Development of a planning assessment to repurpose and redevelop under-utilized and deteriorating Toronto District School Board properties into community hubs

Abstract

One of the main issues faced by the Toronto District School Board (TDSB) is the poor structural condition of its aging school buildings. As of school year 2016/2017, the total renewal/repair backlog for all of TDSB schools has reached $3.4 Billion, with approximately 103 TDSB schools operating at a 65% or lower utilization rate (TDSB, 2014f). There is an immense pressure on school boards, particularly the TDSB, to sell off schools that have been declared as surplus (Mangione & Suen, 2015). However, the selling of school properties that have a high social and economic value is not a sustainable approach for the long run. Hence, there is a need for an effective and resilient planning strategy that will efficiently address the issues faced by the TDSB. As a result, this research will be recommending a land assessment tool that will efficiently repurpose and redevelop school properties, in critical condition, into community hubs and replace old and deteriorating TDBS schools with newer school facilities. Key Words: TDSB; Surplus Schools; Community Hubs; Shrinking Cities; Public Assets;