Guiding Principles / Principes dirigeant
1. Sustainability / Responsabilité environnementale:
The reinvention of our cities in the coming decades must put ecological sustainability front and centre. Urban design can powerfully affect how citizens relate to their city and how they choose to live in it. Critical components of any city's commitment to the future include features such as green infrastructure, transit-oriented development, and design guidelines that encourage innovative and sustainable building practices. Forward-looking technologies such as district energy and renewable energy are necessarily part of urban design, while also presenting opportunities to diversify and futureproof Greater Sudbury's economy.
2. Diversity & Equity / Diversité et équité:
Uncertainty and disruptive change are rapidly becoming the norm. Cities that are designed to maximize diversity will have the resilience and flexibility needed to adapt to unknown future scenarios. A diverse city has a broad range of housing options, numerous transportation choices, a strong local economy that supports small businesses, and, critically, a culture of open dialogue that seeks out perspectives and ways of knowing that have historically been excluded. Urban spaces that support equity can only be arrived at through robust processes that include diverse voices from the outset.
3. Economic Responsibility / Responsabilité économique:
Municipalities operate within strict budgets and, as responsibilities are increasingly passed along from the province, cities must do more with less. The city of tomorrow will prioritize projects that creatively reuse existing assets, incremental development that cautiously tests markets, spaces that are adaptable to multiple uses and all seasons, and finally partnerships and programming that maximize city investments.
4. Connectivity / Raccordement:
Well designed cities bring people together in two ways. They bring people literally into the same place with flexible, efficient transportation networks, but they also create meaningful, personal connections by providing quality public space. Cities that bring people together in these ways foster cooperation, creativity, economic growth, and belonging, among other benefits. Urban design for connectivity emphasizes the human scale, pedestrian networks, active transportation, small land parcels, activated streetscapes, a vibrant public realm, and mixed-use developments.
Major considerations / Considérations majeures
Rail Lands / Terres ferroviaires
One of the most significant proposed changes to the downtown fabric is the removal of a portion of the rail lands. Their removal frees up valuable land for development while also increasing connectivity between the downtown and adjacent neighbourhoods. However, Subury's rail network will continue to act as a northern gateway even in 2050. Maintaining the rail connection downtown is prudent as Sudbury continues to grow and the world explores alternatives to personal automobile use. This proposal responsibly balances these priorities by redeveloping the southeastern rail yard (mainly with green space and residential) while maintaining rail connection through the downtown. The northwestern rail yard will remain, but as lands surrounding it are developed design guidelines will secure the creation and maintenance of views into the rail yard, linking citizens to the city's industrial character. One project that exemplifies this approach is the addition of a public observation platform near the remaining rail yard. Further, keeping some downtown land in reserve builds adaptability into the future of Sudbury beyond 2050.
Green Streets / Rues écologiques
Another major proposal, this one with a more distributed impact, is the regreening and redesign proposed for Sudbury's downtown streets. Some streets deemed nonessential for vehicle traffic will be pedestrianized. Other streets will undergo road diets, thereby preserving necessary vehicle access while improving the streetscape and the pedestrian experience; depending on the street this extra space might go to bike lanes, wider sidewalks, bioswales, street trees, or seating and patios. The primary goal is to improve the pedestrian experience, which has social and health benefits, but there will also be economic benefits for downtown businesses due to increased foot traffic. Further, wherever green infrastructure is incorporated it brings a suite of benefits such as cleaner air, beautification, and stormwater management. The regreening aspect of this proposal is especially important for the winter months because, by utilizing a mix of deciduous and evergreen species, Sudbury can maintain a streetscape that is neither excessively windy nor barren.
Housing for All / Logement pour tous
We propose gentle residential densification in the downtown, primarily with creative infill of underutilized lots. Prioritizing condominiums will create a balance of rental and ownership tenancy types downtown. Where the southeastern rail yard currently stands a compact development of missing middle homes is proposed, along with commercial space for a grocery store, improving access to healthy, affordable food. Further, our vision is one where Sudbury builds on the outstanding achievements of the Age Friendly Community Work Plan, specifically by incentivizing housing that suits a broad range of needs and capabilities. By increasing the total supply of housing in the downtown area as well as the range of housing options available, downtown living will be both desirable and attainable for a far larger portion of the population.
