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Phase Two of Port Union Waterfront Park Officially Opens at Local Festival
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On June 22, community members joined Waterfront Toronto, Toronto and Region Conservation and their government partners for the official opening of the second and final phase of Port Union Waterfront Park as part of this year's annual Port Union Waterfront Festival.
Watch the video…
Activities included a ribbon cutting and official remarks by a distinguished group of government representatives. Community members and festival goers heard from Corneliu Chisu, MP, Pickering—Scarborough East; the Honourable Tracy MacCharles, Ontario Minister of Consumer Services and MPP for Pickering-Scarborough East; Ron Moeser, Toronto Councillor Ward 44, Scarborough East; Brian Denney, CEO of Toronto and Region Conservation; Jeff Forsyth, Centennial Community and Recreation Association; and Mark Wilson, Chair, Waterfront Toronto.
Located on the shores of Lake Ontario in Scarborough, Port Union Waterfront Park is a unique urban escape on a stretch of Toronto’s eastern waterfront that has historically lacked public access. Now complete, the park provides 13.5 hectares of accessible shoreline park and four kilometres of new waterfront trail.
The second and final phase of the park extended the waterfront trail east from Port Union Road to the Rouge River and included the creation of five additional cobblestone beaches and terrestrial and aquatic habitat. The Western Gateway, a grand new staircase and cantilevered pedestrian bridge that links the Toronto and Pickering waterfront trail systems was also completed as part of the second phase. The Western Gateway was built in partnership between the City of Pickering, Waterfront Toronto and TRCA, and provides a safe connection between the two waterfront trail systems.
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Official Opening of Canada Square
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In a special Canada Day ceremony, Waterfront Toronto, Harbourfront Centre and the Government of Canada officially opened Canada Square, a new landmark on Toronto’s central waterfront. The Honourable Peter Kent, Minister of the Environment joined representatives from Waterfront Toronto and Harbourfront Centre for a ceremonial ribbon cutting as hundreds of community members and visitors to the waterfront looked on.
Watch the video…
Designed by renowned landscape architects Michael Van Valkenburgh and Associates, Canada Square was inspired by the tradition of great European plazas. Paved in red granite and boasting more than 40 new redwood trees, Canada Square offers a place for people to gather and enjoy beautiful views of Lake Ontario and Toronto’s skyline.
Canada Square marks the completion of a multi-phased project that has transformed Harbourfront Centre’s former surface parking lot into a vibrant waterfront destination. The project also includes Ontario Square, which was officially opened by Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne, on June 23 and Exhibition Common, an interim landscaped area currently housing Canada’s largest outdoor photography exhibition. Ontario Square sits atop the new underground parking garage which Waterfront Toronto and Harbourfront Centre opened last summer. It features a distinctive 10-metre high art piece called Light Cascade by award-winning architect and designer, James Carpenter.
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Waterfront Toronto selects winners in West Don Lands public art competition
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As part of its public art master plan for the West Don Lands, Waterfront Toronto has selected two proposals for major public art commissions from a previously announced short list. Both public art sites are located on what is set to become an intensely animated stretch of Front Street east. The winning concepts will be completed and installed in time for the Toronto 2015 Pan/Parapan American Games. A third site, the Pan Am Legacy, has yet to be awarded and Waterfront Toronto is continuing to explore opportunities for that site.
Artists' rendering of The Water Guardians at night.
The jury awarded the commission for the “Children’s Art Zone” to Canadian artists Jennifer Marman and Daniel Borins, for their proposed sculptural work, The Water Guardians. For the site, located one block west of Bayview Avenue and Front Street, the competition sought work that invites thoughtful and playful interaction and engages the young and the young-at-heart. Marman and Borins have a critically-acclaimed exhibition history and their work is represented in the National Gallery of Canada.
For the “Front Street Landmark” site, located one block east of Cherry Street, the jury awarded the commission to Japanese artist Tadashi Kawamata for his conceptual sculpture using lampposts. The competition sought a proposal that would act as a gateway to this stretch of Front Street East. Over the decades, the wide variety of lampposts across Toronto neighbourhoods has come to characterize eras or areas of the city. Kawamata’s proposal playfully juxtaposes these pieces of city infrastructure to tease out the history and geography of Toronto.
Tadashi Kawamata is renowned for his site specific sculptural work made with found or recycled materials. His works of note include Relocation at Serpentine Gallery, London, UK; Gandamaison in Versailles; and Tree Hut in New York at New York City’s Madison Square Park.
Visit our newsroom for more images...
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Moving forward with Port Lands Revitalization: Don Mouth & Lower Don Lands Environmental Assessments
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Community members and stakeholders joined Waterfront Toronto, Toronto and Region Conservation and the City of Toronto on July 24 at a public meeting to discuss the Don Mouth Naturalization and Port Lands Flood Protection Project and the 2010 Class EA Lower Don Lands Master Plan. Waterfront Toronto, the City of Toronto, and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) are amending and finalizing these Environmental Assessments (EAs) to reflect amendments that arose from the Port Lands Acceleration Initiative in 2012.
