Riverdale Park East Top of Bank Improvements

Improvements to Broadview Avenue along Riverdale Park East would also support recommendations within the Lower Don Trail Master Plan Refresh which identifies Broadview Avenue as the "Eastern Parallel Route", an alternate route for the Lower Don Trail. PFR staff conducted a preliminary site analysis and prepared preliminary concept sketches to determine an appropriate scope of work for future improvements to the top of the bank in the park and other related circulation issues in proximity to this area. Through this work it was determined that improvements to the Riverdale Park East top of bank would aim to remediate erosion, expand the pedestrian pathway adjacent to the sidewalk, and define activity zones for different uses of the top of bank and hill (e.g. walking, exercising, sitting, etc.), including by creating stepped seating zones that would serve as both gathering and viewing areas. Accessibility will be addressed through design development. Efforts will be made to ensure the future design minimizes impacts on the hill's current appearance, and includes materials that reflect the industrial and natural characteristics of the Don Valley. This project will require additional technical investigations, pre-engineering work, and public engagement activities prior to initiating design. Staff will begin carrying out this work through 2022 with the aim of issuing a Request for Proposals for detailed design works in late 2022, beginning design in 2023, and targeting construction for 2024. This schedule avoids conflict with Toronto Water works along Broadview Avenue, which are anticipated to be completed in early summer 2022 and Toronto Transit Commission track work that is planned for construction and completion in 2023. Moving forward with improvements to the Riverdale top of bank prior to the completion of the above-noted works in the road right-of-way by Toronto Water and the Toronto Transit Commission is not recommended. Proceeding with top of bank construction work which will also extend into the pedestrian zone of the road right-of-way concurrently with other road right-of-way works poses a number of issues that would be difficult to mitigate and are likely to cause project delays, increased project costs and safety issues for both pedestrian and vehicular traffic circulation.