Updates on city issues, community events, seasonal programs, activities and local services.
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INSIGHT Guelph to grow good ways Summer 2009 8 9 In this issue… Green Acres Guelph measures about 21,745 acres or 8,800 hectares. Here’s a look at how the city’s green spaces measure up. Undeveloped natural space 2,160 hectares (24% of city) Wetlands, open water, swamps 800 hectares (9% of city) Meadows and thickets 750 hectares (8% of city) Woodlands, forests, plantations 1,100 hectares (12.5% of city) Residential, commercial, parks, agriculture, etc. 6,700 hectares (76% of city) 1 hectare = 2.47 acres Leslie Samchuk Keith Love Deborah Wilson Fleur Krafczek Preserving green spaces THERE ARE no two ways about it: Guelph’s green spaces make the city a lively and en- joyable place to live. While making room for more people, homes and jobs, the City is also protecting and preserving habitats for wildlife, wood- lands, wetlands, rivers and valley systems — all of which are important components of Guelph’s natural heritage. The City of Guelph has studied and mapped the natural features within the city boundary, and identified areas where spe- cies of birds, frogs, salamanders, fish and other wildlife live. The City also recommends ‘buffers’ be established around these areas to help protect sensitive natural systems. Guelph’s Natural Heritage Strategy pro- tects, preserves and enhances the city’s unique natural characteristics like rivers, wet- lands and woodlands. Urban trees – Guelph’s green assets Each tree in Guelph forms part of the urban forest; whether it’s in your yard, a park or a conservation area. Guelph is lucky to have approximately 30 per cent tree canopy cover across the city. In an effort to enhance this tree canopy, the City has developed a framework for a Strategic Urban Forest Management Plan — a plan to help Guelph effectively manage our city’s trees. Once developed the plan will aim to: Plant more trees across the city • Develop an inventory to monitor • and manage Guelph’s trees Protect healthy trees on private • and public land through pruning and education Preserving Guelph’s Natural Heritage Sys- tem is critical to Guelph’s balanced, respon- sible approach to growth. Learn more about Guelph’s plans to protect natural green spaces at guelph.ca/environment More places like home Building variety in Guelph’s residential neighbourhoods What will Guelph look like when it grows up? What’s up downtown? A stronger city starts in the core Better ways to go Trains, buses, cars and bikes Kevin Palmer 5 The city is 182 years old, and it’s time for Guelph to grow up 6
Transcript
insight Guelphto grow
good ways
Summer 2009
8
9
In this issue…
Green AcresGuelph measures about 21,745 acres or 8,800 hectares. Here’s a look at how the city’s green spaces measure up.
Undeveloped natural space 2,160 hectares (24% of city)
Wetlands, open water, swamps 800 hectares (9% of city)
Meadows and thickets 750 hectares (8% of city)
Woodlands, forests, plantations 1,100 hectares (12.5% of city)
Residential, commercial, parks, agriculture, etc. 6,700 hectares (76% of city)
1 hectare = 2.47 acres
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Deb
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Preserving green spacesThere are no two ways about it: Guelph’s green spaces make the city a lively and en-joyable place to live.
While making room for more people, homes and jobs, the City is also protecting and preserving habitats for wildlife, wood-lands, wetlands, rivers and valley systems — all of which are important components of Guelph’s natural heritage.
The City of Guelph has studied and
mapped the natural features within the city boundary, and identified areas where spe-cies of birds, frogs, salamanders, fish and other wildlife live. The City also recommends ‘buffers’ be established around these areas to help protect sensitive natural systems.
Guelph’s Natural Heritage Strategy pro-tects, preserves and enhances the city’s unique natural characteristics like rivers, wet-lands and woodlands.
Urban trees – Guelph’s green assetsEach tree in Guelph forms part of the urban forest; whether it’s in your yard, a park or a conservation area. Guelph is lucky to have approximately 30 per cent tree canopy cover across the city. In an effort to enhance this tree canopy, the City has developed a framework for a Strategic Urban Forest Management Plan — a plan to help Guelph effectively manage our city’s trees. Once developed the plan will aim to:
Plant more trees across the city•Develop an inventory to monitor •and manage Guelph’s treesProtect healthy trees on private •and public land through pruning and education
Preserving Guelph’s Natural Heritage Sys-tem is critical to Guelph’s balanced, respon-sible approach to growth. Learn more about Guelph’s plans to protect natural green spaces at guelph.ca/environment
More places like homeBuilding variety in Guelph’s residential neighbourhoods
What will Guelph look like when it grows up?
What’s up downtown?A stronger city starts in the core
Better ways to goTrains, buses,
cars and bikes
Kevi
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5
The city is 182 years old,
and it’s time for Guelph to grow up
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insight Guelph Summer 20092
Guelph is growingHow we manage growth is up to us In 1856, the Grand Trunk Railway arrived in Guelph, triggering a period of tremendous growth, industry, and prosperity that set the foundations for the city we know today.
More than 150 years later, Guelph is still growing. In fact, we are part of the fastest growing urban area in Canada and the third fastest growing area in North America — the Greater Golden Horseshoe.