These two EAs represent key pieces in the revitalization of Toronto’s Port Lands. Their approval will enable the TRCA, the City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto to move forward with the implementation of the flood protection and infrastructure works necessary to support the revitalization of the Port Lands and naturalization of the mouth of the Don River.
Public input is welcome. Meeting materials are now available online and a video of the meeting will be posted for viewing on Saturday, July 27. Comments will be accepted until Thursday, August 8, 2013.
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For the Don Mouth Naturalization Project and Port Lands Flood Protection, please submit comments to mcharendoff@trca.on.ca.
View the meeting materials online…
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First public consultation meeting for Lower Yonge
A summary report of the first public consultation meeting for the Lower Yonge Urban Design Guidelines and Transportation Master Plan project is now available online. Presentation materials are also available. The next public meeting is planned for September – meeting details will be posted in our online calendar when available. Review the summary report…
Revisions to West Don Lands & East Bayfront Class Environmental Assessments
Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto are planning to expand the treatment capacity of the West Don Lands Stormwater Quality Facility. In order to facilitate the changes, Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto initiated Addendums to both the West Don Lands Class Environmental Assessment Master Plan and the East Bayfront Class Environmental Assessment Master Plan. Copies of the final Class EA documents are now available online. View the documents online…
Repairs to Sherbourne Common water feature
The water has been turned off in the Sherbourne Common channel to allow crews to undertake general maintenance and lighting repairs due to vandalism. Crews will remove the river stones from the channel and must retrofit it to ensure the depth of the water meets safety requirements. Water to the channel cannot be restored until the retrofit is complete later this summer. Waterfront Toronto apologizes for the inconvenience. The splash pad at Sherbourne Common is not impacted and remains open between 9:00am and 8:30pm every day.
Construction of Bayside Toronto Sales Centre Progresses
Construction is underway on a new sales centre for Hines’ Bayside Toronto development. Located on Queens Quay just west of Parliament Street, the sales centre is about 70% complete and will open this September. Aqualina, the first condominium building at Bayside which is being developed by Hines and Tridel (the exclusive residential partner for Bayside) will be located at the water’s edge next to Sherbourne Common. Learn more…
Solar- and Wind-Powered Street Lights at Bayside Toronto
The new Bayside Toronto sales centre will feature two ‘off-grid’ solar- and wind-powered streetlights. The streetlights, installed as part of a demonstration by Clear Blue Technologies and TowerLabs @MaRS, are designed to promote the use of environmentally-friendly lighting that is powered by solar and wind generation. Including this innovative technology at its sales centre demonstrates Hines and Tridel’s commitment to environmental sustainability. Aqualina, the first condominium planned for Bayside, will pursue LEED® Platinum Certification – the highest rating possible within the LEED® Green Certification system. Learn more…
Martin Goodman Trail in East Bayfront
A new stretch of Martin Goodman Trail between Yonge Street and Lower Jarvis Street will be complete by the end of July and opened for use. The trail runs parallel to a new sidewalk which opened earlier this month. The sidewalk and trail were designed to provide a safe connection for cyclists and pedestrians as they travel between the Central Waterfront and East Bayfront.
Last call for the third annual My Waterfront Photo Contest
The Waterfront BIA is inviting amateur photographers to showcase their original photos of the Toronto waterfront for a chance to win a prize courtesy of Mariposa Cruises. Until July 28, submit a photo of your favourite Toronto Waterfront experience. To view contest rules and submit your photo, visit www.waterfrontbia.com.
Sail-in Cinema™ returns this August
The much-loved Sail-in Cinema™ returns to Canada’s Sugar Beach for three nights this August. A giant two-sided screen atop a barge in Toronto Harbour delivers a thrilling movie experience for both boaters and land-lovers. The Toronto Port Authority is running this year’s events from August 15 to 17. Vote online for the films you want to see…
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Construction Update: Queens Quay Revitalization
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Over the past month, crews have begun installing the first sections of new granite on Queens Quay. At the Westin Hotel, the new red and white granite maple mosaic promenade is approximately seven metres wide and includes room for six new trees. Construction in front of the hotel is expected to be complete by the end of the month.
At York Street, crews have installed the granite pavers and curbs which form the new permanent parking layby just west of the intersection. Crews are now working on installing granite pavers around the water fountain at the corner of York Street and Queens Quay. As the project moves forward, crews will take opportunities to work on granite installation while other construction is underway. There are more than 2.5 million pieces of Canadian granite being installed on Queens Quay as part of the generous south side promenade and new north side sidewalks.
