Protect Public Realm, Landscape and Biodiversity at Parliament & Shuter

I have lived at Parliament and Queen for 6 years. As a practitioner in urban design, I see the immense value in preserving the heritage and future possibility of Parliament’s north-south cultural corridor, connecting St. James Town, Cabbagetown, Regent park, Moss Park, Corktown and the Waterfront. I’ve also witnessed the development of high-density towers along the corridor (in particular south of Queen on Parliament) that have stripped parliament street of its character, animation, and vegetation by pushing podium facades right up to the street edge and providing no seating, public realm amenities, and minimal pollinator or habitat opportunity.

The former site of the Regent Park School at Parliament and Shuter has been left untouched for almost a decade. While signage in the area notes the site as a ‘future Toronto Catholic School Site’, my community is terrified that the site will be sold to private developers and we will be left with similar design and public realm decisions that we see elsewhere in the area, which do not prioritize pedestrians or biodiversity.

The lot at Parliament and Shuter is very large, containing many mature trees that support a variety of wildlife, including migratory birds. My neighbours and I fear that without oversight of how the lot is redeveloped we may loose one of the last opportunities along the Parliament corridor to support biodiversity, green infrastructure and public realm spaces that enhance the street’s cultural heritage and significance.

My proposal is to re-examine the use of the lot north-east of Parliament and Shuter, inquire about the intended use as a Catholic School and ask the school board to provide updates on the planning process. In additional, I propose to petition the city to mandate the preservation of areas within the lot as sites for bio-remediation and preservation of nature trees. Furthermore, I propose to re-examine the relationship of this large vacant lot to the adjacent East edge of Parliament street, to ensure there are practices in place to enhance the public realm experience.