September 27, 2023, Toronto, ON — Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) has enlisted the expertise of CreateTO to conduct a comprehensive feasibility analysis for the Black Creek Pioneer Village (BCPV) parking facility, situated at the north-west corner of Shoreham Drive and Murray Ross Parkway.
This process is part of an ongoing strategy of working to look for opportunities to revitalize Black Creek Pioneer Village taking into account the shared goals of municipal, provincial, and federal partners and neighbours, including York University and other community stakeholders.
The site holds significant importance to TRCA. Black Creek Pioneer Village is a longstanding tourist attraction that showcases artifacts, interactive offerings, and events to encourage visitors to explore the past while reflecting on the present.
Across the street from the site is 5 Shoreham Drive, the location of TRCA’s new administrative office building opening in 2024, a project that will set a benchmark for sustainable design in commercial building.
Through leveraging the expertise of CreateTO, this project will look at options to potentially transform a relatively underutilized Black Creek Pioneer Village parking facility into a more livable, sustainable, and inclusive space that is integrated into the fabric of the museum and heritage village and nearby community.
Additionally, this project will complement the new TRCA Administrative Head Office, enhance the natural heritage system, and advance community development goals for the adjacent Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
CreateTO, in close consultation with TRCA, will collaborate with a lead architect and a diverse team of consultants to generate a range of draft development options for the parking facility.
This comprehensive process will encompass reconnaissance and feasibility analyses, as well as consultations with City of Toronto staff and stakeholders.
Once draft development options are completed and analysed, TRCA will review options and seek approval from the TRCA Board of Directors for approval of the concept and funding for any approved next steps.
The planning process will also include an extensive community engagement and consultation component, as well as Community Council and City Council approvals.
TRCA looks forward to collaborating with CreateTO and City staff to develop an innovative, community-focused real estate concept for this currently underutilized site.
About Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA)
Since 1957, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA), as enabled through the provincial Conservation Authorities Act, has taken action to enhance our region’s natural environment and protect our land, water, and communities from the impacts of flooding and increasingly extreme weather events – Ontario’s leading cause of public emergencies.
As the region’s first line of defence against natural hazards, TRCA maintains vital infrastructure and provides programs and services that promote public health and safety, protecting people and property.
TRCA mobilizes a science-based approach to provide sound policy advice, leveraging its position as a not-for-profit operating in the broader public sector to achieve collective impacts within our communities and across all levels of government.
TRCA’s jurisdiction includes nine watersheds and their Lake Ontario shorelines, spanning six upper-tier and fifteen lower-tier municipalities and representing almost five million people, approximately 10% of Canada’s population.
To learn more about TRCA, visit trca.ca.
About CreateTO
CreateTO was formed in 2018 as the City of Toronto’s real estate agency. The organization brings together stakeholders, partners, and community members to ensure the best use of the City’s real estate assets for today and tomorrow. CreateTO manages the City’s $27 billion real estate portfolio, develops City buildings and lands for municipal purposes and delivers client focused real estate solutions – ensuring a balance of both community and economic benefits.
For more information, visit www.createto.ca.
Media Contact
Afiya Jilani
Specialist, Communication and Media Relations
Communications, Marketing and Events
afiya.jilani@trca.ca