment and Development Committee on June 15 and 16, 1998, recommended to the Budget Committee that it recommend to the Strategic Policies and Priorities Committee, and Council, that up to $1.5 million be allocated from the Corporate Contingency Account to undertake the project to avert suicides on the Bloor Street Viaduct.

The Urban Environment and Development Committee recommended to Council the adoption of the report (May 28, 1998) from the Interim Functional Lead, Transportation.

The report dated May 28, 1998 recommended that:

(1)the Urban Environment and Development Committee support in principle the introduction of measures, as outlined in this report, to deter suicide attempts from the Bloor Street Viaduct;

(2)a Request for Proposals be issued, as outlined in this report, to solicit proposals for design concepts and full architectural services, with the submissions being evaluated by a Project Steering Committee comprised of representatives from:

-the Schizophrenia Society of Ontario;

-the Council on Suicide Preventions;

-the Toronto Historical Board/Heritage Toronto;

-Architecture and Civic Improvements, City Planning;

-the Transportation Division, Works and Emergency Services Department; and

-the Public Art Policy Advisory Committee;

(3)a further report be submitted to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on the selection of a preferred design, the detailed budget requirements and a project schedule; and

(4)the appropriate City of Toronto officials be directed to take the necessary action to give effect thereto.

Discussion:

On July 11, 1998, an advertisement was placed in the Ontario edition of The Globe and Mail (theArts Section) calling for Expressions of Interest from multidisciplinary design firms for the PrinceEdward (Bloor Street) Viaduct. A copy of the advertisement is attached (see Appendix A).

Approximately 50 design firms picked up the "Design Brief for Expressions of Interest" which provided the following information:

-background to the project;

-history of the Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct;

-design requirements;

-selection process; and

-submission requirements.

The schedule for submitting and evaluating "Expressions of Interest" (Stage I) was as follows:

Stage 1:

Expression of Interest AdvertisedJuly 11, 1998

Expression of Interest Design Brief AvailableJuly 13, 1998

Deadline for Receipt of Stage 1 SubmissionsJuly 27, 1998

Steering Committee Adjudication - Stage IJuly 30, 1998

Announcement of Stage II CandidatesJuly 31, 1998

Sixteen firms submitted Expressions of Interest which were reviewed in detail by members of the Project Steering Committee. As a result of this review, four firms were selected to participate in the design competition in accordance with the following schedule:

Stage II:

Distribution of Stage II Design BriefAugust 4, 1998

Information Session with Stage II CandidatesAugust 6, 1998

Deadline for Stage II QuestionsAugust 14, 1998

Deadline for Stage II SubmissionsAugust 27, 1998

Selection Committee Adjudication - Stage IIAugust 28, 1998

Recommendation to Urban Environment andSeptember 8, 1998

Development Committee

City Council DecisionOctober 1, 1998

A copy of the Stage II Design Brief is attached (see Appendix B).

The Project Steering Committee will be meeting on August 28, 1998, to commence the adjudication process which will be completed during the week of August 31 to September 4, 1998.

Conclusions:

The Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct project is on schedule. A presentation will be made and a report containing a recommendation on the preferred design will be submitted to the Urban Environment and Development Committee on September 8, 1998.

Contact Name:

Mr. Les Kelman, Director, Transportation Systems, 392-5372, Fax.: 392-4940.

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The Urban Environment and Development Committee reports, for the information of Council, also having had before it a communication (July 24, 1998) from the City Clerk advising that the Corporate Services Committee on July 20, 1998, endorsed the recommendations embodied in the report (July13, 1998) from the City Solicitor, entitled "Inquest into the Death of KennethAu-Yeung", viz:

"It is recommended that this report be forwarded to the Urban Environment and Development Committee for its information";

and submitting a supplementary report (July 17, 1998) from the City Solicitor which advised that the actions taken by City Council at its meeting of July 8, 9 and 10, 1998, with respect to the establishment of measures to deter suicide attempts at the Prince Edward (Bloor Street) Viaduct, are consistent with the jury's recommendations, as set out in its verdict rendered as a result of the aforementioned inquest.

The following persons made presentations to the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Tom. G. Denes, Executive Director, Technical Services, Works and Emergency Services Department;

-Mr. Les Kelman, Director, Transportation Systems, Works and Emergency Services Department, and also filed a copy of his presentation material, entitled "Prince Edward Viaduct (Bloor Street) Stage II Submission";

-Mr. Stephen G. McLaughlin, President, Stephen G. McLaughlin Consultants Inc., and Professional Advisor to the Bloor Street Viaduct Suicide Prevention Project Steering Committee; and

-Mr. Derek Revington, President, Derek Revington Studio.

The following persons appeared before the Urban Environment and Development Committee in connection with the foregoing matter:

-Mr. Al Birney, President, East York Chapter and Chairman, Bridge Committee, Schizophrenia Society of Ontario;

-Mr. Mike McCamus, Bridge Committee, Schizophrenia Society of Ontario;

-Mr. Richard L. Stromberg, Manager, Historical Preservation, Heritage Toronto; and

-Councillor Jack Layton, Don River.

(A copy of Appendices A and B, referred to in the foregoing report dated August 24, 1998, from the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, has been forwarded to all Members of Council with the agenda of the September 8, 1998 meeting of the Urban Environment and Development Committee, and a copy thereof is on file in the office of the City Clerk.)