The provincial government has a plan to manage this growth by concen-trating it in built-up areas, in order to curb sprawl and protect farmland and natural resources.
Their plan is the Growth Plan for the Greater Golden Horseshoe and, for Guelph, it means that we will add 54,000 new residents and 32,400 jobs over the next 25 years.
The million-dollar question is: how can we accommodate this growth while still maintaining our community’s character?
That question has been the focus of a growth management strategy for Guelph that has been several years in the making.
I am pleased that this edition of Insight Guelph takes a closer look at growth management in our community. As you’ll read, growth has wide-ranging im-plications, affecting everything from transportation systems and housing to economic development and parks.
In fact, almost all major projects underway in the City are driven by the imperative to accommodate growth in a smart and sustainable way.
Growth is inevitable. But how we manage it is up to us. Through careful planning and strategic investments, we are working to achieve the commun-ity’s vision of a compact, prosperous, and vibrant city.
As always, if you have any comments or questions, please send me an e-mail at [email protected] or call 519-837-5643.
Karen FarbridgeMayor
GuelphITeS have long sung their city’s virtues as a great place to live, work, study and play. And we’re not alone!
In his latest book, Who’s Your City?, Richard Florida, director of the Martin Prosperity In-stitute at the University of Toronto’s Rotman School of Management, ranked Guelph among the top ten places to live in Canada in four out of five demographic categories: University graduates, mid-career profes-sionals, families with children, and retirees.
“Guelph’s standing on this list is remarkable. We’re rubbing elbows with the likes of Ottawa-Gatineau, Calgary, and Victoria,” says Mayor Karen Farbridge. “Our city has tremendous strengths that will enable us to attract talent
and prosper in the new economy.”Last year, the City worked with Ipsos Reid
to conduct its own Citizen Satisfaction sur-vey. Findings revealed 96 per cent of resi-dents ranked their quality of life in Guelph as very good or good — well above the average when compared to other cities.
The revised Canadian edition of Florida’s international bestseller used a number of important factors to determine each city’s ranking; the percentage of the city’s popu-lation that fits a particular life stage, underlying economic conditions (regional economic growth and a measure of creativity, talent and tolerance), amenities and quality of life factors (arts and culture), and cost of living.
4 Victoria Yellowknife Fredericton Victoria Victoria
5 Yellowknife Iqaluit Yellowknife Canmore Montreal
6 Edmonton Edmonton Guelph Charlottetown Vancouver
7 Guelph Guelph Quebec City Vancouver Kingston
8 Canmore Victoria Kingston Montreal Quebec City
9 Whitehorse Toronto Hamilton Parksville Guelph
10 Montreal Montreal Montreal Kingston Halifax
Best places to live in Canada*
* Who’s Your City? by Richard Florida (Appendix C, p. 326)
Guelph among Canada’s top ten places to live Guelph’s Heffernan Street Bridge
Summer 2009 insight Guelph 3
Guelph waterOurs to protect. Ours to conserve. Ours to enjoy. Guelph is one of the largest cities in Can-ada to rely solely on groundwater. One of the major goals in the City of Guelph’s Of-ficial Plan is to recognize and sustainably manage the groundwater and surface water resources needed to support the city’s growth. City and Provincial policies are in place to ensure groundwater resources are respected, protected and conserved. After all, Guelph’s water supply is based on groundwater, which also sustains the area’s natural environment.
The safety and security of our water re-sources are critical to ensuring a high qual-ity of life for existing and future residents and businesses.
Our commitmentTo provide a high quality water •supply to meet the needs of residents and businesses, now and in the future.To promote water conservation and •efficiency measures to sustain our valuable water resources.To protect the quality and quantity of •the city’s surface and groundwater resources through municipal initiatives and community stewardship.To practice and encourage effective •management of storm water drainage in order to maintain or enhance the water resources of the Guelph area.To use storm water management to •help regulate the quantity and quality of storm water run-off to receiving natural watercourses, wetlands and recharge facilities.
The City of Guelph is committed to pro-tecting our water as the city grows and de-velops. Guidelines are in place to ensure our city grows sustainably, and that develop-ment activities do not impair the ability of our water resources to provide a quality water supply for our community, and to
sustain the area’s natural ecosystem, now and in the future.
Protecting our waterWhen it comes to protecting our water sup-ply, everyone has a role to play.
What the City is doingConducting an environmental study •in the southwest quadrant to evaluate the potential to increase Guelph’s water supply.Working with the Grand River •Conservation Authority to improve monitoring along the Speed River, identifying areas of improvement of the overall health of the watershed.Exploring new rebate programs for •the installation of water-efficient humidifiers, outdoor water timers, rain barrels, grey water reuse systems, and rainwater harvesting systems.Conducting a Water Loss Mitigation •Strategy to deal with leaks in the system.Updating the Sewer Use By-law to •control the quality of wastewater that reaches the Wastewater Treatment Plant (WWTP).Identifying optimization activities to •improve efficiency at the WWTP.
