Monika Keliacius Joins GSP Group Inc.

GSP Group Inc. is pleased to announce that Monika Keliacius has joined the firm as a Planner in the Hamilton office. Monika is a graduate from the University of Waterloo’s School of Planning with a diploma in Environmental Assessment and an Option in Sustainable Local Economic Development. Monika brings a variety of planning experiences, including: the City of Hamilton’s Community Planning and Design team; the City of Calgary’s Inter-municipal and Regional Planning team; GO/Metrolinx’s Transportation Planning and Development team; and Halton Region’s Policy and Sustainable Planning teams.

In addition to these Planning experiences Monika has had the opportunity to compare and contrast North American Planning and British Planning while taking a course in Oxford UK. Monika is a motivated and hard working individual and is excited to continue learning and to put her knowledge and experiences to good use with GSP Group Inc.

Monika can be reached in our Hamilton office at 905 572 7477 or by email at monikak@gspgroup.ca.

Canmet, Hamilton

November 10, 2011 - The Canmet Materials Technology Laboratory received the Award of Excellence in Architecture and Sustainability from the City of Hamilton. GSP Group provided landscape architecture design and construction services for the LEED Platinum project.  Carol Bacon, a Project Designer at GSP Group, worked on this project with DSAI and Ellis-Don.

As the second building on the McMaster Innovation Park campus, the Canmet Material Technology Laboratory provides state-of-the-art industrial labs that are designed to foster relationships between government, academic research, and the steel and manufacturing sectors. The building is a showpiece of sustainable design, rehabilitating a brownfield site and targeting LEED Platinum.  The building is a tour-de-force of passive and active sustainable technologies, such as geothermal heating and cooling, radiating in floor heating, photovoltaic cells, solar walls, solar shades, and lighting reflecting materials.  

The sustainable landscape elements include plant material that is predominantly drought tolerant, indigenous or native species and some varietals.   Consideration of the microclimate and hydro-zoning of the plant materials (grouping and combining plants with similar root zones and water requirements) is imperative to for efficient and sustainable water management.

All the landscape materials are scrutinized for LEED compliance with the same rigor as the building elements, from the planting medium components, site furnishings and materials, to organic maintenance practices.

Official Plan Comprehensive Review & Secondary Plan for Middlesex Centre

GSP Group in association with AECOM prepared a Comprehensive Review under the Provincial Policy Statement (PPS) for the Municipality of Middlesex Centre. The study reviewed each of the eleven settlement areas and determined the need for changes to urban boundaries and land use designations. Key objectives and outcomes of the study included: consistency with the PPS; settlement area designations aligned with growth forecasts and infrastructure; and, a framework for strategically managing and distributing growth in an efficient, responsible and sustainable manner that is reflective of the desires of the community. To achieve this, a range of alternative growth management scenarios were developed and evaluated through an extensive consultation program

 GSP Group also prepared a secondary plan for Komoka-Kilworth, an historic village and current focus area for growth and development in Middlesex Centre. The results of the Comprehensive Review and the Secondary Plan were implemented by an Official Plan Amendment, adopted by Council in October 2011.

Additional information and links to current documents are available here:

John/Rebecca Streets Park, City of Hamilton... 

GSP Group has been working with the City of Hamilton to prepare a Master Plan for a new park in Downtown Hamilton.  The new park is bounded by John, Rebecca, Catherine, and King William Streets and is currently utilized primarily for surface parking.  The Downtown Hamilton Secondary Plan has designated this entire block as a new park with the intention of supporting and promoting residential development in the area.  As well, the park will incorporate an area to commemorate Hamilton’s Emergency Services.

A series of development principles have been established to guide park design.  GSP Group has recently met with both Staff and Public Stakeholder Groups to review 3 master plan concepts that were prepared for the park. We are currently setting up the next Public Information Centre (PIC #2) and workshop for December 7th, where the concepts will be on display and evaluated.  Please check the City of Hamilton website for more details:

http://www.hamilton.ca/CityDepartments/PublicWorks/Environment_Sustainable

_Infrastructure/OpenSpace/John+Rebecca+Park.htm

1 Adam Street, Kitchener

GSP Group is leading a team of architects and engineers in preparing development plans for the redevelopment of a 6 hectare (15 acre) brownfield site in the Louisa Street/St. Leger Street area, near Downtown Kitchener.  The project will contain a mix of townhouse types, mid-rise apartments, and neighbourhood commercial space in mixed-use buildings.  A central linear park connects the entire neighbourhood and provides a focal point for community activity.  As an “all ages” central greenspace, it will accommodate both organized and informal activities.  The neighbourhood, building and street design promotes alternatives to car travel including use of public transit, cycling, walking and TDM practices.  GSP Group prepared the “Planning and Urban Design Master Plan” for the development that sets out the overall design framework and guidelines for the development, and is currently coordinating the planning approvals for the development including a zoning by-law amendment and draft plan of subdivision. Planning approvals are anticipated in Spring 2012 with construction following later that year.

Downtown Hamilton

GSP Group is assisting New Horizon Homes and Urban West Developments Inc. with two exciting downtown redevelopment projects in the City of Hamilton: City Square (90 Charlton Avenue) and Urban West (427 Aberdeen Avenue).  Both redevelopment projects have sales successful campaigns and construction is underway!

The projects are indicative of the evolution of Hamilton’s downtown and New Horizon Homes and Urban West Developments Inc. commitment to investment in the downtown area.

For more information:

http://www.newhorizonhomes.ca/

urbanwest_brochure.html

http://www.mycitysquare.ca/