Request for Qualifications Issued for the West Don Lands Pan Parapan American Athletes’ Village Project

October 27, 2010, TORONTO, ON – Infrastructure Ontario, in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, released a request for qualifications (RFQ) today to pre-qualify and short-list teams to design, build and finance the development of the section of the West Don Lands that will be home to the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games Athletes’ Village.

International Zone

This project will increase the pace of West Don Lands revitalization and development of Toronto’s waterfront.  The West Don Lands Athletes’ Village project will provide accommodations for athletes and officials during the games.   After the Games, the village area will become a mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly community that includes affordable housing as outlined in the Precinct Plan for the West Don Lands.

Project highlights include design and construction of:

• a new residential neighbourhood, including affordable housing;
• new roads and services, such as sewers;
• an environmentally sustainable community.

The Athletes’ Village is the first of the Games venues to get underway.

The RFQ, available at www.merx.com, is the first step in the process to select a team to deliver the project.  RFQ submissions will be reviewed to pre-qualify project teams with the design, development and construction experience, as well as the financial experience and capacity to deliver a project of this size and complexity. Short-listed teams will be invited to respond to a request for proposals in early 2011.

The project will proceed under Infrastructure Ontario’s Alternative Financing and Procurement model whereby risks associated with designing, constructing, and financing the facilities are transferred to the private sector.

Infrastructure Ontario, Waterfront Toronto and Ontario Realty Corporation are working with Toronto 2015 to develop the section of West Don Lands that will be home to the Athletes’ Village.

Infrastructure Ontario is the Project Manager for the Athletes’ Village and all large and small sports venues for the Toronto 2015 Pan / Parapan American Games.  Infrastructure Ontario is a Crown corporation dedicated to delivering some of the province’s larger and more complex infrastructure renewal projects ? ensuring they are built on time and on budget. As well, it is dedicated to providing the public sector and not-for-profit organizations with long-term financing to renew their infrastructure.  The Governments of Canada and Ontario and the City of Toronto created Waterfront Toronto to oversee and lead the renewal of Toronto’s waterfront. Public accessibility, design excellence, sustainable development, economic development and fiscal sustainability are the key drivers of waterfront revitalization.

Ontario Realty Corporation is leading the environmental work, building the flood protection landform, constructing sub-surface infrastructure and roads, and preparing the land for future redevelopment, working closely with the planning, design and compliance team.

Quotes:

Honourable Bob Chiarelli, Minister of Infrastructure

“The Toronto 2015 Athletes’ Village in the West Don Lands means a significant increase in the pace of transforming the former industrial lands into a beautiful, sustainable, modern and green mixed-use neighbourhood.  This project demonstrates the provincial government’s commitment to creating vibrant sustainable urban communities, where people can live and work in close proximity.”

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Contacts:

Jennifer Sclisizzi, Infrastructure Ontario
Tari Stork, Waterfront Toronto
Laura Toogood, Ontario Realty Corporation