Diverting biosolids from landfill by •applying the treated biosolids to land as a fertilizer.Exploring opportunities to reuse •treated wastewater effluent for applications, such as irrigation.
What you can doFollow the Outside Water Use •Program guidelines for outdoor watering activities.Look for water-efficient fixtures and •appliances. The City currently offers rebates for water-efficient toilets and front-loading washing machines. Repair leaks. Keep an eye on faucets, •toilets and other water fixtures.Keep hazardous materials out of our •sewer system and waterways. Drop off your household hazardous waste (HHW) products at the HHW Depot, 110 Dunlop Drive, free of charge.Select native plants for your garden; •they thrive in local conditions and require less water. Use a rain barrel to collect rainwater •for your gardens.
You’re invited to the
Saturday, June 2010 a.m. – 4 p.m.
Join us for the offi cial opening ceremonies
and stay for the entertainment, food and
tours of your new city hall.
visit guelph.ca/grandopening for more information.
no rSvp necessary.
insight Guelph Summer 20094
Good plans, good decisionsThe City’s Official Plan provides for healthy, balanced growth
Above and beyondGuelph’s Official Plan update does more than just meet the Province’s requirements. Over the past few years, Guelph has con-ducted careful research and analysis that serve as the background for the City’s Official Plan update:
Natural Heritage Strategy (2009)•
Urban Design Action Plan (2009)•
Local Growth Management •Strategy (2008)
Community Energy Plan (2007)•
Strategic Plan (2007)•
City-wide Trail Master Plan (2005)•
Guelph-Wellington Transportation •Study (2005)
Transportation Strategy Update (2001)•
For information about Guelph’s Official Plan update, visit guelph.ca/opupdate.
You wouldn’T build a house without a set of plans, would you? Guelph’s Official Plan is a lot like a set of blueprints to build an entire city. It shows where the City plans to put houses, roads, schools, parks, offices, hospitals, and factories, while protecting and enhancing natural features like forests, rivers, wetlands and other green spaces.
The goal of Guelph’s Official Plan is to provide a healthy mix of places to live, work and enjoy. The Official Plan is the City’s primary tool for managing growth; it specifies which kinds of development can occur in different parts of the city.
Like most plans, Guelph’s Official Plan changes from time to time. Some updates are required by the Province, while other adjust-ments are based on the city’s changing needs and priorities.
The Province’s plansMuch like a new house on an existing block should compliment its neighbours, Guelph’s Official Plan should compliment the Province’s
plans for growth in the region. Ontario’s Growth Plan estimates Guelph’s population will in-
crease to 175,000 by 2031; an increase of roughly 54,000 people and 32,400 jobs.
The Province’s Policy Statement also sets rules for development in the city. Among other things, the Province encourages cities to redevelop brownfields (aging or vacant industrial sites); protect air quality, wetlands, woodlands, streams and groundwater; and use renewable energy.
The City is updating Guelph’s Official Plan to conform to the Province’s Growth Plan and be consistent with the Provincial Policy Statement.
Get to know Guelph as it growsAre you curious about new developments in your neighbourhood? Subscribe to City e-News for weekly updates and announcements about projects in your community. Visit guelph.ca/news.
Guelph’s City HallPast, present, futureIn 1856 when Guelph’s original City Hall was built, it was well suited to accommo-date the needs of our city’s 4,500 residents. Since then, 59 Carden Street has been home to almost all City services at one point or another throughout its 153 years as Guelph City Hall. During its tenure, this beautiful building saw temendous growth that con-tinues today.
The City of Guelph outgrew its beautiful century home many years ago, and as a re-sult several services came to be housed at five downtown locations. Because of the inconvenience of multiple office locations and increasing leasing costs, in 2005 Coun-cil decided a new City Hall was needed to meet the current and future demands of a city that continually attracts new residents, businesses and visitors.
Our community now has similar long-term expectations for the new kid on the block, 1 Carden Street, commonly known as new City Hall. Having opened its doors only a few
months ago, new City Hall is ready to take on that challenge and is off to great start.
New City Hall has been designed to maxi-mize accessibility, convenience, environ-mental leadership, cost savings, and accommodate future growth.
Accessibility features in the new build-ing are on each floor starting at the en-trance, and span the floor tiles, signage on the walls, washrooms, drinking fountains, and Council Chambers.
Customer service has been enhanced now that residents can access City services in one central and convenient location. The ServiceGuelph counter on the main floor of-fers residents personalized customer service, helpful information and quick transactions.
New City Hall was built to meet the LEED (Leadership in Energy Efficiency and Design) Silver Standard set out by the Canadian
Green Building Council, which translates to outstanding conservation and efficiency.
In addition, residents benefit from the hundreds of thousands of dollars of savings each year in rent, energy and water costs.
For more information about new City Hall visit guelph.ca/cityhall.
Summer 2009 insight Guelph 5
TodaY, lIvInG In Guelph, for the most part, means living in a neighbourhood of detached or semi-detached homes. In fact, Statistics Canada’s 2006 Census indicates that roughly 58 per cent of homes in Guelph are low-density detached/semi-detached houses.
