Downsview Park

Downsview Park
Location of Downsview Park in Canada
Location	Toronto, Ontario, Canada
Coordinates	43°45′25″N 79°28′44″W / 43.75694°N 79.47889°W / 43.75694; -79.47889Coordinates: 43°45′25″N 79°28′44″W / 43.75694°N 79.47889°W / 43.75694; -79.47889
Area	2.4 km2 (0.93 sq mi)
Established	1998
Governing body	Parc Downsview Park Inc.

Downsview Park (French: Parc Downsview) is a former Canadian Forces Base in the community of Downsview in Toronto, Canada. It contains about 231.5 hectares (572 acres) of land, of which more than 130 hectares (320 acres) are earmarked for traditional parkland, recreational and cultural amenities. As the mandate requires that the park be developed on a self-financing basis, approximately 102 hectares (212 acres) are dedicated to opportunities that provide a revenue stream to finance the construction, development and management of Downsview Park as an integrated 231.5-hectare (572 acre) sustainable community.

The property has been the site of several high-profile events, including two Papal Visits by Pope John Paul II, in 1984 (while still an active military base) and 2002 (World Youth Day), as well as the Molson Canadian Rocks for Toronto concert in 2003 featuring The Rolling Stones, AC/DC, and many others. The Canadian music festival Edgefest has also called Downsview Park home for the last two years with the likes of Linkin Park, Stone Temple Pilots, The Sam Roberts Band, Billy Talent, AFI, Alexisonfire and Metric performing.

Downsview and Wilson subway stations on the Yonge-University-Spadina subway line are both near Downsview Park on its eastern edge; the future Sheppard West subway station would be located at the park's north end.

In 1999, the Parc Downsview Park announced an International Design Competition in attempt to turn Downsview Park into an urban park, and potentially one of the largest ones in the world. in which Bruce Mau Design, Rem Koolhaas, Oleson Worland, and Petra Blaisse submitted the winning design scheme, known as "Tree City." Parc Downsview Park has since come up with a new plan to construct commercial and residential developments instead.^[1]

Geography

An aerial view of the runway of the Toronto/Downsview Airport at Downsview Park.

Downsview Park consists of 260.6 hectares (644 acres) of land in the northwest portion of the City of Toronto and the geographic centre of the Greater Toronto Area. These lands were previously used as the air force base CFB Downsview from 1947 until April 1, 1996, when the base closed. It was also announced that the lands were to be held in perpetuity and in trust as a unique urban recreational green space for the enjoyment of future generations. The mandate to create the urban recreational green space was given to Parc Downsview Park Inc. (PDP) in 1996 and the title to 231.5 hectares (572 acres) of the Downsview Lands was transferred to PDP in 2006 in order to facilitate the development of Downsview Park. The Department of National Defence (DND) retained 29 hectares (72 acres) of the land to accommodate ongoing military needs. Approximately 150 hectares (370 acres) of the land adjacent to the Downsview Lands (including Toronto’s oldest operational airport) is under the jurisdiction of Bombardier Aerospace.

Sports facilities

Downsview Park's most regular attraction is The Hangar, an indoor recreational facility within the Downsview Park Sports Centre, which accommodates approximately 400,000 visitors per year to its soccer and volleyball facilities alone. Beginning the summer of 2009, Toronto Roller Derby plays their home games out at Downsview, using a space in The Hangar's west end. In the summer of 2011, Toronto Roller Derby moved to another space in the Park known as The Bunker,^[2] and will host the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup in that space in early December 2011.^[3] The Downsview Park Sports Centre also accommodates Defcon Paintball, Downsview Park’s Grand Prix Kartways electric go-karting (aka green go-karting), Downsview Park’s Hoopdome basketball facility, Downsview Park’s The Rail Skatepark skateboard destination, True North Climbing indoor rock climbing gym and Downsview Park’s Premier Elite Athlete’s Collegiate (PEAC) school for elite athletes. The National Squash Academy, operated by former World #1 player Jonathon Power is set to open in the Fall 2010 as well.

On June 5, 2009, a group headed by Herb Carnegie announced plans to buy an expansion franchise from the National Hockey League (NHL), tentatively named the Toronto Legacy. The team would play in a yet-to-be-built new arena, set to be located within the park.^[4]

Partnerships

Downsview Park is also home to the Canadian Air & Space Museum, the Toronto Wildlife Centre, the Downsview Park Film and Television Studios and the Downsview Park Arts Alliance, all of which not only pay rent to assist PDP in meeting its self-financing requirements, but also help to animate the site with a variety of programs and activities, many of which are run in partnership with PDP.

