By Pepper Parr
January 11th, 2018
BURLINGTON, ON
Part nine of a multi-part editorial feature on the precincts and mobility hub being planned for the downtown core
The Public Service Precinct is an updated precinct (currently identified as Major Institutional Precinct in the City’s Official Plan) that formally recognizes existing and future land for public service functions in the Downtown Mobility Hub.
What is a little surprising is what has been included in the Public Service Precinct – not just the Brant Museum that is undergoing a transformation but much of what will eventually become the Beachway Park.
Draft Intention Statement:
The Public Service Precinct will accommodate current and future public services within the Downtown Mobility Hub including healthcare, education, emergency and protective services, cultural activities and civic administration, among others. Lands identified as public service may accommodate such uses either wholly or in part as part of a public-private partnership.
“The policy directions for the Public Service Precinct include recognizing existing and potential public service facilities as well as permitting opportunities to locate public services in privately owned development through public-private partnerships.”
Not a lot in the way of detail. What the planners are not revealing is the long term thinking about what to do with city hall that does not have enough space for all the staff and is an old inefficient building.
City hall has been due for an upgrade for some time – best the city has been able to do is upgrade some of the furnishing in the Atrium.
Former Director of Planning Mary Lou Tanner, now Deputy city manager, said during a tour of John Street that she liked the look of the city hall but realized there were some problems with the accommodation of staff – something would have to be done with the back end of the building where an addition was put in place a number of years ago.
There is a report somewhere in the Capital Works department that includes a survey of the space needs and what might be done with the city hall. That report never made its way to a public meeting.
The city currently rents a considerable amount of space in the Sims building which is across the street from city hall.
Finance, Human Resources and Capital works are all in the Sims building.
Ward 4 Councillor Jack Dennison thought the city should have either bought the Sims building or do something with the existing city hall. That idea didn’t go anywhere.
City chose to rent space on Locust street for the Grow Bold planners, yards from the best patio space in the city.
In order to accommodate the growing number of planners involved in the Grow Bold idea and the creation of the Mobility Hubs the city rented some expensive space on Locust Street.
Lots of room for some creative thinking on consolidating the different space needs.
Part 1 Evolution of precincts and hubs
Part 8 Tall buildings precinct
