Text Summary: Kennedy Station Mobility Hub
1. Introduction
Welcome
This is the second public meeting for the Kennedy Station Mobility Hub Study. The Kennedy Station Mobility Hub Study is intended to serve as a background study for a future secondary plan for the area. Conceptual plans created as part of this study will set the stage for detailed site plans and identify whether there are area-specific opportunities and constraints that warrant a municipal secondary plan or other legislated process for the broader mobility hub area.
Your input today will help shape the study recommendations.
What is a Mobility Hub?
The Province’s Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe (2006) defines major transit station areas as the area within an approximately 10-minute walk of any existing or planned higher order transit station within a settlement area or around a major bus depot in an urban core. The Metrolinx Big Move Regional Transportation Plan (2008) identifies some major transit stations as mobility hubs.
Mobility hubs are major transit stations and the surrounding areas with significant levels of planned transit service and high residential and employment development potential within an approximately 800m radius of the rapid transit station.
They are places of connectivity where different modes of transportation – from walking to rapid transit – come together seamlessly and where there is an intensive concentration of working, living, shopping and/or playing.
Mobility Hubs and the Big Move
The Big Move identifies 18 Anchor Hubs and 33 Gateway Hubs.
Anchor hubs act as anchors in the regional transportation system due to their roles as the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Areas’ primary international gateways. They include:
- Major transit stations and surrounding areas in urban growth centres
- Pearson Airport
- Union Station
Gateway hubs are key nodes in the regional transportation system, and are:
- Located where two or more regional rapid transit lines intersect and where there is expected to be significant passenger activity
- Forecasted to achieve a minimum density target of approximately 50 people + jobs per hectare
- Forecasted to achieve 4,500 or more combined 2,051 peak period boardings and alighting
2. Mobility Hubs
What is a Mobility Hub?
Mobility Hub Objectives
Zones and Planning
The Primary Zone includes the rapid transit station and associated facilities, within about a 250 metre radius. This zone is where most of the transferring between routes and modes takes place and should have the highest intensity and greatest mix of uses.
The Secondary Zone extends to about 500 metres from the station, and provides many opportunities for transit-oriented development. Direct and safe walking and cycling connections to the station are critical.
The Tertiary Zone extends to approximately 800 metres from the station. Cycling and feeder transit routes will play a larger role in this area as walking distances increase, and development height and density should be stepped down gradually to meet the surrounding context.
Beyond the 800m is the Catchment Area, which is the broader area of influence, from where most users of the regional rapid transit system will come. Here the emphasis is on direct and quick connections to the hub.
When defining the mobility hub planning area, the 800 m radius is a broad base case to begin from, but the local context should drive the delineation of the boundary. The image above indicates a sample planning area that illustrates how to account for development boundaries, environmental features, the legislative, policy and planning framework, community features and regional destinations and existing land use types.
3. Study Framework
The Mobility Hub
The Mobility Hub comprises an approximately 800m radius from Kennedy Station, including:
- The Primary Zone - the area immediately adjacent to Kennedy Station. The Primary Zone has the greatest potential for intensification and improved connections between the various modes of transportation.
- The Secondary Zone - the area outside of the Primary Zone with potential for new development, improved transit connectivity, façade improvements and streetscape enhancements.
- The Tertiary Zone - the transition zone from the Mobility Hub to the broader context area, these primarily stable residential neighborhoods will be subject to little change.
Mobility Hub Vision
The mobility hub will be:
- The place of connectivity where different modes of transportation come together seamlessly;
- An attractive, intensive concentration of employment, living, shopping and enjoyment around a transit interchange;
- Easily accessible on foot or bicycle;
- Designed to offer choice about how riders move around the region; and
- A safe, convenient and attractive place.
Study Objectives
The Kennedy Mobility Hub Study addresses the following main objectives:
- Preparation of a comprehensive scan and analysis of Kennedy Station alignment drawings to ensure they do not conflict with Metrolinx’ Kennedy Mobility Hub Transportation Principles and Mobility Hub Guidelines;
- Preparation of a Mobility Hub Concept Plan; and
- Completion of conceptual design drawings for the primary zone and accompanying development pro forma that indicates the net present value of the station plan to Metrolinx and potential partners. The plan shall optimize the place making role of the station while preserving and enhancing the site’s transportation functionality.
