Toronto explores Design Review to raise quality of development and public spaces

“As a City we must learn to despise mediocrity. We can’t accept what we’ve accepted in the past. Good enough is no longer good enough,” stated Mayor Miller in his opening remarks at the Architecture and Urban Design Awards on May 16, 2005.

The Mayor spoke passionately of his commitment to improve the quality of development in Toronto to inspire and elevate the quality of life for citizens, promising a “peer review process.”
Toronto is often compared to other cities such as Vancouver and Montreal where design review panels are credited as the reason for the superior design of their public realm. Realizing its unique political environment, the City is considering the adoption of a design review panel to enhance the quality of buildings and public spaces in Toronto.

The City of Toronto, in association with the Canadian Urban Institute, Toronto Society of Architects and Ontario Association of Landscape Architects, will host a two-part symposium with international and local experts, developers, design professionals, politicians and the public,
to discuss Design Review for Toronto.

PART I – ticketed event
June 29, 7:30 – 11:30 a.m.

Canadian Urban Institute (CUI) Urban Leadership Breakfast Session
“Lessons from Other Places”
33rd Floor, Sutton Place Hotel, 955 Bay Street
Session chair: Allan Leibel, Co-Chair, Goodmans LLP
Participants:
1. Ted Tyndorf, Chief Planner, City of Toronto, City Planning
2. Robert Freedman, Director of Urban Design, City of Toronto, City Planning
3. Leo deSorcy, Program Manager, Urban Design, City of Toronto, City Planning
4. Larry Beasley, Co-Director of Planning and Director of Current Planning, City of Vancouver
5. Adrian Sheppard, Architecture and Urbanism Committee, City of Montreal
6. Joanna Averley, Director of Enabling, CABE Program, United Kingdom
7. David Carlson, Boston Civic Design Commission, Boston Redevelopment Authority
8. Joe Berridge, Urban Strategies, Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation Design Review Panel

PART II – free – open to the public who register by calling 416-338-0338 (TTY 416-338-0889)
June 29, 7 – 9 p.m.
Moderated Panel Debate “Toward a Made in Toronto Solution”
Isabel Bader Theatre, 93 Charles Street West
Session Moderator: Adam Vaughan, City TV

Participants:
1. Mayor David Miller
2. Ted Tyndorf and Robert Freedman – will present an outline of the current development review process, and a proposal for incorporating design review
3. Larry Beasely Co-Director of Planning City of Vancouver
4. Julia Gersovitz, City of Montreal
5. Joanna Averley, Director of Enabling, CABE, England
6. David Carlson, Boston Civic Design Commission, Boston Redevelopment Authority
7. John Smit, Ottawa Downtown Design Review Pilot Project
8. Councillor Kyle Rae, City of Toronto
9. Joe Berridge, Urban Stragegies, Toronto Waterfront RC Design Review Panel
10. Michael Kirkland, Kirkland Partnership, Niagra Falls Design Review Panel
11. Allan Leibel, Co-Chair, Goodmans LLP
12. Anthony Coombs, City Formation International
13. Brigitte Shim, Shim Sutcliffe Architects
14. Alan Vihant, Vice President, Concord Adex Toronto
15. Cynthia Wilkey, South East Downtown Economic Redevelopment Initiative (SEDERI), West Don Lands Committee, Income Security Advocacy Centre (ISAC)

A reception will follow the evening session to promote a further exchange of ideas and to provide an opportunity for the media to interview participants.

Further information is available online at
www.toronto.ca/planning/designsymposium.htm