Dear City Council:
I have a proposal for you to consider as to how to complete the development of the lands surrounding the new downtown events centre:
- It has become a well known wish of council to expand the urban street grid south of Main Street. This is a worthwhile objective that I fully support. I propose that this initiative be carried on to include that portion of Main Street to the west of the CN overpass.
- Highfield Street is already to be extended around the events centre to eventually meet up with Ivan Rand Drive at Vaughan Harvey Boulevard. I propose that Weldon Street
also be extended south of Main Street to intersect with Highfield Street Extension just to the east of the VIA Rail station.
- By doing so, you contain the events centre on its own city block, and provide access to currently undeveloped lands south of Main Street which could complement the events centre.
- Specifically, if Crombie REIT could be involved in this project, I envisage that as part of their future redevelopment of 1222 Main, that they construct a commercial podium fronting on Weldon and connecting both 1222 Main and 1234 Main. This commercial podium could contain office space and some retail to service the office complex.
- Further, as part of this redevelopment, perhaps Crobie REIT could consider a multilevel parking facility further to the south along Weldon to service their complex during the daytime and the events centre in the evening. A parking facility here would be very convenient to patrons of the events centre and would improve overall density in this portion of the core.
- The development of Parcel "A" should be expedited, and should include a 4-6 storey condominium or apartment project (with underground parking), and ground level retail/commercial, perhaps including a restaurant to improve the vibrancy of the neighbourhood. A building here (in addition to the new Hyatt Place Hotel and included chain restaurant) would truly reshape the west end of the downtown core.
- A re-established street grid, increased density, improved vibrancy and a new enclosed parking facility to serve the west end, especially during events at the downtown centre. The extension of Weldon Street would accomplish all these things. I believe this should be seriously considered........