Ontario Construction News staff writer
A staff report recommending a plan for downtown Toronto’s Bathurst Quay waterfront park, expanded park space on the rail corridor and redesign of University Avenue to create almost eight acres of parkland will go to the city’s executive committee for consideration July 12.
Mayor John Tory held a news conference Tuesday to update the projects and said the report outlines a vision for each project, work undertaken to date and key implementation considerations in the next phase of project development.”
Details of the three proposed projects:
Bathurst Quay will repurpose a city-owned parking garage as the structural foundation for a new waterfront park in combination with a structure over part of the adjacent Portland Slip. Design work is proposed to commence in tandem with the garage closure and remediation in order to enable a park construction tender award in late 2026.
Rail Corridor Master Plan development of a Rail Corridor Public Realm Master Plan will provide a strategic plan for incrementally expanding public space over and adjacent to the rail corridors that run through downtown.
University Avenue: The redesign of University Avenue has the potential to reimagine one of Toronto’s most iconic streets and deliver a continuous public green space connecting the Financial District, Health Science District and the University of Toronto. The next stage to develop this longer-term opportunity will include an engagement strategy for key stakeholders and partners, a capital project coordination strategy and a heritage inventory. Projects are expected to be developed in stages as approvals and funding are secured.
“Increasing access to parks and public spaces as our downtown communities grow is more important than ever,” said Councillor Joe Mihevc. “By taking advantage of existing City assets, including City-owned property, and co-operative partnerships, we can address the need for more public spaces downtown by building new parkland that everyone can access and enjoy.
“This is how we support a vibrant and liveable downtown for residents, visitors, and our commercial and cultural sectors.”
Funding is available for continued investigative and planning work and a detailed financial strategy will be developed for the future implementation of each initiative.