Kitchener Charles Street Terminal Redesign

CHARLES STREET GATEWAY PLANNING JUSTIFICATION REPORT 15 Charles Street West, Kitchener, Ontario

Prepared by:

MASCT GROUP INC. Prepared for: Region of Waterloo April 2020

EXECUTIVE SUMMARY The Charles Street Terminal currently sits empty, a ghost of its former use, on a central piece of downtown land that has extreme potential for redevelopment. A successful development can revamp the site into a pedestrian hub that supports existing nearby uses and adds welcoming places for living, working, and playing. To make use of this potential, MASCT Group Inc. proposes to construct two mixed-use residential and commercial LEED-certified green buildings with affordable housing units, a LEEDcertified green community use building, an outdoor community gathering space and garden space, and a pedestrian-only street.

MASCT Group Inc. has identified goals for the redevelopment in support of what the City of Kitchener, Region of Waterloo, business owners, and residents wish to see on the site. These goals are to increase density, add green space, provide community meeting spaces, make the site a connective hub, and incorporate affordable units. Six main objectives were also identified to guide the redevelopment to achieve these goals. The objectives are to improve public health, be an environmentally sustainable site, increase pedestrian activity, increase connectivity and congregation, ensure accessibility and affordability, and provide for reconciliation and inclusion.

This redevelopment will meet a variety of provincial and regional goals, including growth-related goals under the Places to Grow Act; public health and community goals under the Regional Official Plan; sustainability goals under Kitchener’s Official Plan; and transportation, environmental, and economic goals under Kitchener’s Strategic Plan.

While the site provides many opportunities for the improvement of connectivity, green infrastructure usage, encouragement of multi-modal transportation, and additional community space, there are some challenges. These challenges are mainly related to the cost of affordable housing units and green infrastructure as they can be expensive upfront investments. Therefore, MASCT Group recommends the City and/or Region provide incentives or funding for developers to further promote these initiatives.

MASCT Group has proposed a redevelopment that we believe will make the Charles Street Terminal site a bustling hub once more. We believe our redevelopment will make for the best possible use of this prime land and will be a wanted and needed addition to the downtown core that fosters a better quality of life for present and future citizens.

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TABLE OF CONTENTS 1.0 Introduction..........................................................................................................1 2.0 Background.........................................................................................................2 3.0 Site Context.........................................................................................................4

3.1 Opportunities....................................................................................................4

3.2 Challenges........................................................................................................5 4.0 Objectives...........................................................................................................6

4.1 Public Health.....................................................................................................6

4.2 Environmental Sustainability.............................................................................6

4.3 Pedestrian Activity............................................................................................6

4.4 Connectivity & Congregation...........................................................................6

4.5 Affordability & Accessibility..............................................................................6

4.6 Reconciliation & Inclusion.................................................................................6 5.0 Land Use Structure Plan/Block & Street Pattern..................................................7 6.0 Environmental Management Plan......................................................................10

6.1 Design Features..............................................................................................10

6.2 Environmental Sustainability............................................................................11

6.2.1 Environmental Measurements & Monitoring.....................................11

6.2.2 Construction Impact Mitigation Plan................................................11

6.2.3 Sustainability & Climate Change.......................................................11

6.2.3.1 LEED Green Buildings.........................................................12 6.2.3.2 Stormwater Management...................................................12 6.2.3.3 Green Roof.........................................................................13 6.2.3.4 Vegetated Spaces...............................................................14 6.2.3.5 Whitened Materials.............................................................14

6.2.3.6 Renewable Energy Use.......................................................15

6.2.3.7 Transportation Demand Management (TDM).....................15

6.2.3.8 Meeting City Objectives......................................................16

6.3 Public Health...................................................................................................17

6.3.1 Improving Air Quality........................................................................17

6.3.2 Reducing Noise Pollution.................................................................18

6.3.3 Improving Mental Health..................................................................18

6.3.4 Improving Physical Health.................................................................19 MASCT GROUP INC.

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6.4 Reconciliation & Inclusion...............................................................................20

6.4.1 Public Consultation...........................................................................20

6.4.2 Indigenous Perspective & Participation............................................20

6.4.3 Inclusive Site Design.........................................................................21

6.5 Pedestrian Activity...........................................................................................21

6.6 Connectivity & Congregation.........................................................................22

6.7 Affordability & Accessibility.............................................................................23 7.0 Next Steps........................................................................................................24 References..............................................................................................................27 Organization Chart of Section Authors....................................................................31

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LIST OF FIGURES

Figure 1: Area of Charles Street Terminal...............................................................2 Figure 2: Block and Street Pattern..........................................................................7 Figure 3: Land Use Structure Plan...........................................................................7 Figure 4: Land Use Site Plan...................................................................................7 Figure 5: Evolv1 - LEED Platinum Green Building..................................................12 Figure 6: Telus Building making use of Green Roofs.............................................13 Figure 7: Vegetated Space Diversifies the Landscape around this Building...........14 Figure 8: Environment 3 features solar panels on the roof...................................15 Figure 9: People enjoy a Pedestrian Avenue........................................................18 Figure 10: People engage in Active Transportation...............................................19

LIST OF TABLES

Table 1: Proposed Metrics to Measure Success...................................................24

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1.0 INTRODUCTION The Charles Street Terminal in Kitchener opened in 1988 and was formerly used for Kitchener Transit but is now being used for the Grand River Transit (GRT) system (Mounsey, 2020). In September 2019, the terminal closed to better accommodate the ION Light Rail Transit (LRT) system located across the street, which is now called the Victoria Park Station (Mounsey, 2020). The new bus system is linked to the LRT and with this, the Charles Street Terminal will need revitalization and can now be used for alternative purposes. The City of Kitchener, City of Waterloo, GSP Group, and the Region of Waterloo have hired MASCT Group Inc. to develop a plan that will utilize this space and meet the targets outlined in the Regional Official Plan and Municipal Plans.