Cultural Nodes / Centres culturels
When citizens collaborate to express their cultures in public space, communities can be formed, maintained, and enriched. The resulting social cohesion, mutual understanding, and celebration of difference are indispensable components of a healthy city. Of course the proposed capital projects will have the greatest impact on the downtown's cultural landscape. A new main library, the McEwan School of Architecture, a new art gallery, and the Place des Arts will form an education and arts hub. Elgin Street - newly pedestrianized - will connect to an entertainment and business hub consisting of a renovated community arena, a convention and performance centre, and the Sudbury Theatre Centre. These institutions will become nodes of activity that keep Sudbury's downtown bustling and vibrant at all times of day. We also intend to connect residents to the city's industrial character through the adaptive reuse of materials taken out of the rail lands when they are redeveloped. Rails might become bollards and ties could be used as steps. This adaptive reuse serves both cultural and environmental purposes.
Climate Policy / Politique climatique
The climate crisis is the defining challenge of our times. As such, we recommend the rapid adoption of green design standards across Greater Sudbury. Existing green standards could be combined with public outreach to create a made-in-Sudbury program that works for locals, but also pushes the city towards positive change. Regulated minimum requirements might include measures such as energy efficiency standards and construction waste standards, but could be combined with development incentives to encourage builders to exceed those minimums by making use of technologies such as green roofs, solar panels, and mass timber. Mass timber is especially relevant for Sudbury - a regulatory and policy environment that prioritizes mass timber will contribute not only to sustainability goals, but to the northern Ontario forestry industry. Additionally, as Sudbury continues to cement its position as an international research hub, extensive use of mass timber could present opportunities to export the technology around the globe, again feeding back into the local economy.
Elm st. rail Crossing- southfacing
Downtown Sudbury in 2050 is highlighted by three distinct nodes of growth and intensity. One of these will be anchored around the existing McEwan School of Architecture. Framed by Lorne Street to the west, Elm Street to the north, and rail lands to the south and east, this natural cradle is envisioned as an educational hub for the City of Greater Sudbury in 2050.
This area is the future site of Sudbury's new Central Library - a community amenity which will attract res¬idents and community members from downtown and throughout Greater Sudbury. It will also provide an invaluable, easily accessible resource to the student population of all levels in the area. The new library is located a short walk from multiple primary, secondary, and postsecondary schools.
The nearby N'Swakamok Native Friendship Centre will benefit from additional space to meet the future needs of this important organization. The southern end of Pine Street and the currently vacant adjacent lot will be turned into dedicated green space for the centre's use. The grouping of the Native Friendship Centre, Central Library, and University campus emphasizes the importance of connecting different stages of education and types of knowledge in one place.
The area will also incorporate designated Mixed Use, Commercial, and Office Space. These spaces make it possible for a vibrant community to develop in this node and further animate the area in both the daytime and evenings. Surface parking will be replaced by a mass-timber based parkade structure.
Green space will also be deliberately incorporated. An east-west green corridor will function both as an out¬door space as well as an easy route across the newly developed community, while a raised pedestrian bridge creates not only an enticing view point, but a seamless transition into the body of downtown and its pedes¬trian network. This green corridor makes it easy for residents of Little Britain to walk downtown, connecting them to the amenities there, and connecting downtown businesses to a larger customer base.
The area will also feature significant green space around the library, creating a natural confluence point and meeting place. Open commons creation is a deliberate feature of all of the nodes envisioned for Sudbury 2050, to provide important places for people to meet and connect in the downtown.
Ne w Sp a c e s
BeechSt. - East Facing
The second of downtown Sudbury's nodes is the current site of Elm Place. The future of this space envisions retaining its majority commercial function, while expanding in a way that not only draws people in, but encourages them to stay.
The vision for this space centres around the removal of the western most portion of the building, to create space for a new plaza, as well as the construction of a glass domed rotunda atrium to frame the mall's entrance. The duality of both indoor and outdoor open space is directly related to the needs of Sudbury as a Winter City and provides amenities to meet the diverse needs of the city's inhabitants. Building retrofits, including the use of solar panels and green roofs, leading to decreased energy consumption, is one way in which the 2050 Elm Centre is embodying sustainability as a guiding principle.
Residential units will be built as an addition on top of the northeast portion of the existing Elm Place, adding housing options for those who are eager to take advantage of the burgeoning vibrancy of the downtown core.
Directly adjacent, replacing a short stretch of Beech Street and the parking lot on the mall's west face, is the new Borgia Market Park. This space prominently features a daylighted section of Nolin Creek, providing a connection to Sudbury's natural heritage within the downtown core. The park is also framed by the adaptively reused Mackey Building, housing post-secondary program offerings from Sudbury's colleges and university in a new downtown location.
Elgin St. and Minto St. - Northfacing
The third node, which includes the site of Sudbury's Community Arena, is a southern gateway to the downtown. The change for this space proposes to combine new ideas with existing structures. The historic Community Arena will be retained, expanded, and rehabilitated in place. The arena will have increased functionality to meet the needs of The Sudbury Wolves and The Sudbury Five, while at the same time creating historic continuity and offering exciting opportunities to host world class events in the downtown core.
