Ontario Construction New staff writer
Special to Ontario Construction News
Vandyk Properties has submitted a site plan application (SPA) to the City of Toronto, moving a transit-oriented community proposal that will transform the Mimico GO Station one step closer to reality.
The developer has submitted a plan for the first and second phases of the project that will provide an estimated 2,078 housing units, including affordable ownership and rental options, as well as new retail and office spaces in the rapidly growing south Etobicoke area, Ontario transit agency Metrolinx said in a statement.
Vandyk Properties had submitted a zoning application to the city to develop properties it owns in the area and signed an agreement last year with Metrolinx to integrate its development with the province’s plans to transform the Mimico Go train station and adjacent property into a transit-oriented community.
The agreement outlined the transit infrastructure improvements that the developer will be constructing in the light industrial, commercial, and residential area. Since then, the two parties have been working on the design and infrastructure requirements to deliver the station. Station improvements will include:
Two station access points on the north side of the station
A new, fully accessible main station building
300 underground, dedicated GO parking spaces
Ninety-six spaces for bicycle storage, including secured and covered bike parking
An integrated transit plaza with pick-up and drop-off facilities
A greenway path for pedestrians and cyclists to access the station
Metrolinx says the SPA is part of the planning process that provides an opportunity for the city and community to offer input on the overall project and how the station will be integrated into the wider development.
Ontario’s Transit-Oriented Communities Program aims to develop mixed-use communities that will bring more housing (including affordable housing options), jobs, retail, public amenities, and entertainment within a short distance of transit stations. These transit-oriented communities, and other transit development opportunities, will be located along the province’s four subway projects as well as GO and light rail transit projects.
The province says benefits of transit-oriented communities are subject to negotiations and determined on a site-by-site basis with input from the local municipality, the public and Indigenous partners.