Save Union Station

Bulletin

SAVE UNION STATION - Bulletin No. 21, February 4, 2004.

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The last Bulletin, No. 20, was dated July 21, 2003 - just a few days before the vote of City Council to approve a 100 year lease for Union Station with the Union Pearson Group. We were discouraged enough at the time - the vote was an overwhelming 31 to 10 in favour of the long lease when we had expected something much closer and maybe a lease for no more than 40 years - to not even post a report of the dismal council meeting by Bulletin or on the web site.

But our energy has been harnessed once again, and Union Station is once again on the public agenda. This Bulletin gives the latest news. If you care about Union Station, please call your councillor - advice on getting names and numbers is on our web site.

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In this issue:

1. New council must vote on the final contract

2. Needed: A Master Plan for Union Station

3. Committee meets February 5 to consider Master Plan report

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1. New council must vote on the final contract

It seems the July 23, 2003 vote was not the final vote. According to a planning staff report dated January 12, 2004, city council approval of the "lease conditions and finalization of the details related to the proposed renovations" must still be obtained. Apparently the final recommendations will be before the City's Administration Committee on April 29, and will then go to the Council meeting of May 11.

City Council has changed significantly since Union Pearson was selected as the preferred bidder. David Miller is now Mayor, and he opposed the 100 year lease. There are 14 new members of council who have not voted before on the issue. Whether a majority will agree to rethink the preliminary approval is still unclear.

2. Needed: A Master Plan for Union Station

Over the past sixteen months, Save Union Station Committee has complained on several occasions that a comprehensive approach to Union Station was lacking - as though the city had not put together its thoughts into a considered and rounded document. Little did we know that in 1991, City Council approved the Railway Lands East Secondary Plan which calls for the adoption of a Master Plan for Union Station.

But that sensible decision more than 12 years ago was not followed. If the City had engaged in good planning it would have prepared the Master Plan before it began the bidding process. In that way City Council would have determined at the beginning what the clear public objectives were in respect to the station.

But that was not done, and the opportunity to establish public priorities for the station in advance of considering bids has been lost. Did the planners deliberately overlook this requirement? Was it an honest mistake? Given the shoddy bidding process, can one really trust the advice of the staff involved in that bidding process when they now provide advice on public objectives for the Master Plan?

The planners are suggesting that now, close to the last moment before final approval is given, a Master Plan be prepared. They held a public meeting about the matter on November 19, but did not notify any of the people (such as members of our organization) who have been down to City Hall addressing various committees to express a deep interest in Union Station. The planners' report notes that only three members of the public attended - as though no one was interested - when in fact many would have attended if the planners had seen fit to notify those who had previously indicated their interest.

3. Committee meets February 5 to consider Master Plan report

The Planning and Transportation Committee is meeting at 10 am, Thursday February 5, Committee Room 1, City Hall, to consider a report from city planners on a Master Plan for Union Station. That report can be found on the city's website, click on `council' then on `agendas' then `Planning and Transportation Committee' - it is Item No. 1.

Members of the Save Union Station Committee will be at the committee on Thursday morning, and will present a brief with four recommendations:

(i) City Council retain an independent consultant to advise on the contents of a Master Plan for Union Station, as called for in the Secondary Plan approved by Council in 1991.

(ii) The consultant's report, when available, be the subject of at least one public meeting, with notification going to, among others, those who have already indicated an interest in Union Station.

(iii) Once a Master Plan is adopted by Council, the Union Station lease should be considered by Council and evaluated against the Plan, and the lease should either be amended to comply with the Plan or rejected.

(iv) Any city staff person who served on the Selection Committee should recuse themselves from any involvement or decision-making regarding Union Station.

The brief notes that five major issues which probably have wide public support are not referred to in the Master Plan recommended by staff. They are:

a) Publicly used areas should be in public control.

b) Maximize the public use of the Great Hall

c) Ensure the Beaux Arts standard of design is apparent in all large public areas in the Station.

d) Require escalators to be installed to ease vertical travel by pedestrians

e) Create clear areas for taxis and passenger drop-offs.

Interestingly, the preferred bidder has no interest in any of these five issues.

The brief suggests that given the close relationship between senior city staff and the Union Pearson Group, particularly following the rather extraordinary process which resulted in staff recommending Union Pearson, it would be advisable for City Council to seek independent advice in the preparation of a Master Plan.

A full copy of the brief to the committee can be found on our web site in the "Background" section.

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Our Email address is signup@saveunionstation.ca and please visit our website at http://www.saveunionstation.ca