HomeMy WebLinkAboutFCS-12-017 - Appoint to Region Transit Hub Team.combined1
KITC;HI~.NI~.R
Staff Report
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REPORT TO: Committee of the Whole
DATE OF MEETING: February 6, 2012
SUBMITTED BY: R. Gosse, Director of Legislated Services/City Clerk
PREPARED BY: R. Gosse, 2809
WARD(S) INVOLVED: 10
DATE OF REPORT: January 30, 2012
REPORT NO.: FCS-12-017
SUBJECT: APPOINTMENT TO REGION OF WATERLOO'S
KING/VICTORIA TRANSIT HUB PROJECT TEAM
RECOMMENDATION:
That Councillor
Transit Hub Project Team
adopted December 14, 2011.
BACKGROUND:
being appointed to the Region of Waterloo's King/Victoria
as requested by the Region of Waterloo Council by resolution
In the past, the Region of Waterloo has requested a representative from City Council to sit on
project teams especially for major road reconstruction, traffic and transit projects.
REPORT:
On December 14, 2011, Regional Council adopted a motion that included requesting the City to
appoint a councillor to the Region's King/Victoria Transit Hub Project Team (the letter with the
motion and the regional staff report are attached). Typically the councillor sits as representative
of the city and to act as liaison between the Region and City with respect to the project.
ALIGNMENT WITH CITY OF KITCHENER STRATEGIC PLAN:
A Dynamic Downtown: That the City continues to implement the Downtown Strategic Plan which
outlines the vision and strategy for the revitalization with an emphasis on attracting more people
into the core.
FINANCIAL IMPLICATIONS:
n/a
COMMUNITY ENGAGEMENT:
n/a
ACKNOWLEDGED BY: D. Chapman - DCAO Finance & Corporate Services
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REGIONAL MUNICIPALITY OF WATERLOO
150 Frederick Street, 2nd Floor
Kitchener ON N2G 4J3 Canada
Telephone: 519-575-4420
Fax: 519-575-4481
w ww.regionofwaterloo .ca
December 16, 2011
D 10-20
Mr. Randy Gosse,
Director of Legislative Services/City Clerk
City of Kitchener
P.O. Box 118
200 King Street West
Kitchener, ON N2G 4G7
Dear Mr. Gosse:
Re: Region of Waterloo (KingNictorial Transit Hub
Please be advised that the Council of the Regional Municipality of Waterloo at their regular
meeting held on December 14, 2011, approved the following motion:
THAT Regional Council appoint Councillors J. Wideman and J. Haalboom to the
Region of Waterloo's KingNictoria Transit Hub Project Team;
AND THAT Regional Council request City of Kitchener Council to appoint a City
Councillor to the Region of Waterloo's KingNictoria Transit Hub Project Team.
If you have any questions about the Project Team please contact, Kevin Eby, Director, Multi-
Modal Transit Hub 519-575-4531.
Please respond to Kris Fletcher, Director, Council ~ Administrative Services/Regional Clerk,
with City Council's recommendation.
Yours truly,
Jessica Reid
.Council/Committee Support Specialist
J R/kh
cc: R. Horne, Commissioner, Planning, Housing and Community Services
K. Eby, Director, Multi-Modal Transit Hub
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Report: P-11-074
~ ~ ~ REGION OF WATERLOO
PLANNING, HOUSING AND COMMUNITY SERVICES
,~ sir ~~, Community Planning
TO: Chair Jim Wideman and Members of the Planning and Works Committee
DATE: December 6, 2011.
FILE CODE: D10-20
SUBJECT: REGION OF WATERLOO {KINGNICTORIA}TRANSIT HUB
RECOMMENDATION:
THAT Regional Council appoint a Regional Councillor #o the Region of Waterloo's KingNictoria
Transit Hub Project Team;
AND THAT Regional Council request City of Kitchener Council to appoint a City Councillor to the
Region of Waterloo's KingNictoria Transit Hub Project Team.
SUMMARY:
Overthe past several years, the Region has purchased a number of properties located at or near the
intersection of King and Victoria Streets in the City of Kitchener far the purpose of development of a
transit hub. The project is being undertaken in four phases, site preparation, determination of the
farm of development, determination of the procurement model and site construction. Phase 1 of the
project is being undertaken by amulti-departmental team under the direction of the Commissioner of
Planning Housing and Community Services. A Project Team consisting of Regional staff, City of
Kitchener staff, political representatives, and agencies anticipated to use the transit hub once
constructed, is recommended to be established to oversee Phases 2 and 3 of the project. Oversight
of Phase 4 of the project (construction of the multi-model transit hub and associated private or public
sector uses) will be dependant on the procurement mode! chosen as part of Phase 3.
