1. Elmdale Community Plaza Concept Development
Concept Design 1 – Residential Infill and Main Street Commercial Concept
• Single Detached Residential infill along Glenbanner Street to flow with the ex
isting residential community
• Main-Street style commercial/residential/office along Elm Street to integrate a
diverse range of land uses
• An outdoor commercial building, proposed as a restautrant to create a Public
Realm on the north parcel
• Pedestrian orientation is implemented through the Streetscape Design; wider
sidewalks, on street parking, and traffic medians.
• Railway Carts benched on former railway as a Heritage Tribute to the former
Railway Capital of Canada, accessible to the public and sits on open space north
of the school property.
Concept Design 2 – Mixed-Use and Courtyard Public Square Concept
• Main-Street‘L’Shaped building on the corner of Sunset and Elm street
• Consisting of Open space, commercial and Socio-Cultural Adaptive Reuse of the
existing building
• Courtyard enclosure to serve as a Public Square and multifunctional commu
nity gathering point where events, vendors and social congregation would take
place.
• An outdoor commercial building, proposed as a restautrant to create a Public
Realm on the north parcel
• Railway Carts benched on former railway as a Heritage Tribute to the former
Railway Capital of Canada, accessible to the public and sits on the parcel of open
space north of the school.
• Elm Street serves as a multifunctional corridor linking the Elgin County Parks
and Trails Master Plan to Pinafore Park.
• The south corner of Sunset Drive and Elm Street creates a visual focal point to
attract travelers passing through St. Thomas into the‘gateway entrance’of the
Site and future city of St. Thomas
Concept Design 3 - Mixed- Use and Open Concept Public Square
• Main-Street Style building along Elm Street removed from Concept Plan 2 in
order to provide an opening to the Public Square and establish continuity
with the public open space on the opposite side of Elm Street.
• Mixed use residential-commercial building along Sunset Drive facing the inside
of the Public Square
• Landscape vegetation and other Functional Design Elements throughout the
site to provide Micro-Climate, establish sense of place, and create a welcoming
public congregation environment.
• On-Street Parking (parallel on Elm and angle on Glenbanner) to function as on
site parking and traffic calming measures to increase the security and safety of
the pedestrian orientation. Glenbanner Road is proposed as a one-way street
to control traffic flow on a residential road and to increase the usage of Elm
Street as an attraction to park and stop.
Vision
The new Elmdale Public School Redevelopment Project
shall create a unique, sustainable, and connected environ-
ment that will become a main gateway to the future City of
St. Thomas.
Goals And Objectives
Sustainability:The Elmdale redevelopment project will be economically,
socially, environmentally and and culturally sustainable.
Connectivity: The Elmdale redevelopment project will provide connectivity
through multi-modal transportation choices, linking existing pathways and trails,
and embracing the London to Port Stanley travel corridor.
Sense of Place: The Elmdale site redevelopment will establish character, iden-
tity, safety and balance through the implementation of unique design elements.
Connectivity
The Elmdale Commu-
nity Plaza will extablish
a strong network of con-
nectivity through multi-
modal transportational
choices. Pedestrian Orien-
taion will be emphasized through
the integration of streetscape and
landscape design and by creating a link from the St. Thomas
Parks and Trails Master Plan with existing Parks such as Pinafore.
Bycycle lanes will continue along Sunset Drive and Elm Street.
All public spaces throughout site will have welcoming connec-
tions and accessibility. The new Elmdale Community plaza
will also serve as a significant link between London and Port
Stanley for the people travelling along Sunset Drive.
Development Process
• Existing School Building retained and serves
as a Cultural Community Centre
• New mixed use building serves as a diverse
range of land uses
• The Elmdale Block serves as a muilt-
funcional public square/ courtyard
• Existing buildings expropriated to accomo
date and maximize the socio-cultural public
realm
Common Design Assumptions
These common design initiatives are incorporated into each of the
alternative design concepts to successfully integrate our vision into
the existing site context.
• Elm Street serves as a Multi-Modal Transportation Corridor
connecting the Elgin County Parks and Trails Master Plan to Pin
afore Park.
• The south corner of Sunset Drive and Elm Street creates a Visual
Focal Point to attract travellers passing through St. Thomas into
the‘Gateway Entrance’of the Site and future city of St. Thomas
• Unique Pedestrian Oriented places and routes through out the
site
• Brownfield remediation for future site augmentation
Off-Site Parking
Brownfield Site
Potential Remediation
SunsetDrive
Elm Street
WilsonAve.
Glenbanner Street
WilsonAve.
Park
Public Space
ToPortStanley
To Pinafore & Hospital
Cemetery
Proposed Commercial
Proposed Residential
Proposed Open Public
Space
Existing Buildings
Elmdale Conceptual Plan 1
ToLondon
Proposed Commercial
Proposed Institutional
Proposed Open Public
Space
Existing Buildings
Elmdale Conceptual Plan 2
Off-Site Parking
Brownfield Site
Potential Remediation
SunsetDrive
Elm Street
WilsonAve.
Glenbanner Street
WilsonAve.
Community Court
Patio
Park
On-Street Parking
Public Space
Public Space
Public Space
Public Space
ToPortStanley
To Pinafore & Hospital
Cemetery
ToLondon
Proposed Commercial
Proposed Institutional
Proposed Open Public
Space
Existing Buildings
Elmdale Conceptual Plan 3
Off-Site Parking
Brownfield Site
Potential Remediation
SunsetDrive
Elm Street
WilsonAve.
Glenbanner
Street(One-Way)
WilsonAve.
Park
On-Street Parking
Public Space
Public Space
Public Space
ToPortStanley
To Pinafore & Hospital
Cemetery
Multi-functional
Open Space
ToLondon
Vehicular Movement
Pedestrian Movement
Hiking Trails
Official Plan Proposed Recreational Trails
Existing Railway Tracks
Proposed Pedestrian -Oriented Streetscape
Dual Fuction - Vehical/Cycle Lanway
ToPortStanley
To London