Our group has identified six objectives for this space which aim to increase density, add green space, have a community meeting area, make the site a connective hub, and incorporate affordable units into the development. This planning justification report outlines the purpose of the new space and how it will be used by residents and community members as well as provide a background to the property, the history, and the zoning currently in place. Challenges and opportunities will be highlighted to establish what ways this revitalization will improve the community and the challenges that may arise during the application phase. The six objectives identified to guide this development will be addressed, followed by an environmental management plan that will ensure the most effective environmental mitigation and prevention techniques are used throughout the development. Finally, the next steps for the plan will be included to provide an overview of how we will implement this development into long-range plans and policies for the area.

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2.0 BACKGROUND The Charles Street Terminal site is 2.6 acres of land that has frontage along Charles, Gaukel, and Joseph Streets (Mounsey, 2020). It is also across from the new LRT station, which currently has 31 city-owned parking spaces. The site features a city-owned water fountain with easement rights on the northwest corner of the site (Mounsey, 2020).

Gaukel Street may remain open through redevelopment but the City and Region have given permission for its closure if needed for the development. The terminal’s closure impacted over 800 bus stops but made room for the LRT, which is the Region of Waterloo’s newest transit system that has positively driven the local economy as new employment opportunities and new development have been created within the area (Thompson, 2019; Mounsey, 2020). Community members and stakeholders have voiced their opinions on what should be developed on the vacant land, with the most popular requests being for affordable housing, a recreational centre for community members, and/or an expansion of Victoria Park that is located south of the site (Thompson, 2019).

Victoria Park will influence the new development as there will be a connection to the park and an increase of valuable green space.

The area is predicted to continue to grow as the LRT attracts new employment opportunities and new residents to work for the new companies, and as such, the community will need more areas that residents can explore and use for community gatherings (Mounsey, 2020). As the site is located in a designated Urban Growth Centre of the Places to Grow Act for the Greater Golden Horseshoe, there are policies for the Kitchener Growth Centre stating that there should be 200 residents and jobs combined per hectare (Ontario, 2019). The Places to Grow Act has guidelines that encourage the use of mixed-use housing options, including secondary units and affordable housing options, that will encourage socioeconomic diversity within the area (Ontario, 2019).

The Places to Grow Act also has multiple sections that are devoted to protecting the environmental aspects of the Urban Growth Centres and enhancing environmental areas within them (Ontario, 2019). This is to improve environmental quality within the Urban Growth Centres and ensure that new development is balanced with an improvement to natural spaces (Ontario, 2019).

Figure 1: Area of Charles Street Terminal MASCT GROUP INC.

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Waterloo’s Regional Official Plan is aligned with the Places to Grow Act as it has designated the area surrounding and inclusive of the Charles Street Terminal as an Urban Growth Centre (Region of Waterloo, 2019). The Region of Waterloo designates these areas to accommodate new growth and density, facilitate commercial and employment uses, and to improve community and recreational spaces within the Region (Region of Waterloo, 2019). The Official Plan also highlights the importance of making these spaces as green as possible using development mitigation techniques, such as green roofs and solar panels to reduce impacts on the existing environment (Region of Waterloo, 2019). Applicable Official Plan policies include:

• “Supports the Planned Community Structure” • “Protects the natural environment and surface water and groundwater resources” • “Facilitates residents’ access to locally grown and other healthy foods in neighbourhoods” • “Supports a high-quality public realm to enhance the identity of the area and create gathering points for social interaction, community events, and other activities” (Region of Waterloo, 2019).

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3.0 SITE CONTEXT The proposed development will be aligned with the Places to Grow Act, Regional Official Plan, and Municipal Plan. The development will align with all recommendations made by these policies and will facilitate new residential and employment uses. It will also include environmental expansion of the existing park and add new community space that residents can use to gather and hold events. Additionally, the development will include environmental mitigation techniques that will reduce environmental impacts, such as green roofs, stormwater management practices, green space and increased vegetation, and the use of renewable energy. Three mixed-use buildings that have commercial and/or office space on the ground level will be developed on the easterly portion of the property.

The towers will be 18-26 storeys of residential units that are mixed between single, twobedroom, and three-bedroom units providing a diverse range of units that are accessible to singles, couples, and families. Since affordable housing is a significant concern in the Region, around 10% of the units developed will be affordable. The development will also include indoor and outdoor public spaces that can be used as meeting and gathering spaces for events or just for visiting. The space will hold public art provided by residents within the community that want to display their talents. This development will align with all policy recommendations and will be built with the community, economy, environment, and history of the space in mind.

3.1 Opportunities The new development will be environmentally conscious as the Region is encouraging “Green Development” within the Regional Official Plan (Mounsey, 2020). This development will improve local and regional environmental conditions because there will be additional environmental mitigation techniques used in the development to make it a LEED Green Building. MASCT aims to see this site being used as an example of a successful green development that can encourage other development within the Region to use the same techniques. Thus far within Waterloo, there is the Environment 3 building located at the University of Waterloo and the University of Waterloo’s “evolv1” building, both of which are examples of LEED Platinum Green buildings and our development will aim to be added to this list.

The new development will also provide affordable housing for low-income residents, and as the site currently does not have any residential units, the 10% affordable units will increase the available affordable housing units in the Region. Additionally, along with providing affordable units, the development will provide the community a space to meet and gather, which will create a sense of place for community members and will help foster relationships between residents of the community.

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Furthermore, the development will provide new residential availability that will assist the Region in meeting its targets that the Places to Grow Act has set out to meet by 2030 (Ontario, 2019). The development will also increase employment opportunities for residents in the area and will attract new residents to the region, increasing the density of the Region overall.

3.2 Challenges The area must accommodate the changing landscape of the community by providing residential units as well as affordable units for already existing residents that may no longer be able to afford to live in the downtown core due to increasing rent prices. To mitigate factors produced by the gentrifying city and mitigate the displacement that occurs for current residents, affordable housing will be a valuable addition to the development.

However, it may be difficult to incorporate affordable housing while maintaining a costefficient development. This is why the development is only providing 10% of units as affordable housing because it would likely cost too much money to provide more than 10%.

