Urban Hydro Corridors: Advancing Sustainability Strategies in Urban Settings A Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail Case Study

The area surrounding the Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail located in the northern edges of the Greater Toronto Area, is poised to see extensive urban development due to significant transit and infrastructural developments. Hydro corridor’s present a multitude of opportunities to enhance sustainability strategies in urban settings. The rate of transit and infrastructural investment in the area must accompany and balance community and ecologically centred design. Overlooked and underappreciated spaces, such as the Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail site is well-positioned to provide high-performing greenspaces that provide amenities and activities for everyone to enjoy. This research proposes the best design approaches for multi-use hydro corridor revitalization with a focus on a specific transect of the extensive Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail. This research employs an in-depth review of various planning studies, policy documents, urban design strategies, design guidelines, parks and recreation documentation, along with a series of site visits to accompany my research findings. This research is intended to inspire thought around urban environmental design strategies centered around underutilized industrial greenspaces. Greenspaces have become integral in shaping and benefiting civic and community life and can be credited with acting as places of refuge and respite in a bustling metropolis. Landscape performance can be defined as a measure of the effectiveness with which landscape solutions fulfil their intended purpose. This study proposes, that if leveraged well, the Finch Hydro Corridor Recreational Trail study site can be a successful area to implement multifunctional landscape design elements that enhance social, environmental, and economic realms.