Cooper Block

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.