City of Toronto Logo Agenda

Regular



Parks and Environment Committee


Meeting No. 27   Contact Dela Ting, Acting Administrator
Meeting Date Wednesday, January 13, 2010
  Phone 416-397-7769
Start Time 9:30 AM
  E-mail pec@toronto.ca
Location Committee Room 2, City Hall
  Chair   Councillor Paula Fletcher  


 

Parks and Environment Committee

 

Councillor Paula Fletcher (Chair)

Councillor Raymond Cho (Vice Chair Environment)

 

 

Councillor Ron Moeser

Councillor Frances Nunziata

 

Councillor Karen Stintz (Vice Chair Parks)

Councillor Michael Walker

 

Members of Council and Staff:  Please keep this agenda and the accompanying material until the City Council meeting dealing with these matters has ended.  The City Clerk’s Office will not provide additional copies.

 

Special Assistance for Members of the Public:  City staff can arrange for special assistance with some advance notice. If you need special assistance, please call 416-392-6662, TTY 416-338-0889 or e-mail pec@toronto.ca.

 

Closed Meeting Requirements:  If the Parks and Environment Committee wants to meet in closed session (privately), a member of the Committee must make a motion to do so and give the reason why the Committee has to meet privately. (City of Toronto Act, 2006)

 

Notice to people writing or making presentations to the  Parks and Environment Committee:   The City of Toronto Act, 2006 and the City of Toronto Municipal Code authorize the City of Toronto to collect any personal information in your communication or presentation to City Council or its committees.

 

The City collects this information to enable it to make informed decisions on the relevant issue(s). If you are submitting letters, faxes, e-mails, presentations or other communications to the City, you should be aware that your name and the fact that you communicated with the City will become part of the public record and will appear on the City’s website. The City will also make your communication and any personal information in it – such as your postal address, telephone number or e-mail address – available to the public, unless you expressly request the City to remove it.

 

The City videotapes committee and community council meetings. If you make a presentation to a committee or community council, the City will be videotaping you and City staff may make the video tapes available to the public.

 

If you want to learn more about why and how the City collects your information, write to the City Clerk's Office, City Hall, 100 Queen Street West, Toronto ON M5H 2N2 or by calling 416-397-7769.

 

Declarations of Interest under the Municipal Conflict of Interest Act

 

Speakers/Presentations:  A complete list will be distributed at the meeting

 

Confirmation of Minutes - October 15, 2009

 

Communications/Reports

PE27.1

Presentation 

 

 

Ward: All 

Presentation by Ryerson University Planning and Urban Design Students
Summary

Presentation by Ryerson University Planning and Urban Design Students on Parks Classification and Public Involvement.

Background Information
Park Uses and Features: Branding and Community Participation
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26226.pdf)


PE27.2

ACTION 

 

 

Ward: All 

People, Dogs and Parks Strategy - Off-Leash Policy Review
Origin
(December 16, 2009) Report from General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation
Recommendations

The General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation recommends that City Council:

 

1.         approve the revised Off-Leash Policy with amendments outlined in bold print, in Attachment 1, subject to any necessary minor substantive, or stylistic refinements as may be identified by the General Manager; and

 

2.         direct the City Solicitor to make the corresponding amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 608 - Parks to implement the revisions to the Off-Leash Policy, as outlined in Attachment 2, subject to any necessary minor substantive or stylistic refinements as may be identified by the General Manager and the City Solicitor.

 

Summary

The “People, Dogs and Parks Strategy – Off-Leash Policy,” enacted by Council in 2007 after several years of research, assessment and extensive public debate, provides a framework to address the provision of dogs off-leash areas in City parks, greenspaces, and waterfront areas.  Since enactment, staff have completed reviews on 65 of 85 applications (grandparented and new sites).

 

On the basis of this experience with application of the policy, this report advances a number of refinements to provide greater clarity to the assessment criteria; streamline the decision-making process; and better link consideration of dogs off-leash requests to community need, overall park planning and development, and financial sustainability.  The proposed revised policy is contained as Attachment 1 to this report, with supporting amendments to Municipal Code Chapter 608 – Parks, set out in Attachment 2.

