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HomeInside City HallCooper Block

Cooper Block

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Inside City Hall

Cooper Block / Grand Trunk Master Plan

Background:

In 2017, the City of Stratford retained Urban Strategies to draft a flexible Master Plan to help guide the evolution and future growth of the Cooper Block.

The Cooper Block Master Plan, now called the Grand Trunk Master Plan, provides a framework for how the site could develop over time and it addresses a range of urban planning and urban design matters such as parking, built form, open space provision, the public realm, and the street network.

The Master Plan presented to Stratford City Council in 2018 is available here: Grand Trunk Master Plan 2018

The Powerpoint presentation by Urban Strategies is available here: Grand Trunk Master Plan Presentation

Cooper Block/Grand Trunk Redevelopment Chronology: 2015-2022
2015

Spring:

  • Government of Ontario appoints Special Advisor on Community Hubs, and creates Community Hub Framework Advisory Group
  • City Council considered demolition of the Cooper building and cost proposals for partial adaptive reuse options
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Summer:

  • The decision to demolish was deferred;
  • The site was fenced;
  • Loose material and exterior buildings were removed;
  • Demolition costing options were procured;
  • An RFP was drafted for a commercial realtor to market 75,000 square feet of the existing building as adaptive reuse.
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Autumn:

  • Ventin Group (VG) Architects presented Cooper building redevelopment options to Council, stating that the building was an asset that the City could consider preserving for adaptive reuse at potentially lower cost than new build on site;
  • Council referred the VG report to Planning and Heritage subcommittee for review;
  • VG report was referred to the University of Waterloo Stratford for comment and to the Parking Study
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2016

Winter:

  • CAO retired; proceeding with redevelopment was placed on hold during CAO recruitment
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Spring/Summer:

  • CAO started with the City and began reviewing the file;
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters
  • Market Square redevelopment options were considered:
    • AtFocus consulting presented the results of their visioning exercise to Council;
    • Market Square redevelopment would require the relocation of the City’s transit terminal at the back of City Hall

Autumn:

  • Stratford Festival proposes reconstruction of Tom Patterson Theatre, which would require Kiwanis Community Centre relocation
  • Golder was retained to deliver a Record of Site Condition for Cooper site environmental remediation
  • Market Square redevelopment construction begins
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2017

Winter:

  • City retains Urban Strategies to draft a Master Plan for the redevelopment of the Grand Trunk site, including a fulsome public consultation process
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Spring/Summer:

  • Urban Strategies presents proposed comprehensive Grand Trunk Site public consultation process to Council;
  • Urban strategies leads public consultation process;
  • Market Square redevelopment complete;
  • Transit Terminal was relocated to the Cooper Site in a temporary facility;
  • Locations for a permeant new transit terminal are considered through public consultation process
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Autumn:

  • Urban Strategies presents Grand Trunk public consultation update to Council;
  • Golder’s contract is expanded to include future Cooper Site development projects, including a potential Community Hub and Transit Terminal;
  • Tom Patterson Open House held on September 26 to consider public feedback; feedback was presented to Council on October 23;
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2018

Winter:

  • Grand Trunk Master Plan public consultation summary and strategy presented by Urban Strategies and approved by Council
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Spring:

  • Transit terminal construction began at Grand Trunk Site;
  • Government of Ontario grants $10 million in funding to Stratford’s proposed Community Hub;
  • New Ontario Government elected and pauses all of the previous government’s funding commitments, including the $10 million allocated to the Hub
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Summer:

  • Grand Trunk Master Plan implementation plan presented to Council and Grand Trunk Stratford Lakeside Active Adults (SLAAA) Advisory Group created;
  • The City continued to explore partnership opportunities and request government funding commitments for the Hub on an ongoing basis
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

Autumn:

  • Municipal Election;
  • New Transit Terminal opens at the Grand Trunk site on Downie Street;
  • Grand Trunk building Structural and Roofing report received from NA Engineering;
  • Grand Trunk site expenditures report presented to Council
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2019

Spring/Summer:

  • CAO retires
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters
  • Annual delegations at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference with various Provincial ministries to discuss the Community Hub project and submit funding requests for consideration

Autumn:

  • City retains Strategy Corp to assist with application to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP) for Community Hub funding;
  • ICIP application submitted
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2020

Winter:

  • ICIP funding application denied
  • COVID-19 declared global pandemic; Community Hub initiative placed on hold
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2021

Summer:

