Community Consultations

Year 1

The Don Valley Cable Car Project Team has made extensive community, political and bureaucratic engagement a core philosophy of the project and has retained LURA Consulting to assist in this effort. LURA Consulting is Toronto’s oldest and most widely known community consultation firm and worked extensively with local residents on the North Broadview Avenue Planning Study.

One-on-one meetings with community leaders have already begun and will continue throughout the project’s lifetime.

On March 8th, 2016 (7 pm – 9 pm) a Community Information Session occurred at the Estonian House located just north of Broadview and Danforth (958 Broadview Avenue). Those who could attend the information session were invited to meet with us during the Evergreen Brick Works Winter Village on February 20th, 27th and March 5th from 9 am – 5 pm.

Individuals, groups or businesses who could not attend either the Winter Market kiosk or the Community Information Session are encouraged to contact the Project Team by email at general@donvalleycablecar.com to express their opinions about the project or schedule a time to meet in-person to discuss the project further.

After the Community Information Session, a Resident Steering Committee will be set to help ensure that the project meets with the needs of the wider resident population.

Consultations with resident populations and city stakeholders will be comprehensive and ongoing.

Toronto Office of Partnerships

Year 1

As of writing, no development application has been submitted to the City of Toronto.

Presuming the project is met with an acceptable level of goodwill from the community, the Don Valley Cable Car Project Team will submit an application to the Toronto Office of Partnerships
(TOP).

The Toronto Office of Partnerships ensures transparency of process for initiatives that originate within the private sector. In the fall of 2015, City staff identified TOP as the preferred means for bringing this project to the city and community for proper and transparent evaluation.

This evaluation process will actively solicit opinions on the project from a wide array of city departments and staff who can suggest changes or alterations to the project program such that it conforms to stakeholder needs.

The Toronto Office of Partnerships “actively seeks out strategic partners for initiatives that support programs and services offered by the City of Toronto, and improve the quality of life here. It also encourages partnerships by streamlining the review process and finding the most appropriate “home” for them. TOP works closely with partnership staff from other City divisions, agencies, boards and commissions and supports existing City partnership activities.”

While we have already met with numerous departments such as Parks, Forestry & Recreation and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, no formal comments have been provided. It will be at this moment that formal comments will be sought.

Should the project clear the Toronto Office of Partnerships process, the Don Valley Cable Car should be eligible negotiate a lease agreement with the City of Toronto and to submit a Development Application to the city’s Planning Department.

Detailed Engineering & Design

Year 2

Assuming the project clears the TOP process, the Project Team will commence detailed planning, design and engineering of the cable car system and the surrounding station areas.

The Resident Steering Committee and various City Departments will be continually consulted to ensure the project meets with community standards. A Pre-Application Consultation under the City of Toronto’s planning process will ensure that all necessary approvals, studies, drawings, plans and reports are included in the eventual Development Application.

All the necessary approvals, studies, drawings, plans and reports indicated within the Pre-Application Consultation will be completed by the Project Team and assembled for the Development Application.

Development Application

Year 2

A detailed and complete Development Application will be assembled and submitted to the City for approvals. Approximate approval times will vary depending on the types of consent required by the City.

However, based on target timelines for other complex projects, this may take approximately 9 months. Given the nature of the cable car, we anticipate the approval process could take longer than that.

Extensive community consultation to review the project’s final details are expected at this stage.

Construction

Year 3/4

Assuming the cable car project clears the planning, development and approvals process, building permits will then need to be issued to allow for project construction.

Construction of a cable car system such as has been conceived of here should take no more than one year to manufacture, construct and install.

Further details about construction timelines will be provided should the project reach the Development Application stage.

Construction, Commissioning & Opening

Year 3/4

Cable car systems are subject to rigorous testing, maintenance checks and commissioning.

Once these tests and checks are complete (which can take up to a couple of months) the system will be ready for operations and passengers.

Further details about testing and commissioning will be provided should the project reach the Development Application stage.