What will your neighbourhood look like in the next 25 years?The stage is being set for exciting changes in many neighbourhoods from the city’s downtown core to its outer edges. Guelph has strong urban qualities balanced with protected natural spaces and parks. The City plans to maintain this balance as Guelph’s population grows.
For instance, Guelph will eventually provide more variety than it does today through more medium-density homes such as townhouses, and higher-density homes such as apartment buildings. Guelph will offer a better mix of housing options over the next 25 years so that it can accommodate an additional 26,500 new households.
Memorable and complete communities that offer shopping and commercial dis-tricts, public parks, recreation facilities and effective public transit will be created, re-sulting in attractive, lively and enjoyable neighbourhoods.
Creating communities where everyone feels at homeThe City’s goal is to create neighbourhoods where people from all walks of life can enjoy Guelph’s parks and green spaces, access facilities and services, build relationships with their neighbours and take pride in the place they call home.
Students need affordable housing and are likely to rent an apartment or share a house close to amenities and along transit routes.
Young couples may choose to buy or rent an affordable, entry-level townhouse or apartment as a starter home. They will look for a place where they can get to know their neighbours and enjoy community parks, nearby shopping and entertainment.
Families are more likely to live in larger
homes that are close to shopping, parks, schools and recreations facilities.
Retirees may prefer low-maintenance town homes or condominiums that offer a sense of community and security while bringing people closer to public transit, shopping, and City amenities.
More places like homeBuilding variety in Guelph’s residential neighbourhoods
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For details visit guelph.ca/recmonth
Juneis Recreation and Parks Month in
GuelphGuelph residents want to be among the
most physically and socially active people in canada. So choose from hundreds of
recreation activities, hit the trails or enjoy a day at the park and make it a reality!
For more information about Seniors Month or the Evergreen Seniors Centre
call 519-823-1291 or visit guelph.ca
June 19Free Fitness Fridays
Urban Poling, 10 a.m.
June 25Poker Walk and Picnic at
Riverside Park, 10 a.m.
June 26Free Fitness Fridays Total Body, 10 a.m.
Celebrate Seniors Monthat the Evergreen Seniors Centre
Evergreen Seniors Centre, Guelph’s community centre dedicated
to residents and visitors 55 plus, has many activities planned to
celebrate seniors throughout June.
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Community Nodes
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Innovation District
insight Guelph Summer 20096
when The cITY waS Founded In 1827, John Galt created a unique plan which laid out the roads, and residential, religious and commercial areas, all nestled where the Speed and Eramosa Rivers meet. Since then Guelph has grown, in fi ts and starts, from the core to the urban area we know today.
To prevent sprawl and the use of agricultural land beyond Guelph’s boundary, the city needs to grow up, and make better use of space within built-up areas. You’ll see better pedestrian and cycling routes, improved transit, quality parks and green spaces and more accessible amenities located close to home as Guelph gradually shifts from low density development toward more town homes, apartments, and mixed-use centres that combine offi ce, commercial and residential buildings.
The goal is to create a well-functioning, healthy, compact and therefore more sustainable city based on a network of unique neighbourhoods that meet the wide-ranging needs of the community. Community nodes, corridors and a net-work of new communities are just a few of the ideas being considered for future redevelopments in Guelph.
Community nodes can be planned or redeveloped to off er a mix of housing, offi ces and shopping amenities. Each node can off er qual-ity public spaces, access to transit, cycling and pedestrian routes, im-proved connections between neighbourhoods, commercial cen-tres and other destinations.
The north, west and south community nodes already have conventional shopping amenities, employment opportunities and a few nearby medium and high-density residential buildings with access to transit. Intensifi cation of these areas could bring a greater variety of housing, improved tran-
sit, cycling and pedestrian routes, and related amenities.
In the east, where commercial development is still in the planning stages, Guelph has opportunities to encourage an even better mix of residential and commercial build-ings, and more compact, pedes-trian-friendly development. This neighbourhood node could feature unique design and architecture, in-clude quality community spaces and invoke a sense of pride.
In the south and west community nodes, there are upcoming oppor-tunities for improved transit connec-tions and hubs for the surrounding communities.
it growsWhat will Guelph look like when
EVOLVING COMMUNITY NODES
The city is 182 years old, and it’s time for Guelph to grow up
Summer 2009 insight Guelph 7
Watch what comes next on the York District Lands – Guelph’s Innovation District.The large parcel of land located south-east of the downtown, sometimes called the York District Lands, is ear-marked for a very exciting future.
Home to what will be known as Guelph’s Innovation District, these lands will one day house a variety of businesses, including those special-izing in the agricultural and environ-mental technologies sectors, along with residential and other uses.
The land, entirely located within Guelph’s urban boundary, is more than 1,000 acres in size, and will be a key to Guelph’s future.
The land is linked to all of Guelph’s key priority areas. It’s vital to our growth management strategy and to meeting the Province’s Growth Plan requirements; it off ers tremendous opportunity to provide employment lands for our economy; Guelph’s Waste Resource Innovation Centre is located on the property, making it important for the future of organics processing and waste diversion; it off ers our best opportunity to meet Guelph’s Com-munity Energy Plan targets through integrated energy planning; and fi nally, the land is central to building partnerships, because those with in-terests in the land include the prov-incial government, University of Guelph, and private companies.
