Authorization to Release Section 37 Funds to Toronto District School Board for Blake Street Junior Public School Playground Improvements - by Councillor Paula Fletcher, seconded by Councillor Gord Perks

The Learning and Nature Zone creates a dynamic, green playscape with a variety of elements inspiring open and creative play. The Outdoor Play and Learning Zone will expand the play potential of this zone and importantly serve as excellent outdoor classrooms. The pandemic has underscored the need for healthy outdoor alternatives. The school is located at 21 Boultbee Ave between Pape and Donlands, at the eastern end of Riverdale. Blake-Jones is a dense and vibrant community, containing a mix of housing from high-rises to single-family homes; over 50 percent of which are apartments or row-houses. Among the residents, 22.3 percent are considered low-income and 21.9 percent are in core housing need. Approximately 60 percent of the students in the English stream are residents of Toronto Community Housing developments in the community. The school is directly across the street from the largest of these, Blake-Boultbee, which lacks on-site recreational amenities, save for one small playground. The schoolyard helps fill the recreational need for older children and adults, living there and throughout our neighbourhood. Section 37 funds have been secured and received from the various developments in the vicinity of the School. The use of Section 37 funds is appropriate as the Section 37 Implementation Guidelines (section 5.9) approved by Council in 2007 states: "Cash contributions toward the capital improvement of school board playgrounds are eligible S.37 community benefits where the playground serves as a local park, where the public will continue to have reasonable access for the foreseeable future, and where there is no local City-owned parkland performing a similar function in the same community that could otherwise benefit from the cash contribution." The funds will be forwarded to the Toronto District School Board once the School Board has entered into a Community Access Agreement with the City, governing the purpose of the funds, the financial reporting requirements, and addressing community access to the improved facilities, to the satisfaction of the City Solicitor, prepared in consultation with the General Manager, Parks Forestry and Recreation and the Ward Councillor.

319 Carlaw Avenue (Source Account: XR3026-3700372), in the amount of $35,619.62, secured for park purposes; however since the funds have not been used for the intended purpose within three (3) years of this By-law coming into full force and effect, the unused cash contributions may be redirected for another purpose, at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Councillor, provided that the purpose is identified in the Toronto Official Plan and will benefit the community in the vicinity of the land; and b. 319 Carlaw Avenue (Source Account: XR3026-3700376), in the amount of $27,368.65, secured for public realm improvements; however since the funds have not been used for the intended purpose within three (3) years of this By-law coming into full force and effect, the unused cash contributions may be redirected for another purpose, at the discretion of the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning, in consultation with the local Councillor, provided that the purpose is identified in the Toronto Official Plan and will benefit the community in the vicinity of the land. 2. City Council request staff from the Partnerships and Business Services Branch of Parks, Forestry and Recreation to participate in the preparation of the Community Access Agreement and City Council request the City Solicitor to draw up the Agreement, in consultation with the Ward Councillor and Community Planning staff, provided acceptable terms can be agreed upon. 3. City Council authorize the execution of a Community Access Agreement with the Toronto District School Board for the capital improvements to the playgrounds at Blake Street Junior Public School on terms and conditions satisfactory to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor. 4. City Council direct that the funds be forwarded to the Toronto District School Board once the Toronto District School Board has signed a Community Access Agreement with the City, governing the purpose of the funds, the financial reporting requirements, and addressing community access to the playground facilities.