Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
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You are on the [Elastic Budgets] page of folder [City Hall Reports And Analysis]
For the cover page of this folder go to the Elastic Budgets
budget: a puzzle
It's hard for ordinary people in Toronto to get a handle on how much money the city government has available to spend on parks, to keep things in good repair and make improvements. Sometimes it seems like there's a lot of money available and other times it seems like very little can be spared. An example is R.V. Burgess Park in in the Thorncliffe Park region.
R.V. Burgess Park is in the middle of a newcomer neighbourhood with a very large number of children. In 2002, the park lost much of its playground equipment, because of a change in an industry technical safety standards manual, without being replaced for years.
Some residents formed the Thorncliffe Park Women's Committee to try and get better care for R.V. Burgess Park. During those years, the committee was told that there was no money to make more than very minor improvements. For example, their request for the city to put back two swings that were wrongly removed in 2002 got this answer from the city councillor of the time: "If there is one thing I emphasize each time the matter comes up for discussion, there is absolutely no budget in place for the purpose of making improvements to RV Burgess Park." Yet five years later, a playground at a nearby park that was only 5 years old was funded for replacement with a newer, though similar playground.
Now in 2018 the situation continues to be confusing. Grange Park was recently renovated for $15 million and little Berczy Park got a fountain, benches, paving and some more trees for $7.2 million. But residents who came to a meeting about changes planned for R.V.Burgess park were told that if more swings or more seating were put into the park plan, other "features" proposed by Capital Budget staff would be lost because of insufficient funds.
Meantime, the general manager of Parks, Forestry and Recreation has been given approval by city council to spend $1.3 billion on capital projects in parks (including building many more community centres) over the next 10 years. It seems that there is money to spend on star projects but not so much on swings.
A puzzle.
Doing the math: a spending spree
Rail Deck Park
First cost was $1.05 billion (2016) then $1.66 billion (Nov.2017)
Bentway:
Current estimate is $49 million. That number may include $10 million operating funds for the first 8 years read more. $10.5 million of that amount is city funds.
Canoe Landing Community Complex:
approximately $78.2-million project. the city and the school boards combined resources and finances to build a comprehensive community complex with shared amenities. ZAS Architects designed the exterior and interior spaces and The Planning Partnership has designed the landscaping elements. Colliers Project Leaders are the project managers of the site and The Atlas Corporation/Buttcon Limited Joint Venture is the constructor…. The complex will include the Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre, Canoe Landing Child Care Centre, which will serve 54 children from infants to preschoolers. The schools, Bishop Macdonell Catholic Elementary School and Jean Lumb Public School will each serve 550 children from kindergarten to Grade 8. Completion of the schools is scheduled for fall 2019.
BerczyPark:
Berczy Park fountain, April 2018
Hume, in the Star May 23, 2017:The remake, which cost $7.2 million, includes rows of trees, a garden, and lots of benches as well as the fountain.
Romoff: “Berczy has become the most instagrammed park in Toronto”
Wikipedia entry
Note: according to City Council item 2018.MM39.8, the Berczy Park project's cost was actually more than the Star said: $7,909,536, now (April 2018) to be increased again:
This Motion seeks authority to increase funding for the Berczy Park Construction sub-project in the 2018 Parks, Forestry and Recreation Capital Budget by $100,000. Funding is from various Section 42 Alternate Rate Cash-in-lieu and is required to fund additional work resulting from unforeseen site conditions, work required for final commissioning of the fountain, and the need for additional skateboard deterrents to protect the dog sculptures, fountain and electrical cabinet.
Grange Park:
CBC: Drainage issues have plagued the park since its official reopening in July, following a multi-year $15 million renovation.
College Park:
Canderel Stoneridge, the company responsible for the Aura development at Gerrard and Yonge streets, has entered into Section 37 and 45(9) agreements with the City of Toronto. It has agreed to provide $3 million of major improvements to College Park, including public consultation, design services and construction. This $3 million budget does not include a new rink.
A total of $2.5 million was approved for the College Park project in the 2016 capital budget with cash flow over 2016 and 2017 for the skating trail and rink house, including up to $1 million in donations. If the full $1.0M target for donations is not received, the project will still proceed with phased features.
A $250,000 donation from the Downtown Yonge BIA be allocated to this project. Together with $1.0 million from the Section 42 Alternate Rate Cash -in-lieu for 460 Yonge Street and $0.500 million from PF&R reserve funds, a total of $1.750 million has been secured to date.
The Meadoway
From BlogTO:
Conservation authorities say that, within seven years, it will become one of Canada's largest linear urban parks, connecting four different ravines, 15 parks, 34 neighbourhoods, over 500 acres of land and more than 1,000 diverse species of flora and fauna......It will cost about $85 million to build The Meadoway, in total, but nearly 40% of that budget has been pledged already ($25 million from the W. Garfield Weston Foundation and $6.3 million from The City of Toronto's Capital Budget.
Playgrounds
From Parks and Rec general manager J.Romoff's "State of the Parks" speech, January 2018: “our Playgrounds Enhancement Program to maximize its potential to build communities and engage organizations like yours. In the next 10 years, we’re on track to replace over 300 of Toronto’s playgrounds, and we’re working to ensure your communities are able to build and grow upon these projects through consultation, enhancement, and conversations about new and innovative forms of play.”
The general manager says that Parks and Rec will
-- Build 17 new community recreation centres
-- replace 11 existing community centres
Parks and Rec Capital Budget (2017):
-- New debt funding of $684.736 million representing 56.9% of the Program's 10-year capital funding.
-- The 10-Year Preliminary Capital Plan will increase future year Operating Budgets by a total of $15.239 million net over the 2018 - 2027 period, primarily for the ongoing operating costs of 6 new community recreation facilities and maintenance for new park development
-- 2017-2026 Preliminary Capital Budget and Plan totalling $1.204 billion
-- 2018 PFR ten-year capital budget increased to $1.309 billion, debt increased to $659.211.
Parks and Rec Capital Budget (2018)
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