Urban Revitalization – Regent Park, Toronto, ON

Regent Park is a vibrant place of families, schools and community spirit. Built more than 70 years ago, it is one of the oldest publicly funded housing communities in Canada. Dillon is involved in this historic regeneration that will include a 5,000 unit redevelopment expected to increase housing capacity from 7,500 to 12,000 people and will make this area once again part of the surrounding neighbourhood and city.

Dillon is involved in the engineering, planning, environmental and sustainability work within the multi-discipline team charged with developing feasibility concepts and obtaining all approvals. Our duties include contract administration, site servicing and transportation planning.

Dillon undertook construction inspection and contract administration for the municipal servicing of the Phase 1 lands. The contract administration involved making timely decisions to enable completion of the project. One of the main challenges with this project was the removal or rehabilitation of existing infrastructure, abandonments or retention and protection as required to maintain municipal services to abutting lands to be redeveloped in future phases.

The stormwater management plan for the 30 ha redevelopment uses sustainable design principles as part of an overall sustainable community design plan. Development of the plan included the screening of on-site and off-site stormwater management measures, the evaluation and ranking of best management practices according to technical performance and life-cycle costing, approvability and public and social acceptance. The study process was similar to that of a comprehensive Class Environmental Assessment except in the case that the proponent was a private agency.

Phase II includes detailed municipal design for site servicing and grading plan and an analysis of the existing egg shape combined sewer to demonstrate the feasibility to connect new sanitary sewer, utility coordination, tender document preparation and construction coordination. Dillon completed the detailed design and contract administration associated with the detailed district energy design for Phase 2. We worked closely with Regent Park Energy Incorporated staff and our subconsultant, FVB Energy Inc., to develop a district energy design that meets the needs of the development while ensuring it is implemented in conjunction with the overall municipal servicing requirements.

Project Details

Project Partner: Toronto Community Housing Corporation
Business Unit: Land Development
Service Offering: Planning, Design & Advisory Services