• The Grand Trunk site, an 18 acre site on the south edge of Stratford’s Downtown, has long been an important site in the city. Once home to over a third of Stratford’s workforce, the site lay vacant for a number of years save for municipal parking and the Stratford-Perth YMCA, which has grown into an anchor for the Stratford community, serving over 2800 members annually. Recently, the site has been given life again with the opening of the University of Waterloo’s School of Digital Media, the first building of a planned University of Waterloo Stratford Campus. The Grand Trunk site stands to renew its place in, and as the heart of, the city and become a place for residents and visitors alike through the Grand Trunk Master Plan.

• The City has title to, and owns outright, the Grand Trunk Block (GTB)
• The existing Official Plan designation and zoning permits a wide range of uses and links the GTB with the policies, goals and objectives of the Downtown Core
• There is an existing Master Plan for the GTB, created by Urban Strategies following a public process in 2017/18, that is specifically referenced in the Official Plan designation- ‘Development of the lands in the Grand Trunk Anchor District shall be in accordance with a Master Plan prepared and adopted by the City……’
• The City is currently completing roof repairs to the Shops building to make it safe to enter and to prevent further deterioration- entry for viewing and tours will be possible by spring, 2023
• The YMCA has interest in a new facility in this location
• The City plans to jointly hire, with the YMCA, a person to raise funds to redevelop and repurpose the Shops building as a new Y and community hub replacing the seniors’ centre displaced by the new Tom Patterson Theatre 
• The University of Waterloo has interest in expanding and say they need both a student residence and facilities expansion to accommodate new programs
• Golder Associates has completed a (limited or full, comprehensive?) Phase 2 environmental assessment of the entire block so there is certainty as to the location and concentration of contamination
• City staff is working on a servicing plan

• We are a group of concerned citizens who have come together to inspire action on the Grand Trunk (Cooper Site) lands. None of us have any financial involvement in the project. 

Our goals are the following:

• To achieve agreement from the new mayor and council that the Shops building and the development of the lands is a high priority during the next four years.
• To collaborate with Stratford’s citizens, through public engagement and discussion, on amending the Master Plan of 2018 and completing it within the first 180 days in office
• To achieve agreement on developing a request for proposal, within the first 365 days in office, to engage a Master Development Planner with the intent of a ‘shovel in the ground’ within four years.
•  

• Read the background on the Cooper Block on stratford.ca

• Download Master Plan

• Draft terms of reference for discussion purposes:

1. The City of Stratford – Vision and Principles for the Grand Trunk Site

• The Grand Trunk Site must be developed in a manner that:

1. Demonstrates the City of Stratford’s ability to act expeditiously in meeting current market needs while remaining committed to a long-term vision for a community that integrates the Grand Trunk Site with the downtown district and surrounding neighbourhoods
2. Repurposes the historic shops building to both celebrate its history and meet the needs of all citizens for recreation, education, the arts and commercial services
3. Provides a mix of primarily higher density housing for a range of income levels and demographics with a minimum of 20% affordable housing
4. Provides ancillary retail and commercial uses as well as green space and pathway connections to surrounding neighbourhoods
5. Demonstrates a commitment to best practices in environmental design and aligns with the City’s Climate Emergency Declaration

• 2. Scope
• Part 1

• Assess the current status of the property as to its readiness for active development and identify deficiencies and work to be undertaken
• Research and analyze various different alternative development strategies and arrangements the City could undertake that provide a manageable risk to the taxpayers of the City, including:

• • Forming a partnership with a qualified, reputable developer or financial institution
  • Retaining a qualified, reputable third-party project manager consultant to act on behalf of the city

• Part 2

• Recommend a third-party consultant to be retained by the City to manage the Request for Proposal process for prospective development partners or third party project managers.
• Support the City in negotiating a final, binding agreement with the chosen development partner.

• 3. Task Force Objectives

• Part 1

• Make a recommendation to the City as to the preferred development strategy and arrangement and provide an outline of the arrangement structure
• Make a recommendation to the City as to the process necessary to seek out and finalize an arrangement with the preferred partner or service provider

• Part 2

• Make recommendations to the City regarding the search for and the negotiation of a final arrangement with the chosen development partner or service provider

• 4. Desired Outcome

• A binding, long term agreement with a qualified, reputable organization to lead the Grand Trunk Block development process over the long term

• 5. Committee Chair and Membership 

• Chair- to be selected by the City among a short list of Stratford business and professional leaders
• Members- the City to advertise for and appoint committee members who offer a blend of skills and backgrounds- legal, planning, environmental, finance, architectural, engineering, etc.

• 6. Time Frame and Deliverables

• Part 1- three months to deliver a written report and recommendations to the City
• Part 2- six months to assist the City in the search and to provide recommendations to the City for the negotiation of a final arrangement with the chosen development partner or service provider

• Rick Matthews: rick@dorsetgroup.com
• Deanna Horton: horton.deanna@gmail.com
• Bruce Whitaker: bruce@bar5w.com