Various studies are currently being undertaken to ready the site for future use as a transit hub. The
site is also currently being prepared for use as a temporary parking area to facilitate the extension of
GO Rail service to the Region in the near future.
REPORT:
Project Background
Over the past several years the Region has purchased of a number of properties located at or near
the intersection of King and Victoria Streets in the City of Kitchener forthe purpose of development of
a transit hub that could be constructed on the resulting parcel of land in order to connect the future
rapid transit system and Grand River Transit to inter-city bus and rail systems serving the Region. As
part of the process, the Region targeted a number of properties totaling approximately 1.6 hectares
(four acres) of land for purchase, with the majority of these lands intended to play key roles in the
development of the facility.
Project Description
Subject to future decisions by Regiona! Council, the proposed KingNictoria Transit Hub would be a
facility designed to serve the intra- and inter-Regional transportation needs of the public by bringing
together access to and interconnections between various forms of transportation into one centralized
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December 6, 2019 Repor#: P-11-074
facility. This project involves development of significant transportation infrastructure including: new
train platforms to serve inter-city GO train and VIA Rail services; bus bays to support Grand River
Transit (GRT) and intercity bus services such as GO bus and other private sector carriers;
underground and at-grade connections to and from the new Regional rapid transit system (light rail);
as well as the facilities necessary to support and in#egrate other transportation modes such as taxis,
car share, cycling and pedestrians. The proposed KingNictoria Transit Hub will potentially be
integrated into a combination of public. and private sector higher density developments on the site,
possibly including mixed use commercialloffice development served by a large multi-level
underground commercial parking structure.
Project Phases I Management
While there will be crossover among activities and particularly timing, the project breaks down into
four relatively distinct components:
Phase 1 - acquisition and preparation of the site for development, including its temporary use as
a site for parking associated with GO Rail service (this phase will include a public
consultation process related to the future use of the property as part of the Planning
Act process;
Phase 2 - determination of the form and scale of development of the site, including
development of the associated business case and public consultation process;
Phase 3 - determination of the procurement model for the development (e.g.: public sector
owned and operated, public private partnership (commonly known as a P3) ar some
alternative combination of the two; and
Phase 4 - construction through to opening of the facility.
Phase 1 is currently being undertaken under the direction of the Commissioner of Planning Housing
and Community Services with Kevin Eby serving as the Project Director. A small team of
representatives from Community Planning, Transportation Planning, Facilities Management and Legal
are currently working an the completion of Phase 1. Comple#ion of this phase of the project is being
undertaken incoordination with four other projects affecting lands in the vicinity of the proposed hub,
the King Street grade separation, the Weber Street grade separation, the rapid transit initiative and
the extension of GO Rail service to the City of Kitchener.
Phases 2 and 3 are intended to be undertaken by the same group of Regional staff in consultation
with a Project Team. It is intended that the first Project Team meeting will be held early in the new
year. A draft Project Charter has been developed for consideration by the Project Team as part of the
first meeting. It is a recommendation of this report that there be political representation from both
Regional and City of Kitchener Council on the Project Team. in addition to the political
representatives, the Project Team would include Regional staff representation from Transportation
Planning, Transit Services, Facilities, Rapid Transit Engineering, the King Street Grade Separation
Project Team, Legal Services, Financial Services, Marketing and Communications, and Cultural
Heritage Planning, City of Kitchener representation from Planning, Engineering, and Economic
Development as well as representatives from GO Transit, VIA Rail and CN Rail.
The process for completion and management of Phase 4 of the project is entirely dependent upon the
procurement model selected in Phase 3.
Progress to Date
1) Planning Applications -Pre-consultation processes have been held with City staff and an
application for site plan approval for temporary parking to support extension of GO rail into the
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December 6, 2011 Report: P-11-074
community has been submitted. In addition, apre-consulta#ion session has also been held with City
staff regarding the submission of an Offcial Plan Amendment and Zoning By-Law Amendment forthe
site. Formal applications are being prepared and are expected to be submitted to the City of
Kitchener early in the new year. The intent of these applications is to allow far the broadest range of
uses and higher density appropriate far the site so as to eliminate constraints moving into the design
and procurement processes. The GSP Group has been retained to assist with these Planning Act
application processes. Regional Council will be kept apprised of these applications, and Regional
staff will seek any required direction prior to key decision points occurring.
2) Environmental Assessment -The process for undertaking the required environmental
assessments far the proposed transit hub is currently being investigated, with the resulting
Environmental Assessment processes anticipated to be completed in 2012.
