Alumni Spotlight: Leslie Gash

Despite the demands of her role as senior vice president of development at Waterfront Toronto, Leslie Gash ‘85 finds time to give back to Ryerson. She’s a regular guest in professor David Amborski’s class to help provide critiques and guidance to students working on their studio projects. 

I met with Leslie in her office down by Harbourfront to learn about the steps that led to her current position, and how her concern for the wellbeing of others has been a continuous thread throughout her career.

How did you initially become interested in the field of housing development?

I lived in a co-op starting in my second year of school. They wanted me to sign up for various things, like the membership committee. I ended up on their board of directors and that provoked an interest in housing. Joe Springer, a Ryerson faculty member from New York, prompted me to think more and more about housing. In my last year, my undergraduate thesis focused on women in co-ops. I was writing about how women, in particular, can acquire a lot of skills by doing volunteer work around the co-op. From then on, I have worked in some way with affordable housing.

You’ve had a number of roles in housing. How did your career path evolve over the years?

My first position was at the Supportive Housing Coalition, where I worked on development for new housing for people with mental health issues. I then spent five years at Lantana Non-profit Community Development. Our job was to help groups interested in developing housing projects prepare proposals to request government funding, and then to work with them through to occupancy. I was there until the mid-90’s, when the feds and the province pulled out of the housing business. Next, I was at Homes First, providing property management and supports for homeless people and people with mental health issues and substance use issues. 

A position at the Ontario Non-profit Housing Association led me to Dixon Hall – a multi-service agency working in Regent Park. I worked there for six years, becoming the director of homeless, hostels and housing services and the children and youth program. I was responsible for three shelters, the housing program, front-line workers, a drop-in for homeless people, a day camp and a big youth-at-risk program. It was really interesting and broadened my knowledge. My kids were young at the time, so it was good for me to learn about these issues as a mother.

A significant part of your career was at Toronto Community Housing.  Can you share a highlight from your time there?

I worked on a number of development projects, including 60 Richmond Street, which is an amazing building that won 12 awards; it’s a beautiful, sustainable building. I was then assigned a revitalization project, Alexandra Park, which consists of 18 acres at Spadina, Dundas and Queen streets. I was there from day one. I feel like I gave birth to that project. We worked with a housing co-op — which was great because I was from a housing co-op and could understand their issues. It was good to have that kind of background to work with the residents and co-op members in Alexandra Park.

What kind of challenges do you encounter with a project like Alexandra Park?

It is about balancing the many needs. We wanted to make sure that this was a project that could pay for itself. There are also the needs of the residents. We had a zero displacement policy in Alexandra Park. It meant that we would not send anyone offsite to live during construction. It was much more challenging because you had to do it in phases. It’s balancing the needs of the residents with economic feasibility. Is this politically going to fly? Also, the [needs of] the other stakeholders in the neighborhood. We were lucky that we didn’t have much public opposition.

The twelve years I had at TCHC really took everything I learned before that, and then I learned so much more. It helped having property management experience and program experience with residents – all of that helped inform my work in revitalization because there are just so many pieces to it.

…which brings us to your role today.  How did housing lead you to the waterfront?

A recruiter called me [about a VP position], and I thought, “hmmm?” I had been very happy in my work … but thought it was at least worth talking to them. I went through the interview process, and for the last meeting, I was asked to take them to the location of a project that I was proud of. I took them to Alexandra Park and we walked around and talked. They wanted to see a passion… and that was something I felt very passionate about.    

What excites you most about your work at Waterfront Toronto?

Anything to do with affordable housing excites me, and we’re not just looking at affordable housing at Quayside. We also have some things on the go at Bayside, for example, which is just on the lake. At Waterfront, 20 percent of the land is dedicated to affordable housing. Coming up will be a mixed income building at Bayside, with roughly 50/50 affordable and market rental housing. 

At Quayside, we are looking to exceed our affordable housing target, to do more than what we would normally. We are also looking at other forms of housing; we’re taking a look around the world to see what sorts of things have worked in other places and to try to do things creatively.   

How do you think your time at Ryerson influenced your career?

My life experience and academic experience came together during my years at Ryerson to influence my direction. The program at that time was like having a very well-rounded education that you could take anywhere in planning: you could become a planner, or a developer of affordable housing, or any one of a number of things — there are links to city building, social services — so many things that you can make out of that education. 

How do you think the field of planning has changed since you graduated?

I like to think that it is much more holistic in its approach, that it’s not just about zoning ... it’s about people as well and complete communities. It’s about making sure there are services and infrastructure so people can live anywhere in the city and not feel isolated. You can have a low-income community, but if you have terrible transit, that’s not a good match. So whatever the community is meant to be, [planning] needs to make those connections.  

Do you have any advice for planning students?

Come in to housing … for heaven’s sake! And not condominiums … affordable housing is on everyone’s agenda right now. It was an issue in every recent election: federal, municipal and provincial.  Affordable housing is foremost in people’s minds as a priority issue.