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4.0 OBJECTIVES The following are the objectives MASCT Group identified to ground our thinking, our design, and our decisions as we worked towards our vision for the redevelopment of the Charles Street Terminal. In no particular order:

4.1 Public Health The design of the site will foster a healthy environment through improved air quality, physical health, mental health, and reduced noise pollution.

Public Health

4.2 Environment Sustainability The site will have a low environmental impact, use sustainable development features, and provide for climate change adaptation and mitigation.

Environmental Sustainability

4.3 Pedestrian Activity The redevelopment will encourage active and multi-modal transportation as well as increase foot traffic in the vicinity by making the site a destination.

Pedestrian Activity

4.4 Connectivity & Congregation The site will better connect key locations of Downtown Kitchener, improve the transportation network connectivity, and provide spaces for community gatherings and social interaction.

Connectivity & Congregation

4.5 Affordability & Accessibility The residential development will make living downtown more affordable, and the site will be welcoming and accessible to all.

Affordability & Accessibility

4.6 Reconciliation & Inclusion The site features will promote Indigenous reconciliation and opportunities for community inclusion will be provided before, during, and after

Reconciliation & Inclusion

Vision Statement: “To create a healthy and welcoming environment by providing a

variety of land uses that attracts multiple demographics, and by promoting intensification through sustainable development features and active transportation.”

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5.0 SITE DESIGN

Figure 2: Block and Street Pattern

Figure 3: Land Use Structure Plan

Figure 4: Land Use Site Plan MASCT GROUP INC.

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MASCT Group Inc.’s proposed design for the Charles Street Terminal Redevelopment is above. This proposed design offers an excellent perspective on understanding how the site elements fit within the surrounding area — the heart of Kitchener. The rationale below describes how we are meeting our objectives of active transportation and congregation outlined in our introduction along with our main goals to increase density, add green space, have a community meeting area, and incorporate affordable units into the development.

The site lies directly northeast of Victoria Park. This is Kitchener’s oldest park and has been an incredibly important centrepiece of Kitchener’s history as a flourishing town (Bowman, n.d.). Surrounding the rest of the site is built-up office space and commercial buildings in Kitchener’s downtown, with some residential-designated spaces in the mix.

Because of the drastic shift from serene and historic park space to busy built-up city centre, we immediately noticed the need to calm the shift between these two opposites and seek to find harmony in the changing of spaces. Thus, our site plan works to achieve this harmony, providing a sense of confidence as people walk through to access the busy built forms of Kitchener’s centre from the historic oasis and vice versa.

By providing a mix of use, the site provides a welcoming exchange of built city to natural features in Victoria Park. As evident in our visual site plan above (Figure 4), we provided space to live and play within the established surrounding spaces to work and relax.

Leftmost of our site plan is Gaukel Street, once a public road for use of private vehicles and public transit to access what was once Charles Street Terminal, one of the city’s transit connection hubs. We will re-envision Gaukel Street as pedestrian-focused instead of car-focused, promoting environmental stability and social vibrancy. As visualized by the block and street pattern (Figure 2), this pedestrian-accessible walkway extends to a section of Joseph Street to offer a safe and social connection between Victoria Park and downtown Kitchener where vehicle traffic can be momentarily stopped for pedestrians to pass through over the wide range of space. This also encourages active transportation where instead of allowing cars to pass through the site, people have the exclusive rightof-way, encouraging walkers, runners, and cyclists to flourish and call this site home. This pedestrian-only avenue on Gaukel Street will be cleared in the winter, as will Charles Street, Joseph Street, and Ontario Street, ensuring access to the site and movement throughout the site in all months of the year. The block and street pattern illustrates the connection of this site to a variety of places around it that people can continue their walking, cycling, running, etc. with other car traffic and pedestrians in both Kitchener’s Downtown and Victoria Park.

To the right of Gaukel Street are indoor and outdoor market spaces stimulating social and commercial activity. This supports economic exchanges among artisans, the hosting of public and private events, and a general meeting location for people as they pass through Kitchener between Victoria Park and Kitchener’s city centre. To the right of this all-weather market hub are medicine gardens, a respectful tribute to the Indigenous Peoples of the area. The site plan features a path for a serene walk through the public MASCT GROUP INC.

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gardens, where people can participate in environmentally healthy seed exchanges, sacred planting lessons, medicine herb teachings, and more. While filling a role that could be considered niche, this public space supports Indigeneity within urban centres — an aspect of the city identity that is hard to define and even more difficult to spatialize.

We provided a bulk of space for this specific use in our site plan to reflect the need for Indigenous-dedicated spaces in city centres. Additionally, at the northeast end of this portion of the site, we have dedicated prime spots for public art to be installed to continue with Kitchener’s vision for securing public art throughout the city (City of Kitchener, n.d.).

Right-most of the site is a residential complex, contributing to the vibrancy of spaces and places dedicated to work and play surrounding the site. We propose to develop three individual residential buildings with commercial space available on the ground floors.

10% of residential space in our site plan will be reserved for accessible rent prices via affordable rates; this encourages a variety of tenants to contribute to the cultural mosaic that is Kitchener’s city centre. Ultimately, we want anyone and everyone to enjoy not only the many features our site has to offer, but the many features of Kitchener as a whole, and it is the promotion of affordable living that helps secure and realize this aspiration.

Finally, our site proposal as visualized by the site plan has the potential to be a key area along Kitchener’s new ION Transit routes. There is a major stop nearby the site for ridership to access Kitchener’s city centre, and this site can become a destination for that ridership along with other big places-to-be in Downtown Kitchener. By providing a gateway between Victoria Park and Kitchener’s built-up downtown, this site can attract ridership keen to socialize, relax, and shop. Another major relationship this site may help support is that of the future residents in either of our three residential buildings; by having transit so close by, the rest of Kitchener becomes all that much more accessible to tenants.

