How the West Might be Won

Not that long ago, Liberty Village was an industrial enclave with a decent pool hall and not much else to do. Actually, I don’t remember anyone even calling it Liberty Village. It was just “that area by King and Strachan” or “over near Fort York.”

Fort York, of course, was established near the end of the 18th century, which by Toronto terms put on par with the Parthenon, but the neighbourhood itself was not quite so easily defined. By the mid-19th century, it had become home to Toronto Central Prison, and to the Andrew Mercer Reformatory for Women, which housed prisoners convicted of such heinous crimes as promiscuity. In the latter part of that century, it was a manufacturing hub for heavy machinery. Carpets were made there, billiards tables, toys, bedding, paper and Massey-Ferguson for a long time made farm machines there. Then there were bombs, weapons, and the other necessities of waging world wars.

Its excellent railway access became less desirable by the latter part of the 20th century, factories closed, and much of the neighbourhood’s buildings fell into disrepair.

Then along came the developers, and in the early 2000s, Liberty Village as we know it came into vogue. The location is, of course, terrific. Within a stone’s throw of downtown, easily commutable from the west, near the lake shore and its trail system, and continuing to sprout chic shopping, cafés and condos on a near-daily basis.

It’s still an artistic centre, with a plethora of arts & design studios, as well as media and tech outfits, but the authentic boho vibe is waning. Media including the Star’s Christopher Hume and Toronto Life have been critical of its concrete and glass overhaul.

That hasn’t changed its desirability for buyers. Neither has the fact that infrastructure has not kept up with housing. The youthful, village atmosphere residents and builders are trying to cultivate is at odds with the traffic congestion and lack of family-friendly amenities that exist there.

Liberty Village neighbourhood - via Google Maps

And here we go again.

Two big new developments recently got approval from Toronto’s Planning and Growth Management committee, a 28-storey mixed-use building on Liberty Street with office and retail space alongside 283 residential units, and a 1,012-unit development in three buildings of 39, 33 and 34 storeys respectively, which would redevelop four buildings on Ordnance Street and one on Strachan.

Local councillor Mike Layton expressed support with some amendments, and said his office was doing a west-end services review to decide what would help make the community more livable. The Liberty Street building was a concern for its possible encroachment into commercial territory, while the Ordnance Street project is adjacent to a planned foot bridge across the railway tracks to Fort York, a piece of infrastructure Layton says is “a big part of making this all work.”

Traffic issues aside – the whole city is facing those – there are problems with Liberty Village’s lack of libraries, schools, parks, and the other necessities of family life, especially since the approved units are of larger-than-average size, two and three-bedrooms geared towards small families.

There’s more to making an area kid-friendly than just big-money buildings like schools and libraries, as vital as they are. Start with more crosswalks, and (to heck with hollering car owners) making some streets pedestrian-only. Slow down traffic at least, with narrower vehicle lanes, reduced speed limits and more stop signs. People in a hurry to get to work will eschew them in favour of faster-moving streets, leaving them for the young moms and dads that are going to take over this neighbourhood in the next few years.

Turn wider sidewalks into child-friendly playgrounds all their own with, say, swings as San Francisco has done. And not just on side streets – how about main streets too? Activate the alleys, with bright paint and seating. Turn them over to the artists.

Adding water always makes a place more kid-friendly. Wading pools, splash pads and water fountains never go to waste in the summer, and can be retooled in the winter as skate pads.

We need some urban planners who are looking at the world from three feet off the ground. Have some whimsy, and get away from the bureaucracy that hinders every creative impulse. Look to the cities that are doing it right – San Fran also has a staircase on Fisherman’s Wharf on which every step is a piano key – for inspiration.

We need to stop assuming that as soon as the babies come, it’s time to head for the ‘burbs. Make Liberty Village a place residents don’t need to move out of as soon as the baby bug hits. Give them some family-friendly reasons to stay.