Authorization to Release Section 37 Funds to City Planning for a University Avenue Heritage Study, from the Development at 180-188 University Avenue - by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, seconded by Councillor Dianne Saxe

The outcome is to gain an understanding of the cultural heritage value of University Avenue. The Heritage Study will examine the existing landscape elements in the 12 medians on University Avenue from College Street to Adelaide Street, designed by a well-known landscape firm in 1963. Parks, Forestry and Recreation completed a State-of-Good Repair report in 2020 for the landscape and paving elements in the medians. The heritage study will assist staff in determining next steps in State-of-Good Repair for the medians and in assessing the Osgoode Station restoration plans of the median north of Queen Street West. It will also assist staff in reviewing at an early stage, the impacts to a University Avenue Park prior to potentially receiving approval for Environmental Assessment studies. Background Information On July 19, 2022, City Council adopted Item EX34.4 - Priority Downtown Parks and Public Realm Opportunities. In this report, City Council endorsed staff recommendations for advancing work on major new parks in the core of the City. One of those four projects is University Avenue Park - a conceptual redesign of University Avenue to assemble a continuous, public, green space connection. On June 5, 2019, a new Downtown Plan came into force and effect through Official Plan Amendment 406, as approved by Ministry of Municipal Affairs and Housing. The policies of Official Plan Amendment 406 are linked to the Council-adopted Downtown Parks and Public Realm Plan, which outlines a vision for University Avenue reconfigured to include a 3.6 hectare (8.9 acre) linear park along its eastern edge, linking Queen's Park with the Civic Precinct. The Avenue would be a well-treed setting for civic events, the everyday recreation of residents and workers, and would include a dedicated cycling facility. On May 2018, City Council adopted Item PG29.5 - Downtown Park and Public Realm Plan and directed staff to consider the potential to prioritize the redesign of University Avenue through the implementation strategy for the Downtown Plan.