Throughout the site, we have prioritized green space and fluid walkways for social interaction and ecological preservation. Because the site is identified as a key throughspace between Kitchener’s built-up city centre and main historic natural park area, our site plan offers a balance between what is built and what is green in a manner that is fluid and blending. By encouraging a relationship between the environment and the built-form on our site, we aim to extrapolate that relationship to having our site be a key gate-way player in maintaining the relationship between Kitchener’s city centre and Kitchener’s beautiful Victoria Park. Our site plan helps secure this vision by visualizing all the elements that make this proposal of harmony possible.

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6.0 ENVIRONMENTAL MANAGEMENT PLAN In terms of improving the local and regional environmental conditions, this development has tremendous potential. The 2.6 acres available for redevelopment is located in the heart of Downtown Kitchener and will form an important gateway from City Hall to Victoria Park. This gateway will provide access to restaurants and shops along Charles and King Street as well as the new mixed-use development on the site. The conversion of Gaukel Street to a pedestrian-only street will also inaugurate this gateway that the city has been missing for so long. All of this is an opportunity to make this site an example of an urban destination that incorporates environmental features and can sustainably carry out daily activities.

This environmental management plan addresses how the objectives outlined for this development will be achieved in terms of protecting and enhancing the environment on and around the proposed development site. Key features of the design, as discussed within the Land Use Structure Plan, were developed to guide the environmental management of the site while meeting these objectives. The objectives that will mainly be addressed in this section are public health, environmental sustainability, and reconciliation and inclusion, although all objectives will be discussed and considered.

6.1 Design Features Although the design of the Land Use Structure Plan has already been discussed, the features applicable to the environmental success of the objectives will be briefly listed to guide the discussion of each.

• Connection to the city and park space: a “gateway”

• LEED green buildings

• Mixed-use development

• Residential units and affordable housing units

• Indoor and outdoor market space

• Medicine gardens and community gathering space

• Pedestrian street

• Containing a significant mix of built and natural features

• Multi-modal and active transportation

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6.2 Environmental Sustainability 6.2.1 Environmental Measurements & Monitoring There will be environmental measurements taken of the existing site before any development to identify specific areas of opportunity for improvements. Factors including, but not limited to, air quality, day and nighttime air temperatures, carbon/pollutant absorption capacity, stormwater runoff quantity, and noise pollution will be captured to aid in decision-making processes (Kim & Platt, 2008). These measurements will be used as baselines that will be measured throughout the development process and periodically after completion to ensure the site is functioning as planned (Kim & Platt, 2008). The sustainability of this site is important to MASCT Group so these measurements will allow for the ongoing monitoring of the site to address the success of the redevelopment environmentally and aim to address issues as required.

6.2.2 Construction Impact Mitigation Plan Plans will be developed to maintain the ecological integrity of the site and to have as little impact as possible on surrounding residents, businesses, and environments during the construction process. A tree and garden protection plan will be developed to ensure existing trees and gardens remain in place and are not disturbed during the construction process (Government of Ontario, 2019). Additionally, a stormwater plan will be implemented to help reduce soil loss from the site and to reduce the amount of sediment and debris that is taken away in stormwater runoff into local waterways as this could negatively impact the species and ecosystems in those waterways. A waste disposal plan will also be developed to avoid further water contamination and soil contamination by having proper methods for disposing of construction waste. Finally, a dust and noise reduction strategy will also be implemented to reduce the impact on nearby residents and the impact on the park during construction (Government of Ontario, 2019).

6.2.3 Sustainability & Climate Change We at MASCT Group Inc. recognize the need for immediate and effective climate change adaptation and mitigation measures and have worked to prioritize these measures in our site vision through the built form. The sustainable design features chosen will encourage people to use more forms of active transportation, reducing carbon emissions and lessening the local impact on global climate change. A variety of sustainable development features, including LEED-certified buildings, green roofs and vegetated spaces, whitened materials, renewable energy use, stormwater best management practices, and transportation demand management, will be utilized to reduce the impact on climate change and increase sustainability. These features will help to improve the air quality; reduce energy consumption, especially that of non-renewable energy; reduce the urban heat island effect; protect the site from urban flooding; and foster healthy lifestyles with an overall improvement in the quality of life for the residents in the area.

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6.2.3.1 LEED Green Buildings Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED) is a certification for buildings that covers sustainable site design, water efficiency, energy efficiency, materials and resource conservation, and indoor environmental quality. The benefits of having a LEED certification implies that buildings are deemed to be more sustainable as they can reduce the overall impact on the environment by lowering energy consumption by 25%, water consumption by 11%, and carbon emissions by 34% (USGBC, 2020). Furthermore, this certification is globally recognized as a symbol of sustainability because these buildings tend to be more cost-effective and have more efficient construction. There are also health and economic benefits that include improved air quality, increased daylight access for higher productivity, and reduced maintenance and utility costs by up to 20% (USGBC, 2020). By following LEED building precedents, such as the evolv1 and Environment 3 buildings that are present within Waterloo, the site will be more sustainable, thereby helping to mitigate climate change at a local level.

Figure 5: Evolv1 - LEED Platinum Green Building

6.2.3.2 Stormwater Management Stormwater best management practices were kept in mind when the design of the community spaces were in the works. As Kitchener receives a significant amount of rain and snow every year, a plan to mitigate potential urban flooding was required.

Furthermore, the existing site is mostly covered in pavement, meaning it is likely that there is a high amount of runoff when snowmelt and storms occur, which can contribute to the overwhelming of the stormwater system and reduce the quality of surface water and groundwater nearby (Government of Ontario, 2003). This proposed development will be equipped with permeable paving on the future pedestrian-only street on Gaukel Street, within the outdoor public space, and along the pathway of the medicine garden.

This feature will enable better on-site infiltration of stormwater runoff and reduce the strain on the wastewater network infrastructure (Sustainable Technologies, 2019).

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Additionally, the site will have bioswales located around the perimeter of the buildings on the site as increased vegetation is an important factor in increasing infiltration.

