Jill’s Community Involvement

The Western Waterfront Master Plan Community Advisory Group

The City of Toronto has initiated a planning process to revitalize the public realm along the Western Waterfront, which will include providing better connections from surrounding neighbourhoods to the parkland and improved amenities in the parkland to serve the local and regional needs. The public realm is in need of revitalization and improved accessibility.

The City has been working on a study to create a Master Plan for the Western Waterfront (WWMP). This plan will be recommending the type and location of park facilities that meet a range of community needs. Also, the WWMP will propose improvements to the transportation, transit and pedestrian links with surrounding neighbourhoods.

I've been an active member of the Western Waterfront Master Plan Community Advisory Group. This body is comprised of representatives of interested stakeholders, including both local and metropolitan interests to guide the master planning process by serving as a sounding board for and providing creative input to the WWMP.  Here is the work plan of our committee.

The area of this study covers a 4 km-long part of the Western Waterfront, bounded by the Humber River to the west, Marilyn Bell Park to the east, Lake Ontario to the south, and the Lake Shore Blvd W./Gardiner Expressway/Queensway corridor to the north. Below is the demonstration of the long term concept plan.

The composition and terms of reference of our advisory group is of critical importance to the study. The intent is that the membership of this group be as inclusive and reflective of the diverse stakeholder interests as possible, including both local and metropolitan interests. That is why local residents associations, lease holders and landowners, pedestrian and cyclist communities, and users of the Western Waterfront and nearby areas are also represented in this body.

Back in 2006, our Advisory Group noted that a strong civic engagement process is critical. In November 2007, the team and master planning process were introduced. A February 2008 educational seminar reviewed the history of the site, key precedents and preliminary directions.

To learn more about the work of our advisory group, click here to download the presentation of the public meeting of WWMP.