University Precinct

To ensure that the University Precinct is integrated with the downtown, and that the quality of the urban experience along Cumberland Street and King Edward is enhanced, the following targeted precinct strategies are suggested:

25. King Edward South Beautification

The inter-relationship of the University to its edge context as well as its entry ways - namely King Edward and Cumberland - are critical for generating a positive image of the University as well as the city. Consequently, these streets demand targeted attention.

There are significant opportunities to re-image King Edward south of Rideau into a high profile, high quality public street that clearly delineates the boundary of the University from the residential neighbourhood of Sandy Hill. This street should become the University's main address and point of entry.

To ensure that King Edward remains safe for all users, a series of intersection treatments giving pedestrians priority are required at the Laurier, Osgoode, Somerset and Templeton intersections. To improve the perception of King Edward and make the street more desirable for private investment, street tree planting, lighting, sidewalk enhancement, public art, street furniture and landscaping are recommended between Mann and Rideau.

26. Cumberland Street Beautification

The focus of Cumberland Street should be on pedestrian connectivity through to Rideau Street. This street should function as the main route through to the University from the north for pedestrians and cyclists.

Cumberland Street will require more detailed streetscaping, including paving, lighting and street furniture, as well as a programme of street tree planting and landscaping. A special intersection treatment is required at the Laurier junction.

27. Urban Grid Reconstruction Area: Nicholas/Laurier/Mackenzie/Waller/Rideau

The University Precinct contains the southern portion of the Nicholas/Laurier/Mackenzie/ Waller/Rideau Urban Grid Reconstruction Area. This area needs to be normalized through a programme of traffic calming and intersection treatments.

The highway-like character of Nicholas and Waller is unsuitable for an inner-city location and provides a poor gateway entrance to the University from the west. The existing roadway system around Laurier Bridge and Nicholas creates a very unpleasant and challenging pedestrian environment. Consideration needs to be given to improvement of pedestrian access and permeability along the northwestern edges of the precinct.

28. University Planning Programmes

The City should actively participate and support planning initiatives undertaken by the University in the future to harmonize the potential interface and shared design directions for these areas.

Streetscape Infrastructure Programme

As much of the development within this precinct has been constructed as part of a university campus, there are few internal public-access roads. The most important public streets are those on the periphery of the precinct, including King Edward, Nicholas, Laurier, Waller and Cumberland. Targeted streetscaping improvements and traffic calming measures have been identified for King Edward and, to a lesser degree, along Cumberland Street. These are detailed below.

Waller Street and Nicholas Street are part of the proposed Nicholas/Laurier/Mackenzie/ Waller/Rideau Urban Grid Reconstruction Area that is shared with the Retail, Arts & Theatre Precinct to the north. Within this area, traffic calming measures focused around Laurier Avenue and Waller Street will create a more pleasant pedestrian environment and result in a superior gateway entrance to the University from the west.

In partnership with OC Transpo, the NCC and the University, the edge of the district between the Canal and the University should be considered as part of the University's proposed master plan.

The level of secure bicycle parking should be increased across the precinct with a stronger focus within the University area.

Parks and Open Space Strategy

For much of the precinct, the pavilion style buildings of the University create an open and pleasant green environment that supports a large number of small park spaces and squares. The majority of these spaces are well maintained and open to the wider community. Consequently, additional parks and open spaces are not immediately required within this precinct. However, depending on the University's future expansion plans, it may be sensible for the City to work in partnership with the University to identify and safeguard key areas of open space within the campus area.

Built Form Guidelines

Higher-density, large-scale freestanding institutional buildings dominate the precinct. The majority of the larger-scale institutional buildings are contained within the Nicholas Street, King Edward and Laurier boundaries. Some more traditional lower-density residential developments are present along the precinct's eastern and northern edges.

Along the transitional seam of King Edward, new infill development must be sensitive to the lower-density, smaller-scale residential and commercial buildings on the eastern side of the street. Along this seam, new development must be of a scale that transitions down from the larger university buildings to the smaller residential buildings of Sandy Hill. Smaller scale development in both mass and height are appropriate for these peripheral locations.

Buildings in the interface between the downtown and the north side of the University must respect the scale and character of the historic university core and the scale of Laurier Avenue.

Infill opportunities north of this area can be larger in scale and more urban in character as sites are occupied closer to Rideau Street.