Phase 3 of the construction of a comprehensive stormwater management system that includes filtration beds, bioswales and a nine-acre lake is currently underway in the Park. Elements associated with the stormwater management system include a pedestrian bridge to allow the current circuit path to continue unbroken over the bioswale and extend beyond its current limits and a magnificent public lookout point at the edge of the Lake. Work on another significant Park feature, the construction of 20-metre-high Mound, will kick into high gear this fall using the excavated material from the Lake, demonstrating true sustainability.

A great deal of engineering work has been completed to provide for new utilities such as sanitary sewers, water and hydro at the south end of the park to accommodate existing facilities within Parc Downsview Park Inc. lands, neighbourhood lands in the Park, as well as the Bombardier lands.

For more information on all work going on in Downsview Park visit www.downsviewpark.ca

Interested in watching the construction going on at Downsview Park? Now you can. Get a behind-the-scenes look at how the Park is taking shape with our new WebCams. Two cameras on site take a birds-eye view of the construction activity and send photos to our website.

The vision for the 572-acre Downsview Park is the creation of a recreational greenspace incorporating both expansive open space, recreational and cultural areas, as well as repurposing many of the historic aviation-related buildings to create a year-round setting that will attract a diverse array of people from the local community, across Canada and around the globe and to do so on a self-financing basis. In addition to creating a unique national urban park on the majority of the lands, five related neighbourhoods will be developed to assist in creating and maintaining Downsview Park to pay for the public space and truly build a sustainable community.

Parc Downsview Park Inc. is launching the next stage of its evolution by proposing to sell two sections of the Stanley Greene Neighbourhood to appropriate residential developers. This Neighbourhood measures some 47.6 acres in total land area and is located within the south-western corner of Downsview Park.

In anticipation of the Downsview Area Secondary Plan review being completed shortly, PDP has initiated a Request for Expressions of Interest (REI), intended to solicit interest from the development industry in the opportunity presented by the Stanley Greene Neighbourhood. Through an open and transparent REI process, PDP hopes to identify and establish a short-list of qualified developers interested in purchasing the housing portions of the Stanley Greene Neighbourhood.

The Stanley Greene Neighbourhood property is generally bounded on its west side by Keele Street and the existing Cuffley Crescent neighbourhood, on the east by a CN rail line, on the south by Mount Sinai Memorial Park Cemetery and Downsview Secondary School, and on the north by Downsview Park. This neighbourhood is presently used as a residential area for personnel of the Department of National Defence (DND).

The Stanley Greene Neighbourhood will contribute to the revitalization of Keele Street’s east side. Parc Downsview Park Inc. believes that this opportunity will strengthen the neighbourhood and encourage reinvestment of other properties on Keele Street. Parc Downsview Park Inc. has a number of objectives to which it will require the purchaser(s) to adhere, to ensure that the vision and mandate of Downsview Park permeates the whole site.

Parc Downsview Park Inc. is currently working with the City of Toronto to set in place a new Downsview Area Secondary Plan (DASP) and approved zoning for the Downsview lands, and anticipates that the DASP and recommended zoning provisions will be before Toronto City Council in fall 2009. Parc Downsview Park Inc. is hopeful that this process will result in the lands being sufficiently designated and zoned to allow for 961 residential units within this neighbourhood. Included in this total are some 225 medium density units to be provided to Canadian Forces Housing Agency. The areas which are the subject of the residential opportunity comprise 736 units.

As noted previously, Downsview Park must be self-financing (no government funds or tax-payer dollars are attributed to the support of the Park). Therefore, although most of the lands will remain under the ownership of PDP, one third of the lands is contemplated to be sold or leased to appropriate partners in order to sustain the Park. The development lands will be designed, built, and operated as a prototype sustainable community to demonstrate environmentally innovative practices and technologies, and to serve as a model and educational resource for the country.

Downsview Park integrates a national resource within a park setting dedicated to the preservation and celebration of natural heritage. The park development process is remarkable in that the Park is positioned first as the key driver for the neighbourhood development agenda, and the rest of the lands are planned to ensure that the Park will thrive for generations to come.

Parc Downsview Park Inc. understands that with progress comes change and with change come questions—of interest and concern. Additional information can be found on the PDP website at www.downsviewpark.ca.  Or you may email info@downsviewpark.ca or call 416-952-2222 between the hours of 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., Monday to Friday.