Air Canada Centre - Assumption of parts of

Bremner Boulevard (Downtown)

The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (December8, 1998) from the Director, Transportation Services District 1:

Recommendations:

(1)That the City accept the conveyances of lands designated as Part 6 on Plan No. 66R-17188 and Parts 8, 15, 17, 44, 50, 209 and 213 on Plan No. 64R-14994 and other lands pursuant to the Precinct R Agreement, and in accordance with the provisions of the Land Exchange Amendment and Restatement Agreement and the Air Canada Centre Land Exchange Agreement;

(2)That the lands designated as Part 6 on Plan No. 66R-17188 and Parts 8, 15, 17, 44, 50, 209 and 213 on Plan No. 64R-14994 be laid out and dedicated for public highway purposes and named to form part of Bremner Boulevard, subject to the completion of the conveyances and the necessary land registrations to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor;

(3)That the dedication of the north-south leg of Bremner Boulevard be deemed approved as a public highway less than 20 metres in width for the purposes of Municipal Act, Subsection 305(2) and Ontario Regulations 143/95 and 430/96;

(4)That concurrent with the dedication of the lands as set out in Recommendation No. 2, above:

(a)Parking be prohibited at any time on both sides of Bremner Boulevard between Lake Shore Boulevard West and York Street;

(b)That the north-south leg of Bremner Boulevard between Lake Shore Boulevard West and the east-west leg of Bremner Boulevard be designated one-way northbound;

(c)"Stop" signs be installed for northbound traffic on the north-south leg of Bremner Boulevard at the east-west leg of Bremner Boulevard;

(d)Authority be given to amend the appropriate schedules of Municipal Code Chapter 400 accordingly; and

(5)That the appropriate City Officials be authorized to take whatever action is necessary to give effect to the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that may be required.

Comments:

The Precinct R Agreement between Maple Leaf Sports and Entertainment Limited and the City of Toronto respecting the development of the Air Canada Centre provides that the owner (Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited) will construct or cause to be constructed, to the satisfaction of the Commissioner of Works and Emergency Services, all infrastructure elements related to the development including among other things, all municipal services on Bremner Boulevard between York Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West. These municipal services consist of among other things, storm and sanitary sewers, watermains, district heating and cooling plant, pavements, sidewalks, curbs, boulevards, tree pits, lighting facilities and landscaping features. Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited is carrying out its obligations under the agreements relative to the design, contract administration and ongoing construction of these elements and to date, the street is being constructed to satisfactory standards in accordance with the configuration established in the Precinct R Agreement. The Precinct R Agreement also provides for the assumption of these elements by the City as soon as possible following their completion.

The Air Canada Centre is scheduled to open in February of 1999. Construction of the infrastructure elements has been proceeding under the inspection of Works and Emergency Services staff and is nearing completion. The status of the infrastructure works has been reviewed by staff and on the basis of an interim inspection, a number of minor deficiencies exist. Air Canada Centre representatives have advised that all outstanding infrastructure works associated with the streets will be completed by mid-December. In terms of the funding for the construction of the Interim Streets, the Air Canada Centre has provided the City with a Letter of Credit in an amount considerably in excess of the cost of completing the outstanding work and remedying any deficient infrastructure work as discussed above. This is in accordance with the requirements of the Precinct R Agreement.

The section of Bremner Boulevard to be assumed by the City is shown on the attached print of Drawing No. SK-2209 dated December 7, 1998 and is designated as Part 6 on Plan No. 66R-17188 and Parts 8, 15, 17, 44, 50, 209 and 213 on Plan No. 64R-14994. The east-west leg of Bremner Boulevard has a right of way width of 27 m and the north-south leg has a width of 15 m. Although the latter leg of Bremner Boulevard has a width of less than 20 m, this segment should be deemed approved as a public highway as set out in recommendation No. 3, above.

Given the expected opening of the Air Canada Centre in February, it would be advisable for City Council to authorize the layout, dedication and naming of this section of Bremner Boulevard and the introduction of parking and traffic regulations at this time. The bills necessary to give effect thereto could be introduced subject to the timely completion of the property transfers and the respective by-laws stipulated to come into effect when the conveyances and the necessary land registrations respecting these conveyances are completed. This course of action would allow the street to be opened to the public during the first week of January if deemed desirable, well in advance of the scheduled opening date. It should be noted that the Precinct R Agreement also contains a number of conditions that must be met prior to stadium opening and the assessment of these aspects by City staff is ongoing. Representatives of Maple Leaf Sports & Entertainment Limited have suggested a target of early to mid-January, 1999 for City approval of these conditions, again well in advance of the scheduled stadium opening date.

With respect to traffic and parking regulations, measures to accommodate the projected traffic operations involve the designation of the north-south leg as one-way northbound and the installation of 'Stop' signs at the intersection of the two legs of Bremner Boulevard and prohibiting parking any time on both sides of the street, as set out in Recommendation No. 4 above. The traffic levels and parking demands will be monitored on an ongoing basis as the facility becomes fully operational in order to determine operational needs of the new streets and traffic volumes generated by the site overall.

The signalization of this leg of Bremner Boulevard with York Street was approved by the former Metro Council at its meeting of July 3, 1996 (Metro Transportation Committee Report No. 11, Clause 10). I note that the traffic control signals have already been installed and are operating at this location.

Contact Name and Telephone Number

John Niedra, Manager

Infrastructure Asset Management and Programming

392-7835

Insert Table/Map No. 1

Bremner Boulevard