Friends of University Avenue Proposal to Install Public Art Display in University Avenue Median Park - by Mayor John Tory, seconded by Councillor Mike Layton

Phase Two would include enhanced landscaping and year round illumination of existing monuments. Phase Three would include a curated program of rotating public art, commissioned or loaned by Friends of University Avenue. A Steering Committee, composed of the Friends of University Avenue and representatives from City Divisions including City Planning, Economic Development and Culture, Transportation Services, and Parks Forestry and Recreation, has been established to assess the feasibility of implementing this public art installation on University Avenue. City staff support the project in principle and, with City Council support, will continue to collaborate with the Friends of University Avenue with the aim of realizing the temporary public art installation. City staff are working through issues related to the proposed project to ensure that all of the City's requirements are met. Since the previous update, City staff have undertaken a State of Good Repair Assessment showing that significant funds are required to bring the proposed installation sites for phase two up to a point where the work could be installed and operationalized. This Motion provides a clear signal of support from the City to the Friends of University Avenue while also indicating that more work on feasibility has to be undertaken. It is the hope of staff that we can embed and collaborate with the Friends of University Avenue team to achieve a viable project, affordable for all parties, that delivers on the original intent of the Friends of University Avenue group to make the hospital precinct more welcoming and honour front-line health care staff. This will also enable the City to build in the project as a signature initiative under the Year of Public Art. This Motion is urgent as staff need to continue their discussions with Friends of University Avenue to expedite the construction of the improvements and this Motion expands the scope of the work of staff that was previously agreed to.

2. City Council direct City staff to support the Friends of University Avenue by providing production management and partnership support, reviewing potential enhancement options with regard to their financial, technical and operational feasibility and developing, in partnership with the Friends of University Avenue, a strategy to implement a revised proposal. 3. City Council authorize the Director, Toronto Office of Partnerships, in coordination with the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, the General Manager, Transportation Services, the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning and the General Manager Parks, Forestry and Recreation to negotiate and sign a Memorandum of Understanding with the Friends of University Avenue on terms satisfactory to the City Solicitor.