June 29, 1999
To:Toronto Community Council
From:Commissioner of Urban Planning and Development Services
Subject:CityPlace Public Art Plan - (Railway Lands Central and West) - Private Developer Percent for Public Art Plan
Purpose:
The purpose of this report is to inform the Toronto Community Council of the proposed CityPlace Public Art Plan and to
seek approval of the recommendations made by the Public Art Commission concerning this plan.
Source of Funds
All costs associated with the Private Developer Percent Public Art Plan are the responsibility of the owners of the
CityPlace project.
Recommendations:
It is recommended that the Toronto Community Council approve the following recommendation from the City of Toronto
Public Art Commission:
(1)that the Toronto Community Council approve the proposed CityPlace Private Developer Percent for the CityPlace
Public Art Plan.
Background:
At its meeting of June 9, 1999, City Council adopted Clause No. 2 contained in the report No. 8 of the Toronto Community
Council approving the City's Urban Design Guidelines and the District Public Art Plan for the Railway Lands Central and
West. This District Public Art Plan was prepared by the City in accordance with the Ontario Municipal Board September
1994 decision pertaining to the Railway Lands Central and West Part II Plans. The purpose of this type of District Plan is
to ensure that the public art in the Railway Lands Central and West is provided in a coordinated manner over the years of
development. As the District Plan outlines, the land owner will be expected to prepare and submit for approval by the
Toronto Public Art Commission and City Council a public art plan, prior to or in conjunction with its first site plan
application for its landholding. A recent Site Plan Approval and Rezoning (to remove the "H" designation) application by
the owners (Concord Adex) triggered the preparation of the CityPlace Public Art Plan.
At the April 15, 1999 meeting of the Public Art Commission, a preliminary presentation of the CityPlace Public Art Plan
by Karen Mills, public art consultant and Mark Hewitt, Vice President of Development of Concord Adex was made.
Following subsequent meetings with Planning staff, Concord Adex has submitted the attached plan to City for approval.
It should be noted that over the years, as each development site triggers a public art is requirement (for either Concord
Adex lands or City-owned lands), Concord Adex will develop a detailed program for review by the City of Toronto
including the proposed competition type, jury composition, and selection methodology.
Comments
The CityPlace Public Art Plan, as presented by the owner, is attached to this report. A brief synopsis is as follows:
CityPlace comprises a 44 acre development site located in downtown Toronto running from the SkyDome on the east to
Bathurst Street and north from Lakeshore Boulevard generally to the rail corridor. CityPlace is divided by Spadina Avenue
into CityPlace Central (The area adjacent to the SkyDome) and CityPlace West (the area west of Spadina Avenue). There is
one development block (block 28) that is west of Spadina, but considered to be part of CityPlace Central.
This site was purchased by what is now Concord Adex Developments Corporation from Canada Lands Company in 1997.
As part of that acquisition, Concord Adex was required to assume or enter into a series of municipal agreements with the
City of Toronto which included the preparation of this Public Art Plan.
The CityPlace Public Art Plan provides a framework for the public art programs to be implemented during the course of
the phased CityPlace development programs. It will be a comprehensive, yet flexible working document.
The CityPlace Public Art Plan outlines the following:
- a general description of the guidelines for the Public Art Plan;
- an outline of objectives for the public art;
-identification of priorities for public art and potential site opportunities;
- a description of the proposed selection method to identify artists and/or art projects;
-community involvement opportunities;
- a preliminary estimate of the proposed overall budget based on currently estimated construction costs.
Approach:
The goal of the CityPlace Public Art Plan is to commission artwork of enduring value that engages its audience and speaks
on a variety of different levels.
For residents and visitors, public art has the power to create and reinforce a sense of community particularly in areas of
new development where there may have been no previous permanent community. Public art offers not only an immediate
topic of conversation , but is an effective place maker.
From the urban design stand point, the CityPlace Public art Plan reinforces the physical connection of these lands with the
city, enhancing site lines, new corridors, using public art to advantage in improving the urban conditions of specific areas.
Proposed Priority Locations:
Five possible locations offering a variety of approaches and supporting the priorities identified in the City's District Public
Art Plan for Railway Lands Central and West have been identified. Some of the locations are on City-owned lands (see
attached maps). All locations are publicly accessible,highly visible and offer opportunities for a variety of expression for
public art.
Location 1 - Spadina/Bremner Boulevard:
Functional artwork in the form of a weather protection element. There should be an emphasis on marking the intersections
along Spadina, especially at Bremner Boulevard.
Location 2 - Permanent Pedestrian Bridge:
The artwork may be integrated into the bridge design or form a significant feature as part of the bridge.
Location 3 - Community Park:
Thee Community park south of Blocks 29 and 26A presents an opportunity for the development of an artist designed
earthwork.
Location 4 - Block 20 Open Space:
This location is open space along the east side of Blocks 20A and 20B. It terminates the view corridor south of Bremner
Boulevard and affords an opportunity to add to the pattern of public art commissions that currently inhabit the north side of
the boulevard.
Location 5 - Block 21 Open Space:
View Corridor enhancement to on or near Blocks 21A and 21B. This may take the form of a local point sculpture, a
gateway or bridge-like element.
Future locations - The possiblity of future additional locations will be identified as the architectural program advances.
Public Artwork on City Lands:
It is understood that the development of artworks situated on publicly owned lands or in a public right of way must be
coordinated with the appropriate City departments.
Estimated Public Art Budget:
Based on the current estimates and the formula for calculating Concord Adex's public art contribution, the cumulative
public art contribution for CityPlace will be approximately $2.8 million. Over time, this amount may change depending on
the final building program. The budgets will be confirmed upon determination of the value of the building permit as issued
by the City.
Location 1 - Spadina/Bremner Boulevard$800,000
Location 2 - Permanent Pedestrian Bridge 650,000
Location 3 - Community Park 350,000
Location 4 - Block 20 Open Space 250,000
Location 5 - Block 21 Open Space 250,000
Future Locations 550,000
Art Selection Method:
In order to facilitate this plan over a number of years, Concord Adex has proposed to run public art information seminars
for interested artists. The owners plan to advertise locally, nationally and internationally to create pools of artists that will
be accessed when a public art project is launched. From these pools of artists, a number of different kinds of competitions
will be conducted through juried interviews; and ideas, conceptual and/or design competitions. These lists of artists will be
reviewed by the Public Art Commission.
All public art juries will have a majority of art experts independent of Concord Adex, and shall include at least one artist
and one local community representative.
Mentor Program:
In order to build a pool of artists experienced in working in the public art field, this plan proposes to develop a mentor
program through which the commissioned artists will work with other artists as part of a training experience. Up to
$15,000 from each selected location should be reserved to compensate the mentored artist.
Community Involvement:
In addition to the inclusion of local representation on the art selection juries, the owner will engage the community in other
ways such as ensuring that the call for artists will be extended throughout the immediate area, and artist information
sessions and background information will be provided at the CityPlace sales centre.
Conclusions:
This plan conforms with the City's guidelines published by Urban Planning and Development Services in the Development
Approval Manual and supports the objectives of the District Public Art Plan for the Railway Lands Central and West. I am
in full support of the recommendations from the Public Art Commission and I look forward to the results of this Private
Developer Percent for Public Art Plan.
Contact Name:
Jane Perdue
Public Art Co-ordinator, Urban Design
Tel: 416-392-1304
Fax: 416-392-1744
Email: jperdu@toronto.ca
Robert Glover
Director, Urban Design
JP/RG/ms
Attachments
(p:\1999\ug\uds\pln\to991946.pln)-ms
