Change coming to Kew Gardens

The north face of Kew Gardens is getting a makeover.

Landscape architects had until Monday to bid on a $400,000 to $500,000 project that aims to improve the first 25 metres of land south of Queen Street East.

In their request for proposals, city staff noted that Kew Gardens is a well-established and popular park that features mature trees, sports facilities, historic buildings, open lawns and playgrounds within its 20 acres.

But right along Queen, staff said, the park is a bit of a let-down.

“The north edge of the park is underwhelming with a casual assembly of elements including floral displays, an ageing entry plaza and war memorial, and some seating,” said the request document.

With a history that stretches back some 134 years, staff wrote that Kew Gardens is also significant because it provides the only break along the Beach strip of Queen Street, and a path that leads straight from busy Queen to the lakeshore.

Ward 32 Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon said the idea was sparked during last summer’s Visioning Study for Queen Street East – a round of meetings that was tasked with revising the Beach’s urban design guidelines.

At the meetings, McMahon said Beach business owners asked city staff if Queen Street might be due for the kind of major reconstruction done from 2009 to 2011 along Roncesvalles Avenue: wider sidewalks as well as new crosswalks, trees, planters and bicycle lanes.

But city staff said Queen Street East does not need the extensive streetcar track work that was ‘piggy-backed’ on the Roncesvalles project – work that made the years of traffic and transit rerouting more worthwhile.

Instead, McMahon said the city’s BIA office suggested better interfacing between Queen Street, Ivan Forrest Gardens and Kew Gardens.

Businesses are especially keen to see more visitors who are out for a stroll on the boardwalk come up through Kew Gardens to the shops on Queen, she said.

Once a landscape architect is hired, the plan is to hold two meetings with city staff, one with the Beach BIA and one with community groups to come up with an idea of how the north side of Kew Gardens should look.

“It’s kind of ‘sky is the limit’ right now, within our funding capacity,” said McMahon.

“People are talking about maybe more benches, more greenery, maybe opening it up a bit by the cenotaph.”

The request for proposals sets out some 20 goals for the project, including new permanent and temporary seating, an expanded sidewalk and entry plaza, a small performance space, lighting and a design that works with all seasons and the history and culture of the neighbourhood.

“We’re also looking for the landscape architect to give us an idea of what else has been done across the city, and give the community some ideas,” McMahon said.

An architect is expected to be chosen by December, she said, and community consultations will be scheduled shortly after.

The project is expected to break ground next June or July, and finish by August or September.

Funding for the project will come from the Beach BIA, with matching funds from the city as well as funding from Section 37 park levies from local development projects and additional funding from the city’s parks department.