To answer these questions and more, CreateTO brought together a team of students across architecture, planning, and sociology to imagine a plan for the future of the site. A plan that could inspire local communities to rally around a rare and valuable piece of public land, a plan that could foster political collaboration, and a plan that could bridge past, present, and future.

The First Parliament Site carries historic significance as the site of longstanding Indigenous activity, Upper Canada’s first purpose-built parliamentary buildings, the Home District Gaol, and the Consumers’ Gas Company industrial buildings. The four lots that make up the Site are currently owned by the City of Toronto through CreateTO and the Province of Ontario through the Ontario Heritage Trust. The Site now houses two parking lots operated by the Toronto Parking Authority, a car dealership, a car rental, and a car wash.

3 themes form the basis of this proposal and are derived from a series of interviews with key stakeholders: community, heritage interpretation, and economic vitality. The Concept Proposal is framed through these three parameters, known collectively as Development without Displacement.

Using this principle, the Site is divided into four zones: an Opportunity Zone to the north-west, a Community Zone to the north-east, a Park Zone to the south, and a Heritage Spine down the middle, linking the four zones.

The Opportunity Zone contains an entrance to the proposed Ontario Line Corktown Station, a Market Hall, and a 25-storey Residential Tower with affordable rental units. This Zone catalyzes economic growth in the area by leveraging cultural tourism, supporting small businesses and entrepreneurs, and creating jobs. The greatest concentration of the First Parliament Site’s revenue generation is situated in this zone.

The Community Zone contains the St. Lawrence District Library, a Community Centre, a second 25-storey Residential Tower with affordable rental units, and potential underground paid parking. This Zone acts as a connective node for the surrounding neighbourhoods with space for social services, a community greenhouse and cafe, and access to digital educational resources to foster a sense of belonging in a rapidly intensifying area.

The Park Zone connects the adjacent public realm. It incorporates a water feature to remind visitors of Toronto’s original shoreline, a stage for outdoor performances, and mural walls to give residents space to create public art that speaks to their diverse perspectives. The Park Zone provides much needed public space and lends a sense of cohesion to the wider region.

The Heritage Spine connects all of the Zones in the Site. This Zone is a covered outdoor space for all-season activities that celebrates the Site’s history from Indigenous occupation to the present day. It features busking stations, access to the Market Hall, and a Heritage Walk that takes users on a multi-sensory stroll through the Site’s history using interactive QR codes, plaques, and interpretive seating.

https://issuu.com/faizaank/docs/fps_concept_proposal_final_report

The team’s research, concept designs, implementation plans, and pro forma budgets were compiled in a comprehensive public-facing report. You can follow the link above if you’d like to take a look.

As part of the Multidisciplinary Urban Capstone Project, this was a collaborative effort and I’d like to recognize my teammates, the School of Cities, Professor Matti Siemiatycki, and our client SoMei Quan from CreateTO.

Visit firstparliament.to to learn more about the ongoing planning process and Provincial expropriation. The City needs your support to retain a valuable and historic piece of land.