University of Guelph master’s students propose ideas to turn former airport runway into thriving urban hub

University of Guelph students are turning an abandoned runway into a learning opportunity. CTV’s Hannah Schmidt explains.

A group of University of Guelph masters’ students are getting a real-life lesson on community building.

Once a landing strip, a 2.1 kilometre runway at YZD in Toronto – formerly known as the Downsview Airport – could soon become the spine of a thriving urban hub designed not for takeoffs, but for people, parks and public spaces.

Developer Northcrest is behind the plan to give the old site new life.

“We really have the opportunity to create a new community, create a place, that is connected,” said Ian Hanecak, senior manager of community relations for Northcrest.

Students from the university’s School of Environmental Design and Rural Development are presenting their design ideas.

“Students have worked on many large-scale community design projects in the past, but the one specifically with runway and airport design? Not really. This is something new for them,” said Dr. Nadia Amoroso, landscape architecture professor.

Northcrest’s plan looks to redefine the runway and 370 acres of space into vibrant, accessible communities.

“I’m really proud of what we accomplished,” said student, Kristin Bissessar. “I think that we’ve developed a lot of unique spaces and going for the functionality towards the residents who are going to live there.”

The vision is to make the runway area the spine of a series of connected neighborhoods which could be home to many people, according to Hanecak.

“About 30 years from now, maybe more or maybe less, [when] the entire thing is built out, we’ll have about 80,000 people living and another 40,000 people working there. So, a daytime population of about 120,000 people,” he said.

Students are exploring ideas that include mixed-use spaces, along with transit and ecological corridors to incorporate the site into the surrounding city.

“A space that’s really about placemaking and inviting community and homes for people, as well as connection to diversity locally in the community,” said student, Ian Murphy.

The students’ designs are separate from Northcrest’s official Runway Design Competition, but it’s an assignment that brings fresh perspectives to city-building.

“I’m hoping a profession like urban design and landscape architecture at such a large scale incorporates things like climate action, recreation, economic growth. All of these come into play,” said Amoroso.

For those involved with the project, it shows that the sky’s the limit for urban transformation.

“What I’m hoping to be able to take from this is taking in all those different factors, and creating more positive spaces in the future,” said Murphy.