The Campus Farm Master Plan

aerial view of UTSC Campus Farm

 

map view of UTSC Campus Farm and surrounding neighbourhood

Located on the north side of campus, east of the Toronto Pan-Am Sports Centre, and beyond the Morningside Athletic Fields, is the University of Toronto Scarborough Campus Farm. The 10-acre, brownfield site is currently dedicated to land-based teaching, research, and community engagement on campus.

To better connect this space to the greater campus, improve accessibility of the site, and support a more diverse range of uses, the Campus Farm Master Plan and Implementation Strategy is currently underway. This work will help establish the farm as an important part of the UTSC campus.

To-date, the project team has engaged with the university community to understand the many opportunities and challenges that will help shape the future of the site. Through these ongoing discussions and continuing outreach, the master plan concept and supporting strategies are being developed.

 

 

project status diagram - currently in Concept Development phase

Project Updates

Following the campus open house event on September 25, along with feedback gathered through our online survey, a preferred concept is being developed for the Campus Farm site. Meetings with University Faculty, staff, and students and other collaborators are ongoing.

 

 

The Campus Farm Site

overhead view of campus farm property near Conlins Rd. and Chartway Blvd. with borders highlighted

The Campus Farm site will provide opportunities for land-based teaching and learning, research and community engagement, and will also support initiatives such as the Edible Campus Framework, the EaRTH DistrictHealthy Campus Initiative, UTSC Campus Master Plan, UTSC Secondary Plan, the Landscape and Public Realm Master Plan.

 

people working at the UTSC campus farm

The Future of the Campus Farm

Three potential design directions were presented for the farm site. Each of these, detailed below, showcases a different approach to developing the space over time. Engagement and further development of the concepts are ongoing, and the final design may be a variation or combination of these. The feedback gathered through the campus open house and online survey are helping shape a final design direction for the Campus Farm.

 

What Can the Farm Become?

Each of the three Concept Directions, shown below, showcase a different approach to the design of the Campus Farm. Based on feedback and ongoing engagement work, the final plan will likely incorporate pieces of all three directions. The three directions are: The Commons, The Lab, and The Garden.

As the master plan is refined, an updated design plan will be shared here.

 

Concept Direction 1: The Commons

Culturally-driven community space formed around teaching and learning uses.

Teaching is the catalyst for bringing students in and provides a structure to the site. The site is open, accessible and organized throughout. Large groups and tours can be accommodated, as well as events and other ways to bring in the wider community. Research can take place around the site and in areas between programmed spaces.

Programming takes advantage of site’s size and proximity to campus (class use for nature-based learning, for example).

UTSC farm site diagram - the Commons
 

Concept Direction 2: The Lab

Research focus supported by site programming and layout.

Research, teaching and learning are integrated on site. The farm is structured in a way to guide learning and provides a framework that caters to research activities. There is a degree of order and formality to the overall site, following the concept of a lab. Public access is more about observation and interpretation, with outward-facing interpretation and education near the adjacent streets.

The site layout can provide opportunities to enhance the feeling of natural space and highlight unique habitat and species.

UTSC farm site diagram - the Lab
 

Concept Direction 3: The Garden

Spaces for healing and well-being for visitors and campus uses.

the Farm site represents a holistic notion of healing (land and life) and reflects a journey of healing. It becomes first about acknowledging the past and educating about how we arrived where we are, enables dialogue and conversation about how to move forward, and then moves on to explore strategies to heal. The site is open to all and allows space for emotional and human processing of healing, putting it on display. This direction ties closely with the Healthy Campus Initiative/Okanagan charter.

UTSC farm site diagram - the Garden