Aviation museum

The Canadian Air and Space Museum is currently housed in the historically relevant building located at 65 Carl Hall Road. The building was once home to the original de Havilland Canada aircraft manufacturing plant and later housed the construction of the Avro Arrow as well as the assembly of the Alouette I satellite. Consequently, the building is seen as being one of great importance in the context of Canadian aviation and aerospace history. Largely run by volunteers, and housing a full replica of the famous Avro Arrow among numerous other notable artifacts, the museum was given an eviction notice on September 20, 2011 citing a large arrears of rent. The other tenants of the building were also given notices that leases would be terminated on that day despite being current in their rent. Many of those tenants are now seeking legal council in hopes to attain compensation for the unprompted termination.

Downsview Park has partnered with a third party developer from the U.S. to replace the museum with a four-rink hockey facility. The majority of the structure is to be destroyed with only the facade of the building to be maintained.^[5]

Developments

The initial phase of the construction of Downsview Park began in 2005. The first step was to regenerate the soil, which had been compacted by more than 50 years of military base use, so that it will again support the lush vegetation that is planned for a very significant portion of the site. A major feature of this initial work is the development of the Canada Forest, which was started with a partnership with Natural Resources Canada and its 2020 Fast Forest initiative. The planting of a forest within an urban setting actualizes one of the compelling images embodied in the Tree City design.

Trail of Lights

Downsview Park’s Trail of Lights is Toronto’s newest winter festival and one of Canada’s largest holiday light shows^{[citation needed]}. For its second year, the Trail was extended to almost three kilometres, and the format changed to drive-through^{[citation needed]}. Trail of Lights features over 400,000 energy-efficient LED lights arranged into hundreds of light displays, over half of which are animated^{[citation needed]}. The displays take just over two weeks to install, using over 6,500 feet (2,000 m) of LED light strands^{[citation needed]}.

The Trail winds past displays (some over two-storeys tall), under arches, into themed areas, and through the Trees of Imagination and Downsview Park’s Canada Forest, where more than 50,000 trees have been planted^{[citation needed]}.

In addition to the outdoor illuminated displays, there are a range of indoor activities, including carolers and photos with Santa^{[citation needed]}.

Controversy

Champions In Action

Weeks after Elephant Man had been pulled from a downtown Toronto club after management had been informed of his violently anti-gay lyrics ^[6] he was scheduled as a headlining act at the Champions in Action concert presented by Action Promotions at a Downsview Park venue. When park management was informed of Elephant Man's hostile lyrics, they responded to concerns by having the performer sign a "morality clause" which states that the event "should not promote the hatred and derision of any group."^[7] Unsatisfied, since this didn't address the problem of a violently anti-gay performer playing at a federal park, the lobbying by citizens continued. Park management scheduled a meeting with Park senior staff and respresentatives of one lobbying group, as well as a lobbying individual though there was little more to discuss as park management had been very clear in their support for the performer and did not see any issue with Elephant Man performing at a federal venue. News of the online campaign reached John Baird and he ordered park management to pull the act.^[8] As it left only two days to find a replacement, the entire show was cancelled.

References

1. ^ Grewal, San (May 25, 2010). "What's going on with 10 major projects around the GTA". The Star (Toronto). http://www.thestar.com/yourcitymycity/article/813841--what-s-going-on-with-10-major-projects-around-the-gta. 
2. ^ "ToRD - Venue". About. Toronto Roller Derby. http://torontorollerderby.com/venue.php. Retrieved 30 October 2011. 
3. ^ "The Venue". Roller Derby World Cup. http://rollerderbyworldcup.com/2011/10/13/the-venue/. Retrieved 30 October 2011. 
4. ^ McGran, Kevin (June 5, 2009). "2nd NHL team in GTA would be called Legacy". Toronto Star. http://www.thestar.com/sports/article/646049. 
5. ^ Amy Dempsey, "Air and Space Museum to become ice rink", Toronto Star, September 20, 2011
6. ^ "Reggae's Elephant Man nixed from Toronto concert". CBC News. July 30, 2009. http://www.cbc.ca/arts/music/story/2009/07/30/elephant-man-concert-dropped.html. 
7. ^ http://www.cp24.com/servlet/an/local/CTVNews/20090922/090922_elephant_man/20090922/?hub=CP24Entertainment_
8. ^ http://rabble.ca/news/2009/10/elephant-man-perform-toronto-outcry-over-anti-gay-lyrics

External links

• Parc Downsview Park Inc. website
• Bruce Mau Design