Bioswales assist with mitigating stormwater runoff, aiding in recharging groundwater, and filtering debris and pollutants from the stormwater runoff (Government of Ontario, 2003; Naturally Resilient Communities, n.d). The bioswales on this site will be vegetated, including trees spaced out every 15 metres. The medicine garden planned for this site will feature a rain garden to contain any runoff that flows from pedestrian paths.

Additionally, rain cisterns will be added to the buildings to collect rainwater that will be used to water the interior plant wall and flush toilets to not only make use of the free rainwater, but to further reduce the quantity of water the stormwater system has to deal with at any given time (Government of Ontario, 2003).

All of these best management practices will help the site to be more sustainably developed and adapt to climate change by preparing it to handle situations where there is extensive rainfall. These stormwater management features will aid in reducing flooding that can lead to infrastructure damage in the surrounding area when such a scenario occurs.

6.2.3.3 Green Roof Green roofs are roofs of buildings that are either partially or completely covered with vegetation. This type of roof assembly includes a root repellent system, a drainage system, a filtering layer, a growing medium and plants, and it must also be installed on a waterproof membrane roof (Muhammad et al, 2018). The benefits associated with installing a green roof include reduced urban heat island effects, improved air quality, reduced greenhouse gas emissions, stormwater management, increased biodiversity, and increased roof lifespan (Shafique, M., Kim, R., & Rafiq, M., 2018). A green roof will be present on the roof of the first floor of the commercial area at the base of the double towers.

Figure 6: Telus Building making use of Green Roofs MASCT GROUP INC.

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6.2.3.4 Vegetated Spaces Similar to green roofs, trees and plants provide many of the same benefits. Existing trees and plants that have had years to establish themselves are more capable of absorbing water, carbon dioxide, and air pollutants than new vegetation, meaning it is more environmentally responsible to leave the existing vegetation in place and add more to the site (Hall & Balogh, 2019). Furthermore, maintaining the existing trees means the existing canopy stays intact to add more shaded areas and provide a natural cooling effect that can help to reduce the warmer air temperatures often occurring in cities due to the urban heat island effect (Hall & Balogh, 2019). The additional vegetated spaces, including the medicine garden and more urban trees, will be vegetated with native species that do well in the given soil conditions, and they will be species that are known to absorb higher amounts of water and carbon emissions (Hall & Balogh, 2019). Inside the community space building, a plant wall will be located there to not only add an artistic feature, but to help filter the air as well.

Figure 7: Vegetated Space Diversifies the Landscape around this Building

6.2.3.5 Whitened Materials To further reduce the urban heat island effect, all exposed building materials that are not vegetated will be lighter in colour to reduce the amount of heat that the surface area holds as this can significantly contribute to warmer air temperatures in cities (Hall & Balogh, 2019). With this, no dark asphalt will be used and instead, lightly-coloured permeable pavers will be used to further reduce this effect. By doing so in combination with the vegetation, the idea is that the buildings will not need to run air conditioning units as frequently, which further reduces the reliance on fossil fuels, because the surrounding areas are helping to keep it cooler inside as well (Hall & Balogh, 2019).

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6.2.3.6 Renewable Energy Use Both mixed-use buildings for this development will be equipped with solar panels on the roof and walls of the towers to provide power to the buildings and residential units.

In addition to this, the solar power will be used to power electric vehicle charging spots in the underground parking lot to promote electric vehicle usage, if any vehicle at all (CAGBC, 2020). Solar energy has many benefits to the environment including reduced air pollution, reducing dependency on non-renewable energy sources, decreasing water consumption, and improving human health in the long run through better air quality (Vivint Solar, 2020). Moreover, this will help mitigate climate change through its reduced environmental impacts. Similarly, geothermal heating will be used to help heat and cool the building to make use of the natural heating and cooling provided below the earth’s surface, meaning the reliance on fossil fuels is further reduced (CAGBC, 2020).

Figure 8: Environment 3 features Solar Panels on the Roof

6.2.3.7 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) TDM encourages the use of transit along with other forms of active transportation, such as walking and cycling, to shift travel behaviour away from the use of personal automobiles (Region of Waterloo, 2017). Areas that support TDM provide connectivity within and among regional and interregional transit systems. The benefits of TDM include reduced carbon emissions, improvement in overall health and well-being, and a service that supports the city’s most vulnerable people. This is particularly important as 10% of the proposed residential units at this site will be categorized as affordable housing units.

Additionally, efforts to mitigate climate change can be achieved through TDM. MASCT GROUP INC.

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6.2.3.8 Meeting City Objectives The City of Kitchener is committed to sustainably fostering growth. The proposed development adheres to the city’s objectives and policies regarding sustainable development, energy conservation, air quality, and stormwater management. Moreover, through efficiency and design, the proposed development will utilize appropriate sustainable development practices to meet the city’s objective of supporting more sustainable development that will adapt and mitigate climate change. Furthermore, the proposed development complies with the following policies stated under section 7.C.4 (Sustainable Development), 7.C.6 (Energy Conservation and Generation), 7.C.7 (Air Quality), and 14.C.1 (Servicing and Utilities) of the City of Kitchener’s Official Plan:

7.C.4.1 The City will ensure that development and redevelopment strive to be increasingly sustainable by encouraging, supporting and, where appropriate, requiring:

a) compact development and efficient built form;

b) environmentally responsible design and construction practices;

c) integration, protection and enhancement of natural features and landscapes into building and site design; and,

e) transit-supportive development and redevelopment and the greater use of other active modes of transportation such as cycling and walking.

7.C.7.3 The City will promote the development of compact, mixed-use, transitsupportive, cycling and pedestrian-friendly community as a means of improving air quality and minimizing contribution to air pollution through reduced reliance on private automobiles.

7.C.7.4 The City will support policies and initiatives to facilitate the establishment of rapid transit in the community.

7.C.7.5 The City will promote sustainable development and construction standards and the use of alternative energy systems or renewable energy systems as a means of improving air quality and minimizing contributions to air pollution through reduced resource consumption and air pollutant generation.