For more information about the York District Lands and Guelph’s Innova-tion District, visit guelph.ca/innov-ationdistrict.
Many single-storey buildings along Guelph’s main streets may be re-de-veloped to increase the concentration of people living and shopping along Guelph’s corridors. Stone Road, for ex-ample, can off er a greater mix of uses between the Stone Road Mall, the Uni-versity and research park while new buildings on Gordon Street and Wool-wich Street will need to fi t in with existing heritage features.
Along Eramosa Road and Silvercreek Parkway more buildings could face dir-ectly onto the street, close to bus stops and sidewalks, and upper fl oors can be used for housing or offi ces.
York Road could be redeveloped and integrate surrounding parks, nearby nat-ural features and off er improved cycling and pedestrian routes.
The healthiest communities are those where people can choose to walk to schools, parks and shops; live in a house, town home or apartment; work close to home; and see beauty in their neighbourhood’s architecture and natural features.
New and growing communities in Guelph’s south end can provide a var-iety of housing types within many price ranges, along with nearby employ-ment opportunities. New neighbour-hoods with beautiful parks and natural areas, pedestrian-friendly amenities and unique design will mean lower en-vironmental impacts and more vibrant communities.
CONNECTIONS ALONG CORRIDORS
NEW COMMUNITY OPPORTUNITIES
Guelph’s urban design action plan and Growth management Strategy included more information about Guelph’s plans for nodes, corridors, new communities and other develop-ments. visit guelph.ca for details.
insight Guelph Summer 20098
Project list
aS The cITY GrowS, Guelph’s downtown will change for the better. New develop-ments and community spaces will enhance the city’s natural beauty, green spaces and historic buildings, and downtown will offer a more balanced mix of housing, culture and commerce.
Ask most people for a downtown Guelph landmark, and they’ll point to the Church of Our Lady Immaculate in the heart of the city. This beautiful building can be seen for miles around, and represents an important part of Guelph’s heritage.
Just north of the church, the City is reno-vating the historic Loretto Convent build-ing to house the new Civic Museum — a cultural highlight for people living in or visiting Guelph.
South of the church, on Wilson Street, will see some big changes as the City adds vehicle and bicycle parking facilities and street-level commercial space. The design of the Wilson Street garage will be in keeping with the surrounding area, and the new facil-ity will meet the needs of more people mov-ing in and out of the core.
Look east along Carden Street to see the City putting the finishing touches on new City Hall, and preparing to renovate old City Hall for the Provincial Offences Court, also referred to as the Municipal Court. The land-scaping and features in front of these two buildings will create the Civic Square; a new shared community space with trees, plants, seating areas and public art.
Walk a little further along Carden Street
and you’ll arrive at the proposed site for Guelph’s transit hub. Plans for local and regional buses and trains to meet in a central downtown location will improve the city’s connections to surrounding communities in Wellington County, Kitchener-Waterloo-Cambridge and the Greater Toronto Area.
Finally, the new central library will be a focal point and meeting place for the community. Guelph plans to redevelop the parking lot on Baker Street to build the new library, more community green space and create oppor-tunities for new residential, commercial and office buildings on the rest of the site.
As these projects are completed, a trip downtown will bring you to new facilities and exciting new public spaces, and you’ll still have a fantastic view of the church!
What’s up downtown?A stronger city starts in the core
Baker Street LibraryThe new library will create an inviting public space and offer opportunities for medium and high-density residential and commercial buildings down-town. The City plans to purchase four buildings on Wyndham Street North and completely redevelop the Baker Street parking lot to make room for a LEED-certified library building, surrounding green space and at least 400 parking spots.
Civic MuseumThe new Civic Museum will be built to the LEED Silver Standard set by the Canadian Green Building Council, with room for classrooms, a children’s gallery, meeting facilities, offices, a gift shop, archives, research and storage. The interior demolition is complete and the conversion of the building is planned to begin in September 2009.
Provincial Offences Court Guelph’s historic old City Hall at 59 Carden Street will undergo a complete
interior renovation and restoration as the City converts the building to the Provincial Offences Court, also referred to as the Municipal Court. Work is scheduled to begin in July, and reconstruction will take about one year.
Transit HubEnvironmental and engineering studies and plans are underway to redevel-op the area near Guelph’s VIA rail station and Greyhound bus terminal. A new transit hub at this location will connect regional and local transit sys-tems. GO Transit is completing an Environmental Assessment, and expects to offer service to Guelph in 2011. The hub will be the main transfer point for people travelling in to, out of and around the city.
Wilson Street Parking GarageA six-level garage will provide 395 parking spaces, barrier-free parking, wash-rooms, bicycle parking and new retail space at street level. Energy and water conservation features are planned as part of the project. Construction is expected to start later this year, and completion is planned for 2010.
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Civic Museum Wilson Street Parking GarageBuilding a deck or shed?
