A Model Of Healthy, Transit-Oriented Communities (TOC)
The Greater Golden Horseshoe is the fastest growing Global City Region in North America, with anticipated 2/3 of growth to occur at places outside of TO core, connected by rapid transit investments and lands owned by the province. TOC is the leading direction to expand healthy, convenient, high-quality live-work-play along subways networks, light rail transit LRTs and across existing GO networks.
As one of the fastest-growing, most diverse, and youngest cities in the country with a higher than average household size, higher than average immigrant population with entrepreneur skills and international business connections, Brampton has adopted a "2040 Vision" to guide large shifts from car-dependence to a transit-oriented city structure, position Uptown Brampton as the “new urban transit-oriented gateway” to the City and a culture of "a City By-design" where design excellence is led by City Hall to integrate public interest through co-design with developers and community, to serve as foundation for decisions for change.
Transit-Oriented Communities: Uptown Hurontario-Steeles Virtual Townhall
Thursday, October 8th, 2020
6:00pm - 8:30pm EDT
Register Here
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Uptown On The Move
With the LRT coming to Uptown Hurontario-Steeles in 2024, Uptown Brampton is experiencing substantial growth. In addition to the Shoppers World Redevelopment, Brampton has received development proposals of over 13 million square feet of development all with the vision to transform the area into high-density, mixed-use, family-oriented, healthy & walkable transit-oriented community.
Core strategies of “Unlock Uptown” include:
- Implementing Provincial priorities including "Transit Oriented Communities", "Healthy Kids Strategy", "Active Living for All Ages" and "Co-location of Public Facilities in Community Hub";
- repositioning education, from early childhood, to build skills, competitiveness and shift our workforce towards a “tech-focused & innovative” economy achieving holistic dimensions of public health;
- promoting walkability and active transportation to eliminate the high cost of car ownership for our residents, improve citizen health, and move the City to reach a carbon-neutral goal;
- prioritizing family-oriented infrastructure including elementary school to make the new TOC a landing place for new immigrants and their families;
- providing a strong community network fostering community leadership, promoting a welcoming environment for all newcomers; and
- enriching traditional elementary education experience with greater access to arts & culture, technology & entrepreneurship, urban agriculture & active healthy lifestyles all under one-roof in the form of Urban Community Hub as the “beating heart” of the community.
A City By-Design
Through applying "design thinking" to solve complex problems, explore ideal future states with systemic reasoning and intuition with end-user in mind, the City has developed an innovative model that position Uptown Brampton to expedite sustainable economic recovery with a focus on education, walkability and attracting immigrant talents and investments which strategies including:
- a "user-focus" delivery model that improves service efficiency, synergistic value, and adaptability to meet the current and future needs of all our citizens;
- a "design-focus" decision-making model that shift development culture, amplify synergies, create new combine benefits (1 + 1 + 1 = 6 or 7), enable concurrent decision-making and intense cross-sector collaborations, and move away from predetermined set pieces to interactive components that make a coherent walkable place;
- an "expandable" forward-thinking Urban Community Hub campus as the "beating heart" of the community.
The Uptown Framework Plan further implements the Brampton 2040 Vision and the 2018-2022 Term of Council Priorities by transforming the Uptown area into a Transit-Orientated Community. This transformation will transition the currently car-orientated area by integrating active transportation infrastructure, access to public transit, and vibrant public spaces throughout the Precinct.
The Uptown Framework supports the development of complete neighbourhoods and design plans for new social infrastructure in Uptown. The complete 20-minute neighbourhoods are included within the Uptown Core, Uptown East, and Uptown South Precinct Plan areas. These neighbourhoods will be woven together and connected to by road, pedestrian, and cycling infrastructure. This includes creek to creek connections, and the establishment of gateways, views, and vistas. The quality of space will be enhanced through the integration of public art that excites and inspires. The Urban Community Hub Implementation Plan guides the design of the emerging Urban Community Hub within the Uptown Core.
The benefits derived from these successful place-making strategies will be realized in economic and human terms. This includes job creation, improved public health, social cohesion, and Climate Mitigation. The Precinct Plans are conceptual ideas, design concepts, and development guidelines for the implementation of complete 20-minute neighbourhoods including public infrastructure (streets, parks and trails, and community facilities), and the built form of new development. These plans will direct public infrastructure investment and provide the foundation for the preparation of a comprehensive Community Planning Permit System and Zoning By-laws to regulate future developments.
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