7.C.6.1 The City will seek to minimize energy consumption by:

a) promoting a compact urban form;

c) directing growth to Intensification Areas;

e) encouraging mixed use development and complete communities;

f) encouraging the use of landscaping options that will reduce energy consumption of buildings and sites;

g) promoting building designs and orientations that incorporate energy conservation features; and,

h) promoting walking, cycling and the use of public transit.

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7.C.6.7 The City will promote conformity with LEED certification or equivalent building rating systems in all new buildings.

7.C.7.7 Transportation Demand Management (TDM) measures will be used in accordance with the policies in Section 13.C.7 to reduce the use of single occupancy vehicles and encourage increased transit ridership, walking and cycling.

14.C.1.24 Stormwater management facilities will be designed to manage stormwater quality and quantity, at an appropriate level, as defined by the most current targets and standards set out by the Province, City and the Grand River Conservation Authority.

14.C.1.28 Stormwater management designs will be encouraged to use appropriate on-site infiltration measures to the maximum extent feasible in areas where soil types permit.

6.3 Public Health The environment humans live in can have a significant impact on human health and wellbeing, whether that be for better or for worse. This development aims to improve human health by adding natural features back to the site and making the space more positive and welcoming.

6.3.1 Imporving Air Quality Poor air quality is a main cause of death around the world because air pollutants can contribute to many respiratory health problems, especially in cities where there tend to be higher concentrations of pollutants (Government of Canada, 2019). By having more vegetated spaces, the amount of air pollution in this area will be reduced since vegetation is excellent at filtering out air pollutants. Furthermore, by closing Gaukel Street to vehicular traffic and making it a pedestrian street, there are fewer cars releasing air pollutants surrounding the site, which will also aid in reducing the amount of local air pollution (Hall & Balogh, 2019).

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Figure 9: People enjoy a Pedestrian Avenue

6.3.2 Reducing Noise Pollution Furthermore, exposure to loud and prolonged noise can negatively impact human health as it can lead to a wide range of health problems, including increased stress and fatigue, poor concentration, productivity losses, cardiovascular disease, and hearing loss (Australian Academy of Science, 2017). Any noise pollution caused by vehicular traffic and the LRT, which would also decrease the comfort level of those using the site, will be reduced through strategically placing the buildings to block noise from Charles Street and increasing vegetation to further act as a noise buffer. Additionally, closing Gaukel Street to vehicular traffic will also reduce the amount of noise surrounding the site to make it a more welcoming place for visitors. Furthermore, for the comfort and health of those living in these buildings, proper and thorough insulation processes will be used to reduce the noises heard inside.

6.3.3 Improving Mental Health In today’s society, mental health has become a significant consideration in daily life as 1 in 5 Canadians will experience mental health problems throughout their lives (CMHA, n.d.). Even though this redevelopment already has plenty of access to green space via Victoria Park, it was important to our group to make the site itself more accommodating to this. As having convenient access to green space has been linked with better mental health, such as through reducing stress levels and encouraging physical activity, this is a very important component for individuals who will live on-site (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019).

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Therefore, green space will be added to the site through the addition of the medicine garden and additional trees and vegetation. Furthermore, the addition of a community gathering space is also an important factor because higher access to community spaces has also been shown to improve mental health due to increased social interaction (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019).

6.3.4 Improving Physical Health Similarly, maintaining physical health has become more important as the obesity epidemic has become a significant issue that Public Health Canada recommends addressing through increased physical activity and healthy diets (Government of Canada, 2018).

Therefore, having such close access to Victoria Park and commercial businesses promotes physical activity to help residents of these buildings maintain physical health. Residents will also have convenient access to a variety of commercial establishments, public art displays, and public transportation, which will allow them to complete their daily activities close to home. This close access further encourages residents to use modes of active transportation, which further promotes physical activity (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019).

Figure 10: People engage in Active Transportation Additionally, having access to healthy foods is also an important factor in maintaining good physical health (The Food Trust, 2013). Since there are many commercial establishments nearby, residents will likely have appropriate access to healthy foods. However, if there is nothing nearby that suits residents’ needs, they have convenient access to the LRT and bus routes to get to other locations with healthy foods.

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6.4 Reconciliation & Inclusion 6.4.1 Public Consultation MASCT plans on having many public consultation sessions to address interested parties and including the feedback as much as possible when modifying the conceptual plan.

There will be a variety of feedback options available, such as at public meetings, through an online feedback forum, and at focus groups, to make it as accessible as possible to a variety of stakeholders (Shipley & Utz, 2012). Specific stakeholders of interest that have been identified include residents, environmental groups, Indigenous groups, local businesses, City of Kitchener, Region of Waterloo, and Grand River Transit.

6.4.2 Indigenous Perspective & Participation Indigenous perspectives are lacking in urban spaces around the world. By dedicating a bulk of our proposal space to medicine gardens, we are working to better engage understandings of urban Indigeneity in city centres as a means of effective reconciliation.

This bulk of space enables Indigenous place-making to occur, confronting a history of dominant cultures marginalizing Indigenous populations via colonized spatial techniques (McGaw et al., 2011). To counter this historic violence, our medicine gardens provide a space for Indigenous voices to be heard, respected, and celebrated.

Our group knew from the start that green space was a key component we wanted to include on-site, so it was designed with this in mind. Furthermore, given that Kitchener is currently home to many Indigenous peoples from all over Canada and beyond, we wanted to acknowledge and celebrate the Indigenous history and culture of this area.

Kitchener itself is settled on the traditional territories of the Haudenosaunee, Neutral, and Anishnaabeg Peoples as it lies on the Haldimand Tract, the land promised to the Six Nations of the Grand River Territory for their efforts in the Revolutionary War (Hill, 2017). We chose medicine gardens as the main manifestation or use of space for their considerable importance to the traditional Indigenous groups of the territory Kitchener lies on. In the medicine gardens, staff and community members may plant sage, cedar, tobacco, and sweetgrass; these are recognized as four sacred medicines by many Indigenous Peoples, but particularly the Anishnaabeg (Kimmerer, 2013). The ‘three sisters,’ or corn, beans, and squash are a very sacred vegetable growth system identified in Haudenosaunee spiritual and cultural traditions (Kimmerer, 2013). These will also be planted and cared for by staff and community members. Of course there is plenty of garden space, allowing for other fruits, vegetables, and herbs to be planted by the general community. Gardens were chosen for an Indigenous perspective for their ability to provide opportunities for people to interact directly with the land they stand on; this reflects the land-human kinship system so incredibly sacred to the Indigenous Peoples of the area since time immemorial.

