'We need to get it right': Application for final phases of Regent Park revitalization filed with city

In the basement of 463 Gerrard St. E. is a piece of Toronto's history — the remnants of the long since decommissioned boiler room of Canada's first large-scale social housing project. The dusty brick furnace sits in the corner with a smokestack that stretches to the top of the high ceiling.

"This would have been the door that the coal would have been put into and the fire would start. And this would be the first heating system for Regent Park," said Barry Thomas, the assistant general manager at the Toronto Community Housing Corporation( TCHC), who took CBC News on a tour of the building this week. He's been working in the community in different capacities since 1982.

The building is one of the few remaining low-rise structures in Regent Park, which were built in 1947, that are set to be demolished to make way for new housing

More than 15 years after demolition began for the Regent Park Revitalization project, a formal application for rezoning has now been submitted to the city for the final two phases. The proposal includes adding more density, more affordable housing and more amenities. As the last major capital investment in Regent Park, residents and TCHC are emphasizing the importance of getting this right.

There are approximately 500 units remaining in the old buildings that run along Gerrard Street East to the north, River Street to the east, Oak Street to the south, and Dreamers Way to the west.

The last zoning bylaw amendment was in 2014 and allowed for the construction of 2,000 units.

TCHC put out a request for a developer to build the final two phases and Tridel won the bid in 2020, beating The Daniels Corp., the firm responsible for the development of Phases 1, 2 and 3. 

"So we're proposing to go from about 2,000 units up to about 3,000 units," said Peter Zimmerman, the senior director in the development division at TCHC.

"We're proposing to find a home for a new super special Toronto Public Library, a new civic square, and lots of space for community gardens and outdoor recreation space."

The design also includes a new community hub and a framework for a new high street alongside Gerrard. Zimmerman said Tridel and TCHC have done extensive consultations, listening to what residents want to see.

"We want to create some areas where residents can run their own programs, including having worship spaces and also be able to do other activities that are completely of their choice."

As part of its deal to work on the project, Tridel has also offered a $26.8-million community benefits package. TCHC says it will work with community members to determine how to spend it.

According to the plan, of the 3,000 proposed units in Phases 4 and 5, approximately 1,800 would be units sold at market prices.

The remaining 1,200 will be TCHC affordable units. Of those 1,200, 633 would be rent-geared-to-income (RGI) units — required to fulfil the obligation to replace all of the original 2,082 rent-geared-to-income housing units in Regent Park.