4. Analysis of Existing Conditions
Land Use
Predominantly existing stable residential neighbourhoods with one or two storey houses.
Eglinton Avenue East is a mix of high-density residential, high-density mixed-use, single-storey commercial, low-rise mixed-use and institutional uses.
Kennedy Road is a mix of single-storey commercial, institutional and high-density residential. The hydro corridor is a continuous open space through the study area.
Potential Redevelopment Ideas
Within the study area there is a significant amount of redevelopment potential. Outlined on the map below are the residential and mixed-use sites located along Eglinton Avenue West. In the future, the character and built form of the mixed-use sites may change to create a more comfortable pedestrian environment.
Allowable Heights
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Eglinton Avenue East = 11.0-25.0m |
Zoning
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Eglinton Avenue East is Commercial Residential (CR) and Institutional (I). Eglinton Avenue East, west of Ionview Road, is Residential (RA). Kennedy Road is a mix of Commercial Residential, Residential and Institutional. The remainder of the study area is Residential. |
Lot Coverage
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The study area has a 33% Lot Coverage limit. Lot coverage refers to the portion of the lot area covered by the ground floor area of all buildings and structures on a lot, expressed as a percentage of the lot area. |
5. Analysis of Existing Conditions
Roads |
Walkability |
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Edges |
Open Spaces |
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Transit Circulation |
Transit Access |
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6. Existing Character
The Primary Zone
From a mobility hub perspective, they key characteristics of the Primary Zone include:
- Poor pedestrian and cyclist access
- Under-used and unattractive built form (e.g. Canada Post)
- GO Transit Stoufville Rail Corridor divides the primary zone into east and west areas
- Lack of bicycle parking and amenities
- The station building does a poor job of addressing the street
- Large, unattractive chain link fence limits connections
- Aesthetically unappealing views for those existing station (e.g. bridge and parking)
- Circuitous access and egress for bus service
- Large amounts of surface parking
- Removal of existing SRT track
7. Existing Character
The Secondary Zone
The key character of the Secondary Zone includes:
- Narrow sidewalks
- Lack of street trees
- Buildings not addressing the street
- Hydro corridor divides area
- Discontinuous street network
The Tertiary Zone
The key character of the Tertiary Zone includes:
- Discontinuous street network
- Stable residential areas
- Rail line disconnects the area
8. Opportunities
The Primary Zone
The key opportunities for the redevelopment/reconfiguration of the primary zone include:
- Better connections to Eglinton Avenue
- Long-term redevelopment of the Canada Post site
- Wider sidewalks along Eglinton Avenue
- High quality station design
- Redevelopment of the property south of Eglinton Avenue
- Redevelopment of parking areas (as feasible)
- Higher density development at the Community Centre
- Redevelopment north of Eglinton Avenue (including cycling connections)
- At-grade front entrance of the station visible from Eglinton Avenue
- Design of the bus terminal
- Opportunity to retain the non-fare-paid connections across GO Transit corridor
- Improving and pedestrianizing the existing parking areas
- Features that announce the station
9. Opportunities
The Secondary Zone
The key opportunities for the Secondary Zone include:
- Public realm improvements
- Parking alternatives (e.g. structured, underground, hydro corridor)
- Circulation improvements (e.g. multi-use trail in hydro corridor)
- Development/ redevelopment potential of underused lands
- Improve the transit stop on access road (north of Eglinton Avenue)
The Tertiary Zone
The key opportunities for the Tertiary Zone include:
- Public realm improvements
- Parking alternatives (i.e. structured, underground, hydro corridor)
- Circulation improvements (grid street network, rail crossings)
- Protect the existing stable residential character
- Improve accessibility to transit facilities
10. Conceptual Vision- Phasing
1. Station Opening
2. First Phase of Development
3. Potential Development of TTC Lands
11. Conceptional Vision - Phasing
4. Potential Transition of Service Road into Plaza Area
5. Potential Alternate Bus Terminal and Long Term Vision
12. Long-Term Master Plan Vision