The arena will not, however, continue to be a stand alone facility. The Greater Sudbury Convention and Performance Centre is envisioned directly east of the arena with space and amenities to attract international mining technology, education and healthcare conferences. Sustainability is a focus again, with green roofs or solar panels incorporated into each building.
Between the venues, the new Junction Plaza will connect visitors directly to the Elgin Greenway, the farmer's market, and a parkade structure animated by ground level food and retail space. Strong public realm design will ensure the plaza can be adapted for a variety of functions at all times of the year.
The connection of the community arena and the convention centre will provide day and night entertainment options in downtown Sudbury and draw people in from the surrounding communities.
Ne w c o n n e c t i o n s
Working with the Public
The redevelopment of downtown Sudbury will be a complex and intricate process that will require thoughtful planning and implementation. As prior engagement with Greater Sudbury's communities is not possible due to the nature of the competition, it is vital to consider how to foster a connection between the visions and solutions arising from the Sudbury 2050 Design Ideas Competition, the residents of Greater Sudbury, First Nations Communities, and other involved parties. Any engagement should work to not only present competi¬tion ideas, but to inspire connection to the future of the downtown, and create space for new perspectives to arise.
Our plan for Sudbury 2050's public engagement is closely linked to how our vision for the downtown core unfolds. We envision the process beginning with the improvement of existing features, particularly crosswalks and sidewalks, and the implementation of pedestrianized networks like the Elgin Greenway. This will create connections between the downtown core and its surrounding neighbourhoods. Furthermore it will initiate the downtown's shift to a place that prioritizes pedestrian experience and safety, and away from a place that is built for the convenience of motorized vehicles. As the downtown evolves, larger developments, such as the capital projects, will be balanced with smaller infill and larger scale residential developments to appropriately increase density. With strategic implementation the growth will positively impact existing downtown busi¬nesses and residents.
To support our vision of downtown Sudbury in 2050 the following public engagement activities will take place, and each one will be tailored to the current "phase". Given the scope of our Sudbury 2050 plan, we imagine an iterative engagement process, where activities can be modified to suit the needs of the community at any point during the process.
Downtown Festival Day
To kick off the revitalization of Downtown Sudbury, Elgin street would be closed to give residents and visi¬tors a taste of the proposed pedestrianized section of the street. A fun, festival-like atmosphere will provide attendees the opportunity to learn more about the upcoming transformations of the downtown area.
Community Art Project
During the first year of the redevelopment, the public will be encouraged to submit various forms of media (photos, videos, writing, etc.) that document their views and their feelings towards downtown Sudbury - past, present and future. The living project will be displayed at the Place de Arts, and will continue to grow and change as the downtown does. In time, this exhibit could transition to being the first permanent addition to the new Sudbury Art Gallery's collection.
Public WalkingTour
Led by members of the community, as well as project team members, the tours will showcase perspectives of the downtown and inform the public about upcoming changes in an interactive format.
Surveys
Multiple surveys will be distributed over the 30 year transformation to collect the public's thoughts, opinions and concerns on upcoming changes to the downtown area. Surveys, available online and in person, will be tailored to the downtown's current stage of redevelopment.
StakeholderAdvisory Group
Comprised of community members, other stakeholders, and First Nations representatives, this group will add nuanced perspectives and local knowledge to the upcoming growth. The group will specifically help with the establishment of new green spaces and plazas - providing input on the use and design of these spaces. Their contributions will ensure the proposal meets the needs of residents and is successfully implemented.
Mobile Town Hall
Inspired by mobile libraries this travelling town hall will make public engagement more accessible by bringing the event directly to Greater Sudbury residents and other involved communities. The town halls will provide staff with the opportunity to hear the community's views on public issues.
By working with the public we intend to provide people with the opportunity to communicate how they'd like to see the downtown grow, and offer input on design and programming. Through the proposed engagement we will build trust in the community, foster buy-in from residents and businesses, and bring a sense of joy and fun to the public engagement process. Given Downtown Sudbury's diverse users and stakeholders (eg. residents, visitors, businesses, maintenance staff, Indigenous communities etc.), our goal is to ensure en-gagement activities are accessible by removing barriers (linguistic, cultural, and physical) to all stakeholders, especially those of traditionally marginalized groups and communities. Creating an accessible engagement process is important, as it ensures that all stakeholders can participate in this process. This may further pro¬vide a sense of collective ownership of Sudbury and connectedness between fellow residents.
(Competitor's text)
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