Financial Impact

City Council, under the 2009 Capital Program, for the first time, approved funding for the installation and improvement of dogs off-leash areas in the amount of $1.5 million.  An amount of $1 million has been approved in the 2010 Capital Budget.  Adoption of the recommendations in this report will establish a closer relationship between implementation and ongoing operation of dogs off-leash areas and the Division’s capital program of parks redevelopment and development of new parks, with no direct incremental funding beyond current levels.

 

The Deputy City Manager and Chief Financial Officer has reviewed this report and agrees with the financial impact information.

Background Information
Staff Report from General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26062.pdf)

Communications
(May 25, 2008) E-mail from John Camercon (PE.Main.PE27-2-1)
(June 10, 2008) E-mail from Linda Briskin (PE.Main.PE27-2-2)
(July 14, 2008) E-mail from Andrew Long (PE.Main.PE27-2-3)
(July 17, 2008) E-mail from Samantha Nutt (PE.Main.PE27-2-4)
(July 18, 2008) E-mail from Louise Morin (PE.Main.PE27-2-5)
(July 24, 2008) E-mail from Eleanor Bothwell (PE.Main.PE27-2-6)
(July 24, 2008) E-mail from Brad Marcoux (PE.Main.PE27-2-7)
(September 9, 2008) E-mail from John Cameron (PE.Main.PE27-2-8)
(September 9, 2008) E-mail from Victor Levin (PE.Main.PE27-2-9)
(September 10, 2008) E-mail from Linda Briskin and Kye Marshall (PE.Main.PE27-2-10)
(September 10, 2008) E-mail from Jacobus C. (Ko) Van Klaveren (PE.Main.PE27-2-11)
(October 7, 2008) E-mail from George and Linda Luste (PE.Main.PE27-2-12)
(October 11, 2008) E-mail from Rhonda West-Shepherd (PE.Main.PE27-2-13)
(December 10, 2009) E-mail from Anne McEwen (PE.Main.PE27-2-14)

2a Minimum Park Size for the Creation of New Off-leash Areas in City Parks
Origin
(July 23, 2008) Member Motion from City Council
Recommendations

Moved by Councillor Adam Vaughan, seconded by Councillor Anthony Perruzza:

 

1.         That the City Solicitor and the General Manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation amend the People, Dogs and Parks Off-leash Policy to prohibit the creation of new off-leash areas for dogs in parks and green spaces with a smaller area than 2 acres and any necessary Bills be introduced to give effect to this amendment.

Summary

City Council on July 15, 16 and 17, 2008, referred Motion (MM23.10) to the Parks and Environment Committee for consideration.

Background Information
Motion moved by Councillor Adam Vaughan, Ward 20 - Trinity-Spadina
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26063.pdf)


PE27.3

ACTION 

 

 

 

Recognition for Trillium Ferry Boat's 100th Anniversary
Origin
(January 6, 2010) Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 30 - Toronto-Danforth
Summary

Requesting that theTrillium’s 100th anniversary be recognized by a proclamation and that Heritage Toronto, in partnership with Parks, Forestry and Recreation, organize an official celebration of this important historic occasion.  Also request staff work with interested parties to plan the celebration, including, Mike Filey, Toronto’s unofficial historian, the Polson family, and Gordon Champion, the engineer responsible for the restoration.

Background Information
Letter from Councillor Paula Fletcher, Ward 30 - Toronto-Danforth
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26239.pdf)


PE27.4

ACTION 

 

 

 

For Information - Board of Health Transmittal on the Update on the Metrolinx Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link (Board of Health Item HL26.3)
Origin
(November 16, 2009) Letter from Board of Health
Summary

The Board of Health on November 16, 2009, amongst other things, forwarded for information the report (November 2, 2009) from the Medical Officer of Health, entitled “Update on the Metrolinx Georgetown South Service Expansion and Union-Pearson Rail Link” to the Parks and Environment Committee.

Background Information
Transmittal Letter from the Board of Health
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26235.pdf)

Staff Report
(http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2010/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-26236.pdf)