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The medicine gardens also provide an area for teaching and sharing of knowledge.

We know that the preservation and promotion of Traditional Ecological Knowledge is integral to reducing the risks of climate change (Nadasdy, 1999). By prioritizing the voices of Indigenous Peoples, our site plan effectively puts Indigenous perspectives hand-in-hand with adequate environmental management guidelines for the benefit of all peoples. The teaching and sharing area also reflects the cultural vitality of Indigenous Peoples as storytellers, as oral tradition is the main method of knowledge in Indigenous communities across the territory and beyond (Hill, 2017). In its entirety, this aspect of the site plan provides real and metaphorical space for Indigenous peoples to thrive in the city, realizing the important fabric of urban Indigeneity that helps weave the City of Kitchener together.

Throughout the planning of this site, MASCT plans on working directly with local Indigenous groups to gain feedback and incorporate it into the design of the site.

Furthermore, we plan on making local Indigenous groups an integral part of the designing and construction of the medicine garden and community spaces to ensure they are an appropriate tribute to Indigenous history and culture.

6.4.3 Inclusive Site Design As mentioned above, the medicine gardens and community space serve as an area open to the public, meaning it is inclusive to all. This will be further ensured by meeting AODA accessible design standards for the public spaces and encouraging the use of these spaces for community events that are open to everyone to attend.

6.5 Pedestrian Activity The design features chosen aim to increase pedestrian activity on and near the site. The main goal was to increase active transportation by providing for multimodal transportation.

The current site has an excellent walk score and bicycling score of 81 and 94, respectively, along with a decent transit score of 67, that all translate to “very walkable,” “a biker’s paradise,” and “good transit”, according to Walkscore (2020). Our group wanted to not only work with these scores, but further increase them by providing more options within the development. This is why a mixed-use development is being proposed as it will add community spaces and commercial opportunities that make people want to come to the site. As it is already quite walkable to other locations, the hope is that this will encourage other nearby residents to use modes of active transportation to get to this site and even potentially improve their walk scores.

Furthermore, closing off Gaukel Street to make it pedestrian-only further encourages different activities on-site, making this redevelopment a destination in itself, which can cause there to be a higher pedestrian activity (Global Designing Cities Initiative. n.d.).

This could also be beneficial to the local economy as higher pedestrian activity on this site has the potential to trickle outwards towards other locations, including nearby businesses and Victoria Park. Multi-modal transportation is also encouraged through having the LRT MASCT GROUP INC.

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stop beside the site, providing bicycle parking on-site, through the pedestrian-only street and on-site walkways, and through having some parking nearby.

By promoting active and multimodal transportation, this will provide for better health and environmental benefits, such as a reduced impact on climate change. As mentioned previously, physical activity is important for improving mental and physical health, which active transportation can offer (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019). Additionally, the promotion of multi-modal transportation aims to reduce the reliance on cars and shift the reliance towards other more sustainable modes. This keeps the air cleaner by reducing the pollutants released by vehicular traffic, which creates healthier environments for humans, and reduces the carbon dioxide emissions that are released by vehicles, which also reduces the impact this site has on climate change (Hall & Balogh, 2019).

6.6 Connectivity & Congregation Similar to increasing pedestrian activity, this site offers the opportunity to treat it as a main connection between Victoria Park and City Hall; hence, the name Charles Street Gateway. Our group wants the site to act as a gateway by being a gradual shift between green space and built space. Having a large number of natural features and sustainable development features on-site acts as a transition between the two to better connect the different uses.

In addition to this, by encouraging multi-modal transportation use, the goal is to better connect the existing transportation network options to increase the connectivity between sites in Downtown Kitchener. This connectivity is important for increasing the mobility of residents to allow them to better conduct their daily activities.

The community space on site is an important component to making the site a destination in itself. While we do want the site to act as a connection, it can also serve as a hub for community gatherings as the market spaces, pedestrian street, and garden space encourages this congregation. As mentioned, community gathering is important to traditional Indigenous ways of teaching, so this within the medicine garden space, along with the sustainable features used, allows for people to congregate in an environmentally conscious way (Galston et al, 2014).

With this, as mentioned, having space for congregation has been proven to be important for improving mental health as access to social interaction can improve mood and wellbeing (Jennings & Bamkole, 2019). This, along with the natural features, will help to make this site a positive space for improved mental health.

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6.7 Affordability & Accessibility It is important to our group that affordability to be taken into consideration as living in downtown areas can often be very expensive. This can leave those who are low income living on the outskirts and having limited access to their daily needs. Therefore, having affordable housing as part of the development is a necessary component to ensure that access to green spaces, community spaces, and businesses are not just accessible to those who can afford it, but to everyone. This is done so in an environmentally-friendly manner by having this affordable housing in a LEED building and with sustainable features on-site.

This is complemented by having convenient and accessible transit nearby, pedestrianfriendly walkways, and bicycle parking to ensure that every resident can complete their daily tasks, not just those with a car.

The development will also meet AODA standards and consider a variety of accessibility concerns to ensure that as many people’s needs are accommodated as possible. This will be addressed throughout the design stages through public consultation and focus groups.

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7.0 NEXT STEPS The City of Kitchener continuously aims to ensure its environment is ecologically balanced and supportive of the well-being of its community members through its numerous environmental practices and policies. The ION Rapid Transit encourages and promotes new developments within the region and influences a construction pattern that reduces urban sprawl, preserves agricultural lands, and attracts people and employment to the region’s core areas (Region of Waterloo, The ION Story).

