Central Ajax Intensification, Servicing & Transportation (CAIST) Strategy

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The Town of Ajax has established a vision to transform its downtown core into a compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented, and transit-supportive centre. The Downtown is intended to evolve as the central focus for commercial, community, administrative, cultural, and residential activities in Ajax. In addition to evolving as an area of intensification, it is important to recognize the relationship of the Downtown with the Ajax GO Station Mixed-Use Area and build upon these synergies to create a centre that facilitates high-density mixed uses anchored by employment. The Ajax GO Station Mixed-Use Area is also envisioned to transform into a mixed-use area. This form of development will also support the introduction and enhancement of pedestrian and cycling amenities, strengthening connections to transit facilities and promoting non-auto modes of transportation within the study area.

To support this vision, the Town has embarked on a strategy to identify transportation and servicing infrastructure requirements to facilitate the downtown vision. The envisioned strategy, called the Central Ajax Intensification, Servicing and Transportation (CAIST) Strategy, will identify infrastructure improvements that will help the downtown evolve as a compact, urban, intensive, pedestrian-oriented, transit-supportive mixed-use centre that can embrace development.

The initial reaction to this vision has been very positive. In fact, the Town has received development applications that seek greater density and greater population and employment goals than the Town envisioned for 2031 through its current Official Plan. The CAIST Strategy has been broadened to think of not only the 2031 Official Plan goals but what even further development could look like, including a “full build-out” scenario by the year 2051 that aligns with the Growth Plan, 2020 projections.

Overview

The CAIST Strategy consists of three phases that will each look at a specific scenario and time horizon for analysis:

Phase 1 - Official Plan Growth for 2031: Review existing transportation and servicing infrastructure to analyze if it is sufficient to meet the needs of the planned 2031 population and employment growth. Phase 1 includes existing and approved development; as well as some assumed development to account for dwelling units outlined in the Town’s Official Plan, where active development applications have not been received.

Phase 2 - Ambitious Growth for 2031: Identify improvements required by 2031 to facilitate active and conceptual development plans submitted through pre-consultation meetings that propose levels of development in excess of the population and employment forecasts in the Official Plan development evaluated in Phase 1.

Phase 3 - Envisioned Future Growth to 2051: Determine the transportation and active transportation, servicing and parkland requirements needed to support envisioned growth projections to the year 2051. This could be considered a “full build out” scenario.

Study Area

Questions or comments about this project?

Contact any of the project managers listed in the Who's Listening section.

Get Involved

The Town wants your feedback on the work completed to date. Review the presentation from the January 13, 2022 Public Open House to review the proposed road and active transportation network, and the draft 3D model of potential development opportunities. Let us know if you have any other development opportunities that should be considered. Provide feedback on how you like to travel or would like to travel within the study area. Identify any potential barriers that we should know about. Please use the form below or email the project manager directly.

Questions, comments and ideas can also be submitted directly by email to Sean McCullough, Supervisor, Planning Policy & Research at Sean.McCullough@ajax.ca.

The Town of Ajax has established a vision to transform its downtown core into a compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-oriented, and transit-supportive centre. The Downtown is intended to evolve as the central focus for commercial, community, administrative, cultural, and residential activities in Ajax. In addition to evolving as an area of intensification, it is important to recognize the relationship of the Downtown with the Ajax GO Station Mixed-Use Area and build upon these synergies to create a centre that facilitates high-density mixed uses anchored by employment. The Ajax GO Station Mixed-Use Area is also envisioned to transform into a mixed-use area. This form of development will also support the introduction and enhancement of pedestrian and cycling amenities, strengthening connections to transit facilities and promoting non-auto modes of transportation within the study area.

To support this vision, the Town has embarked on a strategy to identify transportation and servicing infrastructure requirements to facilitate the downtown vision. The envisioned strategy, called the Central Ajax Intensification, Servicing and Transportation (CAIST) Strategy, will identify infrastructure improvements that will help the downtown evolve as a compact, urban, intensive, pedestrian-oriented, transit-supportive mixed-use centre that can embrace development.

The initial reaction to this vision has been very positive. In fact, the Town has received development applications that seek greater density and greater population and employment goals than the Town envisioned for 2031 through its current Official Plan. The CAIST Strategy has been broadened to think of not only the 2031 Official Plan goals but what even further development could look like, including a “full build-out” scenario by the year 2051 that aligns with the Growth Plan, 2020 projections.

Overview

The CAIST Strategy consists of three phases that will each look at a specific scenario and time horizon for analysis:

Phase 1 - Official Plan Growth for 2031: Review existing transportation and servicing infrastructure to analyze if it is sufficient to meet the needs of the planned 2031 population and employment growth. Phase 1 includes existing and approved development; as well as some assumed development to account for dwelling units outlined in the Town’s Official Plan, where active development applications have not been received.

Phase 2 - Ambitious Growth for 2031: Identify improvements required by 2031 to facilitate active and conceptual development plans submitted through pre-consultation meetings that propose levels of development in excess of the population and employment forecasts in the Official Plan development evaluated in Phase 1.

Phase 3 - Envisioned Future Growth to 2051: Determine the transportation and active transportation, servicing and parkland requirements needed to support envisioned growth projections to the year 2051. This could be considered a “full build out” scenario.

Study Area

Questions or comments about this project?

Contact any of the project managers listed in the Who's Listening section.

Get Involved

The Town wants your feedback on the work completed to date. Review the presentation from the January 13, 2022 Public Open House to review the proposed road and active transportation network, and the draft 3D model of potential development opportunities. Let us know if you have any other development opportunities that should be considered. Provide feedback on how you like to travel or would like to travel within the study area. Identify any potential barriers that we should know about. Please use the form below or email the project manager directly.

Questions, comments and ideas can also be submitted directly by email to Sean McCullough, Supervisor, Planning Policy & Research at Sean.McCullough@ajax.ca.

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Page last updated: 12 Jul 2022, 04:52 PM