If you are interested in regular updates about this construction project, please subscribe to our weekly Queens Quay construction notice.
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Building the New Queens Quay
We're rebuilding Toronto's main waterfront boulevard from the ground up. Watch this video to see how we’re bringing the vision to life.
Need More Information?
Thank you for your patience during construction. If you have questions send an email to info@waterfrontoronto.ca or call 416-214-9990.
For Urgent Construction Issues
Please contact Queens Quay Construction Liaison Officer, Robert Pasut at RPasut@easternconstruction.com or call 416-505-3073.
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New Traffic Signal at Queens Quay & Sherbourne
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All construction activities for the new traffic signal in East Bayfront, at the corner of Queens Quay and Lower Sherbourne Street, are now complete. Toronto Hydro is in the process of providing power to the signal. We expect the signal to be operational by the end of the month.
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Portland Slip Water’s Edge Promenade
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Major construction is now complete on the stretch of water’s edge promenade along the western edge of the Portland Slip just east of Bathurst Street. Before the promenade can be officially opened, a Record of Site Condition is required from the Ministry of the Environment. A Record of Site Condition is required whenever a land use designation is changing to a more sensitive use as part of the Province’s brownfield redevelopment requirements. At the Portland Slip, the land use is changing from industrial use to park space. Waterfront Toronto is working closely with the Ministry of the Environment and expects the promenade to open by the end of the year.
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Construction Update: Pan/Parapan Am Athletes’ Village/Canary District
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Roadwork/Infrastructure
The subdivision underground hydro chambers and hydro duct bank installation continues to progress, and the underground conduit and foundation work for the street lighting is also in progress. Throughout the development, silva cells, concrete curbs, road base, the base for interlocking walkways and sidewalk and road pavers are being installed.
Reconstruction on the west side of Sumach Street between King Street and Eastern Avenue continues. Crews have begun to form the footings for the retaining wall at southwest corner of Sumach Street and Eastern Avenue. During reconstruction north/south access will be maintained along the east side of Sumach Street. Street parking will not be available during this time.
The Canary District’s first development block, between Front Street and Mill Street, looking northwest.
Road work on Cherry Street and Old Eastern Avenue also continues to progress. On Eastern Avenue, trees have been planted and the base coat of asphalt has been installed. On Cherry Street interlocking stones at the intersection of Cherry and Eastern are being installed, and the TTC has started installing the new streetcar tracks.
Please be advised that both Cherry Street between Eastern Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East, and Old Eastern Avenue will remain closed to through traffic until fall 2013 to complete the reconstruction of Cherry Street and Old Eastern Avenue. Access will be maintained to All City Storage.
YMCA/George Brown College
At the George Brown College building, installation of the curtain wall has progressed to the seventh floor on the east tower and crews are pouring the 10th floor of the north tower. The man and material hoist is operational. At the YMCA building, the installation of the structural steel roof and metal deck has been completed.
Affordable Housing Buildings
A major project milestone has been reached at the affordable rental housing buildings. The concrete structure on both blocks has been completed and cranes have been removed. At the Fred Victor building the installation of the window wall has been completed, and exterior cladding and work on the interior finishes is ongoing. At the Wigwamen building, the window wall installation has progressed up to the ninth floor and work on the interior finishes continues.
Canary District Condominiums
On the first market housing condominium, crews are forming and pouring the vertical columns to the ninth floor on the north tower and are forming and pouring the sixth floor slab on the south tower. Mechanical and electrical rough-ins are in progress.
On the second market housing building, crews are pouring the eigth floor slab and vertical columns up to the ninth floor in the north tower. On the south tower crews are pouring and forming the third floor. Mechanical and electrical rough-in is in progress.
For more information on the award-winning Canary District or to view a live construction feed visit their website at www.canarydistrict.com. The sales centre is located at 9 Mill Street.
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Construction Update: Toronto Community Housing
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Toronto Community Housing’s three-building development located at 589 King Street East in the West Don Lands will provide 243 affordable rental units for families and seniors. Occupancy of all three buildings is scheduled for winter 2013.
Construction progresses at the family buildings, located on the west side of Lower River Street.
At the seniors building on King Street, exterior brick work and roofing is complete and window installation is almost complete. Inside the building, painting has begun and masonry work, mechanical and electrical distribution and the installation of drywall partitions continues. Plumbing fixtures, tiling in the kitchens, bathrooms and corridors, as well as parquet flooring in the living, dining, and bedrooms is underway, and appliances continue to be installed.
At the family buildings located between Lower River and St. Lawrence Street, exterior masonry work and window installation is ongoing. The roof has been completed on the River Street building and roof work has begun on the St. Lawrence Street building. Inside the buildings, wood structures are almost complete and mechanical and electrical distribution and the installation of drywall has begun.
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Open Roof Festival Continues Tonight
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