MASCT Group Inc. will continue with the progression of the development process and begin holding community engagement events, all while keeping in mind that this development is to be a critical network connection from Victoria Park to Downtown Kitchener. We will begin proposal discussions with the City, hire consultants, and begin completing the appropriate analyses and necessary documents, such as a Traffic Impact Study, Loading and Servicing Study, Environmental Assessment, and a Stormwater Management Study, to produce a Request for Proposal. MASCT Group Inc. has already begun planning several community engagement events as we value the feedback and the opinions of our community members who will be directly or indirectly affected by this development. These engagement events will encourage and foster social inclusion and congregation. We foresee that the main stakeholders will be indigenous community members, existing and future residents, council members, and general community members in the area.

At MASCT Group Inc., we have taken our development objectives and transformed them into targets for success and have determined ways to measure them periodically. The following are our defined targets and various methods of observing their success: Table 1: Proposed Metrics to Measure Success

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Concerning long-range planning for Downtown Kitchener and further metrics to measure success, Kitchener’s Strategic Plan was produced by listening to the community’s wants and needs and by asking them and council members where efforts should be focused to make the City innovative, vibrant, and welcoming (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019).

Five goals came out of this plan and are as follows, people-friendly transportation, environmental leadership, vibrant economy, caring community, and great customer service (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019), and twenty-five action statements were developed. The first three goals can be partially obtained through our development, and therefore become success measures:

1. People-friendly transportation. The conversion of how people move within the city through a connected transportation network that is safe and convenient (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019). The three action statements that our proposal relates to are:

• Develop a set of Complete Streets guideline by 2020 (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019) • Encourage and incentivize alternative modes of transportation by development and subsidizing a bike share program by 2021 (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019) • Develop a plan to create pedestrian-first streets between Victoria Park and City Hall and between the ION and Kitchener Market by 2022 (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019)

Our development proposes transforming the use of Gaukel Street to a complete street, prioritizing pedestrians, and their serial vision. The development also proposes an abundance of green space and in addition to Victoria Park just south of the site, the development offers the capacity for cycling infrastructure.

2. Environmental leadership. The achievement of a livable community by mitigating climate change and conserving natural resources (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019). The two actions statement our proposal aids in addressing are:

• The City of Kitchener’s Corporate Climate Action Plan has a goal of absolute reduction of GHG emissions of 8 percent by 2026 (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019, Climate Action Plan, 2019).

• Implement the Sustainable Urban Forest Strategy with a focus on establishing a tree canopy target by 2020 (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019).

Our development proposes LEED-certified buildings and permeable paving throughout the site. The development proposes a large green space with the presence of many trees, medicine gardens, rain gardens, and bioswales. The residential buildings on our site will have limited underground parking spaces to encourage active transportation and reduce the number of single-occupancy vehicles and harmful emissions.

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3. Vibrant Economy. This suggests and encourages developments that will create and bring jobs, economic prosperity, and the ability to foster the cultures of the City (Kitchener’s Strategic Plan, 2019).

Our development will provide a variety of jobs through the public community spaces and the commercial and office spaces located in the buildings. The development will provide the space and amenities to create an environment that promotes and stimulates social interaction and offers a sense of place.

In addition to the opportunities previously mentioned in the context section of this proposal, the site and surrounding area is currently lacking cycling infrastructure and connectivity. Cycling is a substantial aspect of active transportation and if the opportunity is provided, the number of single-occupancy vehicles can go down significantly. There will also be an opportunity to implement additional green infrastructure in future stages. Although green infrastructure can be costly in implementation, it can be very cost-effective in maintenance. Through appropriate urban design, there exists more opportunity to enhance the existing and proposed gateways to make evident that this site is both a destination and a connection from Victoria Park to Downtown Kitchener. There exists the possibility of additional affordable housing units in the future once the initial development cost of the proposed affordable housing is overcome. Our development will hopefully be seen as a step in the right direction, influencing other developers to take into consideration what this development has to offer to meet some of the City’s goals.

A remaining challenge in this context is the balance of urban and natural landscapes and the ability of these landscapes to work together and compliment each other. The City of Kitchener is quickly growing in many aspects, and the City must develop in a sustainable way that will not harm natural landscapes for the benefit of intensification. As many environmental issues are being faced such as climate change, development, and rapid intensification becomes a challenge because of the mitigation and implementation measures a City must remember to take to combat environmental issues. In terms of the future of this development and if phasing were to occur, we will consider implementing additional green infrastructure, higher green standards, and even fewer parking spaces.

As it can be very costly to construct green buildings and provide affordable housing units, the City should incentivize developers to develop to certain standards and/or promote private sector financing and programs. Though this development will provide fewer parking spaces, the capacity for cycling infrastructure, and the mere fact that it is in proximity to Victoria Park station, active transportation will remain a challenge as it is very difficult to change the behaviours of individuals who rely heavily on personal vehicles.

Lastly, it is unlikely that all community engagement events will run smoothly; there may be varying responses and feedback from all groups of interest and/or some groups may feel underrepresented and marginalized.

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ORGANIZATION CHART OF SECTION AUTHORS Team Member:

Role/Skill:

Ashish Abraham

• Project Management Skills • Environmental Management Plan (assist) • Policy research for City Objectives sub section • PowerPoint • Prepared and formatted final report on Adobe InDesign • Table of Contents

Kimberley Cheng

• Vision Statement • Designed the land use structure plan • Designed the site plan • Research for Next Steps • Wrote Next Steps (including remaining challenges and opportunities and proposed metrics to measure success

Karissa Matson

• Set up report • Executive Summary • Objectives • Conducted research for Environmental Management Plan • Wrote Environmental Management Plan section • Edited the entire report for grammar, punctuation, and flow/consistency

Julia Skouros

• Wrote Introduction, Background and Context sections • Written and oral communication skills • Group organizational skills • Final edit of report

Katie Turriff

• Land Use Rationale • Block Plan Design • Indigenous Perspective • Referencing • Edits • Assistance with Objectives section MASCT GROUP INC.

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