Putting in a pool or hot tub?Getting ready to renovate?
Whether you’re hiring a contractor or doing it yourself, we can help
europeanS have known for centuries that quality public spaces are the heart and soul of great cities. Just think of the piazza — every Italian city and town has one, no mat-ter how small.
Strong public spaces build community, encourage health and wellness, support social interaction and foster a distinct sense of place. When they’re well planned and beautifully built, they have tremendous positive impacts on our quality of life.
Perhaps now more than ever, designing and building great public spaces is on the minds of North Americans and Guelphites in particular. That’s because Guelph is at a pivot-al point in its evolution, poised to grow with an increasing trend toward urban living.
In their efforts to make Guelph one of Canada’s most sustainable cities, City plan-ners have identified the need for high-qual-ity public spaces across the city, starting in the city’s historic core.
Guelph’s Civic Square The plan for the new Civic Square at Carden and Wilson Streets, next to new City Hall, is an example of the future direction of quality public spaces in Guelph. Developed under the Market Place Urban Design Plan, adopt-ed by Council in 2008, the Square will offer beautiful spots to gather, reflect, admire
Better ways to goTrains, buses, cars and bikesGeTTInG In and out of Guelph on a train or bus is about to get a little easier. A num-ber of projects are already underway and will connect Guelph to surrounding com-munities, and improve transportation with-in the city.
GO trains could come to downtown Guelph as early as 2011, bringing people from Kitchener-Waterloo into Guelph for work, and taking people from Guelph into the Greater Toronto Area.
The City is also looking for ways to use the Guelph Junction Railway for passenger travel in the city. The 24 miles of track be-tween Guelph and Campbellville are al-ready used to transport industrial products, and could eventually connect to the rail
system planned for Kitchener-Waterloo.Plans are also in the works for redevel-
oping the downtown VIA rail station to offer better connections between trains, region-al transit, and local bus routes. Future transit hubs are also being considered in Guelph’s west and south-end neighbourhoods.
Guelph buses tend to travel between destinations like schools, shopping centres, community centres, offices or industrial parks — places where people are concen-trated. As more people live, work and shop
Look for different ways to travel.Take fewer trips in your car. The City calls it transportation demand management, and it happens when we find ways to share a ride with a friend, take the train, the bus, ride a bike or walk. You can save money, reduce stress, and lower Guelph’s environmental footprint. Learn more at guelph.ca/tdm.
in community nodes, transit can move people from place to place more efficiently.
One of Guelph’s goals is to create com-munities where more commuters can cycle or use transit, and where we can literally run errands on our own two feet. More transit routes will offer full accessibility for people using canes, scooters or wheelchairs; par-ticularly in mixed-use areas where people live within walking distance of shopping, recreation facilities and other amenities.
A well-planned transportation network includes all modes of travel; walking, cycling, buses, trains, cars and trucks. Guelph supports the Province’s plan to upgrade intersections on the Hanlon Expressway (Highway 6). New interchanges at Laird Road and Stone Road will offer better delivery routes for Guelph’s commercial and industrial areas, while improving traffic connections between Hamilton and Kitchener-Waterloo.
An efficient transportation system will save fuel and energy, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and is an important part of Guelph’s Community Energy Plan.
public art, and enjoy community events. Guelph’s new Civic Square will be a very
important open space addition to the com-munity. It will provide an appropriate setting for civic events, engage residents on a daily basis, and distinguish the city for visitors.
Central to the Civic Square plan is the idea that the Square should contain distinct and clearly defined places that respond to the character of the buildings that surround it, all while linked by strong pathways, green-ery and healthy trees.
The Civic Square plan incorporates Card-en Street and Wilson Street as part of the design, and engages and enhances the sidewalks and street design for the busi-nesses and residents along the sunny side of the street.
Subject of a major fundraising drive, the Square’s focal point is to be an active water feature and skating rink that will bring the community together for daily activities and special events. It is to be designed to demon-strate the best water and energy conservation practices while providing the community with a new year-round recreational facility.
For information about Guelph’s Civic Square, visit guelph.ca/cityhall > commun-ity spaces. For information about fundraising efforts for the Civic Square, or to donate, contact the Civic Square Fundraising Group at 519-836-4772.
insight Guelph Summer 200910
Redefining brownfieldsIn The True SpIrIT of the three R’s (reduce, reuse and recycle), Guelph hopes to en-courage the re-use of vacant or underused industrial and commercial lands through-out the city. Redeveloping brownfields makes better use of utilities and City servi-ces such as roads, watermains, sewers, li-braries and hospitals already in place.
The City has identified roughly 175 brown-field properties in Guelph. Most are empty, paved lots or abandoned buildings in older parts of the city. There may be a history of industrial activity or environmental pollu-tion that requires special treatment or re-moval techniques.
Once a site is cleaned up however, it can
be used for new stores, office buildings, townhomes, or factories in the city’s already built up areas. In some cases, the redevelop-ment of brownfield sites features new de-
sign elements combined with existing buildings to create truly unique spaces that show pieces of Guelph’s history.
