DS1-3

Hart House Green - Queen's Park - Wellesley Street

Detailed Master Plan Concept

The following list of features and concepts is proposed as the framework for this Demonstration Site. The numbered items refer to drawing DS1-3.

• 1. The grade-separated overpass on Queen's Park Crescent should be removed in favour of an at-grade, signalized intersection at Queen's Park Crescent and Wellesley Street. The reconstructed intersection should be part of an overall plan to improve pedestrian conditions and crossings of Queen's Park Crescent. A new pedestrian crossing zone should extend from Hart House to Wellesley Street to accommodate the pedestrian volumes and distinguish this area as a special pedestrian zone.
• 2. A water feature should be constructed roughly in the location of the original McCaul's Pond. Opportunities exist to use this feature to demonstrate new methods of storm water management in an urban environment. It should be studied to identify opportunities for integration into the Taddle Creek Millennium Project as the ultimate location for storm water storage from that system. The area around the water feature should be capable of supporting special events and significant pedestrian volumes throughout all seasons. The knoll and area around the feature should be extensively planted with deciduous and coniferous trees to extend the landscape of Queen's Park into this space.
• 3. Linear planting schemes should reinforce the north-south movement of the pedestrian route through Soldiers' Tower and create a strong edge of trees to the western side of the Hart House Green.
• 4. A special paving area should allow for temporary parking and multiple vehicle drop-off for special events at Hart House.
• 5. The southwest corner of Queen's Park will become larger as a result of land reclaimed from the overpass. This area should be developed as an extension of the special intersection treatment at Queen's Park Crescent and Wellesley Street. A small water feature should be considered as a focal point on this corner. The elevation of this area should be carefully blended to the intersection grade to allow visual access to the Federated and Affiliated Colleges and Universities across the park.
• 6. The pathways through Queen's Park should be evaluated against actual pedestrian movement. Non-functional paths should be removed and new paths associated with actual pedestrian crossings should be created. Lighting along the pathways should be reviewed to address dark areas, gathering points and road crossings. The reconsideration of Queen's Park could also include the replacement of the bandstand, a lighting plan, furniture and accessory upgrades and a comprehensive planting and tree preservation program.
• 7. The pedestrian crossings around Queen's Park Crescent should be reviewed as part of a comprehensive traffic calming and pedestrian improvement plan for the district. Wellesley Street should be reconfigured as a park street with continuous street trees and a strong pedestrian sidewalk system on each side of the street to link Queen's Park, the Legislature and the Hart House Green. The street should be capable of accommodating special events and festivals.
• 8. The eastern intersection of Wellesley Street and Queen's Park Crescent should signal the entrance to the University district and mark the entrance to a reconfigured Wellesley Street.
• 9. Sidewalks along Queen's Park Crescent should be widened and separated from the roadway by a planting strip with street trees to enhance pedestrian amenity and safety. Pedestrian scale lighting should be installed along the length of the street.
• 10. The existing Volunteers' Monument and the William Lyon Mackenzie Monument should be integrated into the new design of Queen's Park.
• 11. The Hart House Green should be considered for public art installations.