GPAC Meeting Minutes
GPAC Meeting Minutes from February 26, 2014
Grange Park Advisory Committee Meeting
Held Wednesday February 26, 2014 at the AGO
In attendance:
Councillor Adam Vaughan, Co-chair
Max Allen, Grange Community Association
Bev Carret, AGO
Lisa Clements, AGO
Ralph Daley, Grange Community Association
Mike Mahoney, AGO
Pesha McKendry, resident, social housing and co-ops
Pearl Quong, Grange Community Association
Alan Sims, OCADU
Matthew Teitelbaum, AGO
Ange Valentini, EA to Councillor Vaughan
Regrets:
John Burns, St. George the Martyr Church
Rupert Duchesne, AGO, Co-Chair
Ken Greenberg
Mazyar Mortazavi, member-at-large
David Prendergast, University Settlement
Ceta Ramkhalawansingh, Grange Community Association
Alex Shevchuk, City of Toronto Parks
Margie Zeidler, member-at-large
Summary of Discussion:
Adam welcomed GPAC members and thanked them for attending the meeting with short notice. He invited Matthew to share good news about the Grange Park revitalization project.
Matthew advised the meeting that Mr. W. Galen Weston, Chairman and President of The W. Garfield Weston Foundation, has committed financial support for the Grange Park revitalization project. This support has allowed the AGO to engage Greg Smallenberg of PFS Studio to do the design for the park. An AGO media release announcing this news will be issued on February 27.
This generous gift is the catalyst needed for the Grange Park revitalization project to move forward. Ralph asked if there would be a naming component in the project to acknowledge Mr. Weston’s support. There was discussion that naming a component of the park would be an appropriate gesture.
The meeting was shown the current iteration of the design concept. Mike advised GPAC of the following changes from the concept shown in October 2013:
- West side of the park is more pastoral – less paving and more plantings. The water feature on the west side has been reduced in scale.
- The design concept does not include a food component or an art component
Matthew advised the meeting that art and food components could be considered as the project develops. Any food component would not be a permanent structure. He also noted that in conjunction with the Grange Park revitalization project, the AGO Board of Trustees has agreed to commit capital funds to make the Gallery’s south doorway facing Grange Park accessible to the public.
The meeting agreed that GPAC will work with the Grange Community Association to set up a community open house/meeting to share the design concept with the local neighbourhood and answer questions about the project. It will be essential to closely reference the design concept to the design brief that was shared with the community in 2009. Matthew suggested that GPAC identify potential issues that could be raised by the community – such as special amenities for dogs – and be prepared with answers. Adam stressed that the design brief preserves the existing equilibrium of the park’s many uses and all elements should reinforce this spirit.
A GPAC meeting will be convened in March to review the project scope, design concept and project timeline in more detail and to discuss a communications strategy for the local community, including an open house/meeting.