  • Council confirmed their commitment to the revitalization strategy presented in the 2018 Grand Trunk Master Plan, and directed staff to reinitiate the redevelopment process, beginning with structural remediation, including the removal of the roof, skylights, planks, and disposal of hazardous material.
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters
  • Annual delegations at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference with various Provincial ministries to discuss the Community Hub project and submit funding requests for consideration

Autumn:

  • Staff updated Council on the remediation process and presented next steps
  • Gateman-Milloy was retained to conduct site remediation and roof removal, beginning January 2022
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters

2022

Winter/Spring/Summer:

  • Site remediation and roof removal carried out
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters
  • Annual delegations at the Association of Municipalities of Ontario (AMO) Conference with various Provincial ministries to discuss the Community Hub project and submit funding requests for consideration

Autumn:

  • Roof removal and remediation is substantially complete
  • Request For Proposals for a Fundraising Campaign Feasibility Study closed on September 14; four proposals were received and are under review;
  • Staff will update Council and report on next steps on October 11
  • On-going litigation related to Expropriation and related legal matters
Cooper Site Costs Since 2009 (to Sept. 18, 2022)
The following outline of costs related to the Cooper site since 2009 was prepared from a review of historical accounting transactions from January 1, 2009 through to September 18, 2022.

Cooper Site Costs Since 2009

Public Engagement: May - November 2017

Several opportunities have been offered to provide public feedback:

  • Our first Public Open House was held on Saturday June 10, 2017 at the University of Waterloo Stratford Campus.  The Open House was attended by approximately 100 people and offered opportunities to engage with Urban Strategies and leave feedback;
  • Kitchen Table Kits were made available for download online and at municipal service desks, which allowed residents to draw and write their vision for the future of the Cooper Block and submit them in person or via e-mail;
  • Four "Talking Wall" chalkboards were set up on the Cooper Block where residents could leave comments.  Staff took pictures of the feedback regularly;
  • General comments could be submitted through the City's website and via e-mail.

Urban Strategies summary and analysis of the input received and key considerations for the Master Plan presented to Council on September 11, 2017 is available here:

Urban Strategies Presentation to Council - Summary of Public Feedback, September 11, 2017

Urban Strategies presented a Draft Grand Trunk Master Plan at a Second Public Open House on November 7, 2017. The draft plan is available here: Grand Trunk Community Hub Master Plan - Draft

The presentation is available here: Draft Grand Trunk Master Plan Open House #2 November 7, 2017 

The display panels set up at the meeting are available here: Draft Grand Trunk Master Plan Open House #2 Panels

Feedback on the draft Master Plan was received up to Monday December 4th 2017.

Comments were accepted through the City of Stratford website, via email, via telephone at or by mail.

Previous Reports:

For your information, links to a number of public reports related to various aspects of the Cooper Block 
 

Urban Strategies Presentation to Council - Summary of Public Feedback, September 11, 2017

Urban Strategies Open House Presentation, June 10, 2017 

Urban Strategies Open House Panels, June 10, 2017 

Presentation - Urban Strategies Cooper Block Master Plan Kick Off Meeting - May 8, 2017 

Presentation - Cooper Site Master Plan and Community Hub - April 24, 2017 

Report - Cooper Site Master Plan and Community Hub Proposed Public Consultation Process - April 24, 2017 

3D Rendering 

Birdseye Picture

2016 
 Planning and Heritage Committee Agenda - January 11, 2016
2015
 

Cooper Site Redevelopment Options - November 23, 2015 

Cooper Site Roofing Components Hazardous Materials Review - May 21, 2015 

Costing for Cooper Site Partial Demolition Options - May 21, 2015

2014  

Cooper Site Building Roofing Components Visual Review - November 14, 2014 

Heritage Evaluation of GTR Workshops - September 2014 

Memorandum of Understanding with Riversedge Developments Inc. - September 4, 2014

2013 

Cooper Site Community Workshops and Assessment - October 2013 

Potential Salvage of Three Bays of Cooper Building - July 15, 2013 

2012  

Building Condition Assessment Report - June 25, 2012 

Public Consultation Report - June 20, 2012 

Public Consultation Report - Appendix - June 20, 2012 

2009

University of Waterloo Agreement - November 23, 2009 

Peer Review Potential Remedial Costs Related to Redevelopment of the Cooper Site Property - May 25, 2009 

Potential Remedial Costs Related to the Redevelopment of the Cooper Site Property - May 2009 

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