Last night (June 18) about 85 Guelph citizens attended the York District Town Hall to hear some early ideas generated on how provincially owned lands in the York District could be developed to become the epicenter of a new cluster of innovative, sustainable businesses and mixed-use development that creates jobs and helps drive the local economy.
Members of this community who have been meeting over the last two months in four different roundtables, generated some exciting, innovative ideas. These are early ideas that still need to be tested for viability. But to give you sense of what the community is thinking at these early stages I have listed some of those ideas here.
Research, Development, Innovation
Peter Cartwright, Director of Economic Development for Guelph chaired Roundtable 1, which was tasked with coming up with some early ideas that would support research, development and innovation on the York District lands. His team conceived the area could be an “Innovation Park” and that could support projects like:
• Bio Product Design Centre
• Incubator Convergence Centre
• Environmental Change Centre
• Food Terminal
Light manufacturing, Assembly, Services, Commercial, Office, Retail
Susan Frason of WC Wood, chaired Roundtable 2, which examined ideas for light manufacturing, assembly, services, commercial office and retail. Her team recognized the area could be developed as several different “Land Use Precincts” that could host projects like:
• Industrial Condos
• College/University Campus Partnership
• Neighbourhood Commercial
Residential and Mixed Use Development
Tony Leighton of Fix Communications chaired Roundtable 3, which focused on ideas for residential use and mixed-use development. His group supported concepts for a “Live Work Precinct” in the York District, which it imagined, could include projects like:
• Live/Work Studios
• Reformatory Lofts and Tower
• Step-back Townhouses
• Inhabited Bridge
Culture, Design, Creative Enterprise
Julia Grady of Barking Dogs Studios chaired Roundtable 4, which examined ideas on Culture, design, and creative enterprise. After two months her team returned with idea to create an “Environmental Arts District” that could include projects like:
• Multi-Disciplinary Arts District
• International Environmental R & D
• International Arts Centre
The PowerPoint presentation used to describe these ideas in more detail and which included some photographs of other similar projects in other communities, can be found on our website at www.navauthentictiy/guelph.htm
Survey Says…
The 85 citizens who heard the ideas last night asked several good questions and filled in a survey to indicate which ideas they thought were most likely to succeed. We are tabulating those results today to better understand where the community thinks the opportunities lie.
Roundtable Early Ideas, One Input
The ideas presented last night form the starting point for the next leg of our research. They are just one input into the final report and recommendations that is due to the province in September.
In Depth Research and Identifying Champions
Over the summer the AuthentiCity team will review these ideas and others that have come in independently through letters and briefs. These ideas along with our own research and analysis will lead to some recommendations. An important part of the evaluation is to determine the degree to which the various project ideas would add value to the community, are achievable and who the champions are that can take the projects to the next stage.
Focus on Employment
During this entire process the community, the Province and the City have remained committed to the belief that the York District has the potential to be the epicenter of a new cluster of innovative, sustainable businesses and mixed-use development that creates jobs and helps drive the local economy.
In closing we are looking for a date in July to return with some refined ideas based on our research. We are working with your City Clerk to find a date that does not conflict with your council meetings or workshops.
If in the meantime you have any questions don’t hesitate to call me and view some of the work at www.authenticity/guelph.htm
Sincerely
Glen Murray
AuthentiCity
416.640.6069
[email protected]