3} Soil 1 Groundwater 1 nvestigation and Remediation -Preliminary site investigations have been
undertaken as part of the on-going activity on the site. Given the known contamination of the
groundwater from a former industry in the area {which is currently the subject of on-going remediation
efforts secured as part of the development of the farmer industrial site. lands}, development of the
property will require the completion of a Risk Assessment completed in accordance with Ministry of
the Environment processes. It is currently anticipated that a consultant will be hired early in the new
year to prepare and submit the risk assessment to the Ministry for approval.
4) Heritage Impact Assessment -The lands proposed for use as a transit hub are located within
the centre of the historic industrial area of"Busy Berlin", which has been identified as the Warehouse
Design District by the City of Kitchener in their Downtown Strategic Plan. The lands contain the
Rumpel Felt Co. building, which has been identified for its heritage value by the City of Kitchener and
are adjacent to other listed and Ontario Heritage Act {OHA) designated properties (410 King St W.,
Kaufman Lofts (OHA Designated); 51 Breithaupt Street, Breithaupt Block (listed as Non-Designated
on Municipal Heritage Register}; and, 283 Duke Street West (Heritage Kitchener Inventory)).
Consideration of cultural heritage conservation on the site is being carried out through two separate
studies: a Heritage Inventory, ContextAnalysis and Concept Development undertaken on behalf of
the Region of Waterloo; followed by a site specifc Cultural Heritage Impact Assessment {CHIA) which
will be required by the City of Kitchener as part of the development review process.
5} Preliminary Site Design and Pedestrian 1 Bicycle Movement Analysis -One of the key
functions of the facility is the facilitation of the movement of people between various forms of
transportation. Regional staff is currently drafting the terms of reference for a study, to be undertaken
in consultation with City of Kitchener staff to help inform the design of the entrances and concourse
levels of the transit hub, the pedestrian and cycling aspects associated with the King S#reet Grade
separation, the location of bus stops near the transit hub, the development of cycling facilities to and
around the facility, as well as the future operation of the Victoria Street intersection. This study is
anticipated to be completed by the end of August 2012.
An architectural screening will also be completed as part of the process in order to determine the
infrastructure requirements of each transportation service provider and to determine where overlap or
paints of conflict may occur. The potential users of the site requiring facility or infrastructure
accommodation include:
• Grand River Transit {conventional)
• Regional Rapid Transit
• GO Transit (train and bus)
• VIA Rail
• CN Rail
• Intercity bus providers
• Local taxi companies
• Local bicycle user groups
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December fi, 2011 Report: P-11-074
6) Temporary Use for GO Parking - An application for site plan approval has been submitted to
the Cityto use the site temporarily to meet parking needs for GO Transit when GO Rail service begins
in December 2011 (please see Report No. P-11-094}. GO Transit will be temporarily using the VIA
rail station currently located at Weber 5t. and Victoria to facilitate the extension of GO Rail service
until such time as the facility is constructed and ready for their use. The potential to change this
temporary surface parking to permanent underground parking in the future will be evaluated as part of
the studies noted above.
Next Steps
Regional staff will continue. with the completion of Phase 1 of the project as described in this report.
The initial meeting of the Project Team struck to oversee Phases 2 and 3 of the project meeting will
be scheduled for late January 2012. The draft Project Charter and proposed timelines for the project
will be finalized through the Project Team process at that time.
Area Municipal ConsultationlCoordination
City of Kitchener staff participated in a tour and workshop that explored ideas for development of the
site in July 2011, including possible uses in addition to transportation facilities. City of Kitchener staff
has and continues to be regularly consulted with at each stage of the process and is overseeing the
review and approval of the required Planning Act applications. The City of Kitchener will be
represented by on the Project Team by three staff members, one each from planning, engineering
and economic development.
CORPORATE STRATEGIC PLAN:
This initiative directly supports Strategic Action 3.4.1, "Implement the muitimodal transportation
hub at Victoria and King Streets".
FINANCIAL 1MPLICATIONS:
Funding for the completion of Phase 1 of the transit hub project has been allocated to the project from
the $25 million funding previously approved by Regional Council forthe implementation of the Rapid
Transit project and is funded #hrough the 1.5% tax allocation to the RTMP.
OTHER DEPARTMENT CONSULTATIONSICONCURRENCE:
S#aff from Transportation Planning, t_egal Services, Facilities Management, Finance and the Rapid
Transit Division of the Transportation and Environmental Services Department has been consulted in
the preparation of this report.
ATTACHMENTS:
Attachment 1 - Locational Map of the Transit Hub
PREPARED BY: Kevin Eby, Director, Multi-ModalTransit Hub
APPROVED BY: Rob Hoare, Commissioner of Planning, Housing and Community Services
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December 6, 2011 Report: P-11-074
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