Making it easierProper clean-up is critical to restore the soil and surrounding area to a healthy state. This takes time, and it can be expensive. The City shares the cost of environmental testing to learn about potential pollution on a site, ensure appropriate measures are taken to protect Guelph’s groundwater supply, and improve the local environment.
In fact, as part of its Brownfield Redevel-opment Community Improvement Plan, the City offers a number of financial incen-
tives for property-owners seeking to re-develop brownfield sites. The City can provide tax assistance during and after a clean up, and offer grants based on new tax revenues that will be created once the site is converted to a functioning new facility.
In Guelph you can see an old mill turned into affordable apartments where a textile factory once stood, and offices inside a his-toric granary. Guelph is working to create more unique communities and neighbour-hoods while reusing properties, recycling old buildings, and reducing sprawl.
For additional information on brownfield redevelopment programs in Guelph, visit guelph.ca/brownfields.
brownfield (broun-feeld) n. 1 an industrial or commercial site that is idle or underused because of real or perceived environmental pollution. 2 a development opportunity that limits sprawl and helps clean up the environment while creating new facilities to meet community needs.
*United Way of Guelph and Wellington Community Connections, February/March 2008 Social Planning Report: The Face of Guelph and Wellington is Changing
dId You know immigration to Canada now accounts for the majority of our country’s population growth? In our city alone, 20 per cent of residents were born in another coun-try and over the past ten years 7,000 immigrants have settled in Guelph.
As our city becomes more diverse, new talents, traditions and ideas are introduced to the community, making it cul-turally rich and more vibrant.
All new residents need support as they settle in our city. The City of Guelph is working to meet the needs of an eth-nically and culturally diverse city in many ways, and works with community partners to help new Canadians access a variety of services.
The City of Guelph is one of more than 30 service providers working together, collectively called the Guelph Inclusive-ness Alliance (GIA), to make Guelph and Wellington County a welcoming community to new Canadians. The GIA’s ef-forts focus on employment needs, increasing access to trans-lation and language services, increasing awareness of racism and discrimination, partnership development, and research.
Directory of Services for new Canadians of Guelph The GIA recently developed the Directory of Services for new Canadians of Guelph. This resource is an easy-to-use listing of employment, housing, health care, English as a second language (ESL) training information, and other ser-
vices. Download a free copy in one of seven languages from volunteerguelphwellington.on.ca/communityinfo.aspx.
Neighbourhood Engagement The City of Guelph plays another role in supporting divers-ity through its Neighbourhood Engagement initiatives. It provides support, often in the form of resources for recrea-tional and social programs, to 12 neighbourhood groups. Each neighbourhood group operates independently to meet its own unique needs. Many of these groups offer support to new Canadians.
The West Willow Neighbourhood Group is one example of how neighbourhood groups can connect new Canadians and their new neighbours. This group provides referrals to social supports for housing, education and the multicul-tural centre. It offers after-school programs, summer camps, and local events. It also sources translators and occasion-
ally publishes newsletters in languages other than English to keep everyone informed.
At the Onward Willow Neighbourhood Group staff speaks 11 languages. Programs are ethno-specific to help reduce language barriers. The group also has a new Canadian Ad-visory Committee to ensure it’s responsive.
Making sure all citizens have the opportunity to participate in community life is part of the City of Guelph’s commitment to being community-focused, responsive and accountable.
For more information about the City’s involvement with the GIA or neighbourhood groups, please contact:
Cindy RichardsonCommunity Manager, Neighbourhood EngagementCommunity ServicesT 519-822-1260 x 2700
Walker Office Building 111 Farquar St, a former granary.
Supporting diversity
Summer 2009 insight Guelph 11
JuneRecreation and Parks MonthJune 1 – 30guelph.ca/recmonth
Seniors MonthJune 1 – 30 guelph.ca > living > recreation and culture > recreation offerings > seniors
Guelph City Hall Grand Opening June 20guelph.ca/grandopening
Tim Hortons sponsored Safety First Aquatic Fun EventJune 20519-837-5657
Subaru Triathlon Series 1June 20 – 21trisportcanada.com
JulyFestival ItalianoDate to be announced519-821-1110
art on the street 2009July 18downtownguelph.com
Hillside Music Festival 2009July 24 – 26hillsidefestival.ca
Community events
Guelph buildings tell the city’s story
From The simplest structure to the most elaborate architectural achievement, Guelph’s buildings show how people live and offer interesting examples of various time periods or styles.
As Guelph grows and more properties seek redevelopment, it is important to recognize and preserve the places that make the city unique. Guelph has a list of 4,000 properties in what is called the Inventory of Cultural Heritage Resources. The list includes struc-tures that help tell the story of the city.
The Inventory includes modest and elabor-ate homes, hotels, bridges, places of worship and education, office buildings and factories of all ages and types. Some are formally desig-nated under the Ontario Heritage Act while others require further research to find out if their cultural and heritage features warrant designation under the Ontario Heritage Act.
Changes to property listingsRecently, 1,900 non-designated properties from the Inventory were placed on another list called the Municipal Register of Cultural Heritage Properties. The properties added to the Municipal Register are not the same as heritage properties designated under the Ontario Heritage Act.
