Toronto Star
Summary
The landscape of The Forks is set to change dramatically in the coming years, as parking lots between the CityTV building and Shaw Park are converted from pavement slabs into an expansive, mixed-use neighbourhood.
On Wednesday, work began on the most essential of services: heating and cooling.
Crews started drilling boreholes into the earth’s surface; laying the groundwork for a district geothermal energy system at the Railside at The Forks development.
The ultra-efficient heating and cooling structure uses pipes beneath the ground to pull both from the natural hot and cold sink.
It is, therefore, a completely renewable source of energy.
“We try and be as green as we possibly can. We looked for ways to do that, and a district geothermal system is the best option for all of the housing and commercial space that will be here,” said Clare MacKay, vice-president of strategic initiatives at The Forks.
The geothermal system, once complete, will service 1,200 new residential units and approximately 100,000 square feet of new commercial space. Partnerships to service other buildings on The Forks grounds, as well as the VIA Rail Union Station building, are also on the table.
“We have successfully done this in the past. About 10 years ago, we did a retrofit of The Forks Market… And that’s a closed-loop system that goes underneath the Assiniboine River, and that heats and cools the entire Forks Market. What’s cool about it is that nobody really notices,” MacKay said.
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