The process for renovating a building on the Municipal Register has not changed, but if a property owner plans to remove or demolish a building on the Municipal Regis-ter, they must give the City 60 days notice. The City will use that time to learn more about the property and its role in the community. If there is no significant cultural or heritage value, the building can be removed.
Are you on the list?Listed properties are located all over the city and vary in age, size and character. People who own properties on the Municipal Register should have received a letter from the City of Guelph.
Property owners who feel that informa-tion included on the Municipal Register is incorrect or that a property does not in fact have cultural or heritage value can apply to have the listing corrected or removed.
The complete Municipal Register of Cul-tural Heritage Properties is available at heritageguelph.ca or can be viewed at ServiceGuelph in City Hall.
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McCrae House
AugustJohn Galt DayAugust 3guelph.ca
Eco DaysAugust 3guelph.ca/wetdry
Guelph RibfestAugust 28 – August 30ribfestguelph.com
September
Subaru Triathlon Series 2September 5trisportcanada.com
Guelph Jazz FestivalSeptember 9 – 13 guelphjazzfestival.com
60 Cardigan St
St. George’s Anglican Church
insight Guelph Summer 200912
City of Guelph Services and Facilities
Insight Guelph is a publication of The Corporation of the City of Guelph.
T 519-822-1260 x 2610E [email protected]/Visit: City Hall, 1 Carden St Guelph, ON N1H 3A1
Insight Guelph is printed on newsprint containing recycled content.
Ward information
Services PhoneMayor’s Office 519-837-5643CAO’s Office 519-837-5602Building 519-837-5615City Clerk’s Office 519-837-5603Civic Museum 519-836-1221Community Design and Development Services
519-837-5616
Court Services (Provincial Offences Court)
519-826-0762
Economic Development 519-837-5600Engineering 519-837-5604Evergreen Seniors Centre 519-823-1291Facility Bookings 519-837-5678Finance 519-837-5610Fire and Emergency Services 519-824-6590Human Resources 519-837-5601Legal and Realty Services 519-837-5637Library (Main Branch) 519-824-6220Neighbourhood Engagement 519-837-5618McCrae House 519-836-1482Operations 519-837-5628Parking 519-837-5612Parks Maintenance 519-837-5628Police Services 519-824-1212River Run Centre (Box Office) 519-763-3000River Run Centre (Administration) 519-837-5662Sleeman Centre 519-822-4900TTY (Teletype for Deaf ) 519-826-9771Taxation 519-837-5610Tourism 519-837-1335Traffic 519-837-5628Transit 519-822-1811Victoria Road Recreation Centre 519-837-5621Waste Resource Innovation Centre 519-767-0598Wastewater Treatment Plant 519-837-5629Waterworks 519-837-5627West End Community Centre 519-837-5657
Who to callThe City of Guelph’s Outside Water Use Program (OWUP) has three levels that aff ect residential outside water use. Program levels are triggered by dry weather and local watershed conditions.
Refer to the colour-coded information below to fi nd out what watering activities are permitted during the three program levels.
To determine the current OWUP level visit guelph.ca/water, call 519-837-5627 or watch for signs posted around the city.
Level 0 Blue– careFul uSe• Alternatedayandtime
restrictions apply to lawn watering*
• Decorativefountainsand garden ponds must re-circulate water
• Norestrictionsonwateringtrees,shrubs,fl owers and gardens; vehicle washing (hose must be equipped with a shut-off nozzle); recreational sprinklers, splash pads, pools and hot tubs
• Decorativefountainsand garden ponds must re-circulate water
• Norestrictionsonwateringtrees,shrubs,fl owers and gardens; vehicle washing (hose must be equipped with a shut-off nozzle); recreational sprinklers, splash pads, pools and hot tubs
restrictions apply to watering trees, shrubs, fl owers and gardens, and vehicle washing (hose must be equipped with a shut-off nozzle)*
• Decorativefountainsandgardenpondsmust re-circulate water
• Norestrictionsonrecreationalsprinklers,splash pads, pools and hot tubs
* Odd numbered addresses water on odd numbered days, even numbered addresses water on even numbered days, between 7 and 9 a.m. and 7 and 9 p.m., as needed.
0
1
2
Guelph wateOurs to conserve Ours to protect Ours to enjoy
Beat the bore – get wet or go for a ride!Playing outdoors, getting wet, or going on an exciting ride off er great ways to have fun on those long summer days.
For more information call 519-837-5628
Splash pads – Free summer 2009(Norm Jary, Hanlon Creek, West End Community Centre)June 27 – Sept 7, 11 a.m. – 7 p.m.
Wading pools (Sunny Acres Park, Mico Valeriote Park and Exhibition Park)June 27 – Sept 7, 12 – 6 p.m.
Outdoor pools (Lyon Park)June 26 – Sept 6, visit guelph.ca for times
Amusement Rides (Riverside Park)May 18 – June 21, weekends and holidays onlyJune 27 – Sept 7, open daily 11 a.m. – 7:30 p.m.
