 |
| |
|
|
|
|
Get ready to celebrate your new Queens Quay!
|
|
|
On the left: Before - A view of the narrow pedestrian area at the Simcoe Slip in 2008. On the right: After - A view of the Simcoe WaveDeck, which opened in 2009 and the new widened granite promenade to be fully opened June 2015.
On June 19th, join Waterfront Toronto as we celebrate the transformation of Queens Quay, Toronto’s main waterfront street with the entire waterfront community. We can’t thank the community enough for their support and patience during this project. Construction is never fun or easy, but we think most will agree that the new Queens Quay will be worth the wait. The festivities kick off on Friday, June 19 at 6:00 p.m. at the Simcoe WaveDeck.
All of Toronto is invited to be a part of the opening ceremony, where we’ll be orchestrating the biggest ribbon cutting Toronto has ever seen. Imagine you, with hundreds of friends, family and neighbours waving a flowing 650-metre long ribbon to celebrate the end of construction and the start of a new era on Queens Quay. If you can’t picture how long 650 metres is, imagine the length of Queens Quay West, from York Street to HTO Park. This will be a ribbon cutting ceremony on a scale you will have to see to believe – so why not get a front-row seat by being part of the action.
Sign up online at surveymonkey.com/r/queensquayvolunteer and register to help us cut the ribbon on your new waterfront boulevard. We’ll contact you directly with more details, but participants should expect to wave the ribbon for approximately 10 minutes and to be available by 5:00 p.m. for this unique ribbon cutting ceremony.
Join the conversation about the opening of the revitalized Queens Quay Boulevard using the #NewQueensQuay hashtag. This is your event!
Our festivities will also kick off the start of the Redpath Waterfront Festival and we encourage everyone to stick around to enjoy this weekend-long celebration.
Get the full event details...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Spacing Announces Winning Designs from Waterfront T-Shirt Contest
|
|
|
|
|
Five winning t-shirt designs celebrate Toronto’s iconic waterfront spaces and places.
Last month, Waterfront Toronto and the Spacing Store joined forces to host a t-shirt design competition calling for submissions that celebrate the iconic public spaces, buildings, and character of the city’s waterfront. Out of more than 75 submissions, our jury selected five stand-out t-shirts.
The winning designs will be on sale in the Spacing Store (401 Richmond St. W.) early next month and will be available for pre-order in their e-store in a few days. A portion of the proceeds from these t-shirt sales will be donated to Toronto charity and park advocacy group, Park People. We offer a hearty congratulations to the winning designers, who will each receive a $750 honourarium.
Check out the winning designs...
|
|
|
|
|
|
Lower Yonge Precinct Planning: Public Consultation
|
|
|
You have until June 22 to share your comments about the Lower Yonge Precinct Transportation Master Plan.
Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto have completed two studies which create the foundation for the Lower Yonge Precinct Plan: an Urban Design Report and a Transportation Master Plan Environmental Assessment (Phases 1 and 2). Located between Yonge Street and Lower Jarvis Street, Lake Shore Boulevard and north of Queens Quay, this area is currently home to the Toronto Star building, the LCBO warehouse and retail store, a Loblaws grocery store and several parking lots. These studies establish the planning context required to guide the future development of this important waterfront area.
The Lower Yonge Precinct Transportation Master Plan has been placed on public record for a 30-day review period starting May 21, 2015 and ending June 22, 2015. Please read the Notice of Study Completion for further details.
Public Meeting: June 23, 2015
A public meeting has been scheduled during which The City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto will provide an update on the emerging and refined direction for the Lower Yonge Precinct, an overview of the built form approach and plans on how to ensure the precinct will evolve into a complete community. Additionally, Pinnacle International will present a revised development proposal for 1 and 7 Yonge Street. Details are available here.
|
|
|
|
|
|
| Aqualina Breaks Ground at East Bayfront’s Bayside Community |
|
Toronto Mayor John Tory and Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell sit on one of Waterfront Toronto’s signature benches along with Waterfront Toronto’s Meg Davis, Hines’ Avi Tesciuba, Tridel’s Leo DelZotto and Artscape’s Tim Jones.
“Tridel has never built on the waterfront until this community,” said Tridel President Leo DelZotto at the May 22 groundbreaking ceremony for Bayside’s first building, Aqualina. “This sets a new standard for what Toronto should be.”
Toronto Mayor John Tory and Deputy Mayor Pam McConnell joined us on the Water’s Edge Promenade in Bayside to break ground on Aqualina, the first residential building in the Bayside Toronto development. Bayside will be a new, highly-sustainable waterfront community that will include affordable rental housing and that builds on the existing design excellence of the public realm in adjacent parks like Sherbourne Common and the Water’s Edge Promenade. For decades, this four-hectare (10-acre) site between Lower Sherbourne and Parliament Streets was an underutilized, industrial area. When complete, Bayside will comprise over 190,000 square metres (2 million square feet) of new residential, employment, cultural and commercial space.
It’s the latest in a round of nearby developments, starting with Corus Quay in 2010 and followed by George Brown College, Sugar Beach and Sherbourne Common. Along with Bayside, ongoing development in the area includes Monde condominiums and the Daniels City of the Arts development. To find out what Mayor Tory said at the event, read more…
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
Check out the new 40-metre long art installation on Sumach Street at Eastern Avenue
Artists Scott Eunson and Marianne Lovink created Sumach Silhouette, a 40 metre long abstract pattern and form depicting a deep history of human existence in the immediate area. The artists worked with historian Caroyln Smart Frost and the students of Inglenook Secondary School in making the artwork and a related student exhibition. Sumach Silhouette brings visual poetry about the human stories that make a place. See the photo here...
Gardiner East Environmental Assessment (EA) Hybrid and Remove options presented at the June 10 and 11 Toronto City Council
After a debate at the City Council, the Hybrid option was selected as the preferred alternative for the future of the Gardiner East. As a part of that motion, the EA team has been asked to do some further work, including examining other possible alignments of the Hybrid option. More details on the motion passed by Council can be found here.
Public feedback report for Aitken Place Park design
Last month, we heard from you on what you thought about the preliminary design concepts (including programs) for this new waterfront park in East Bayfront's Bayside development. Read the full report on the input we received...
With Corktown Common closed for the Pan Am Games, how about exploring some other parks along the waterfront this summer
Toronto has a bounty of parks that can be enjoyed and explored this summer. Check out this list of parks along the waterfront that we’ve assembled. It’s pretty impressive.
|
|
|
|
Redpath Waterfront Festival returns bigger than ever
|
|
|
5 events, 4 parks, 3 days, 2 kilometres, 1 giant party! Come to the Redpath Waterfront Festival and Party on the Promenade as we celebrate Toronto’s newly revitalized waterfront June 19-21, 2015. The party starts Friday evening with a Grand Opening Parade and Show in HTO Park.
The celebration continues all weekend with pop-up entertainment along Queens Quay and Martin Goodman Trail. Take a FREE dance class taught by celebrity choreographers Blake McGrath, Jean Marc Généreux and Trevor Tordjman from The Next Step at DANCE Pan American Style. Head to Sugar Beach June 18-20 for the Toronto Wine & Spirit Festival and on Sunday June 21 we kick off Toronto Pride Week with Sweetness Pride Beach Party featuring a hot lineup of LGBTQ talent. DockDogs Championships, presented by PortsToronto returns to Sherbourne Common and you can check out all that the Festival offers with a free shuttle service courtesy of RBC. Visit www.towaterfrontfest.com for full event details.
|
|
|
|
Get ready for Toronto’s biggest party of the summer - stretching across the waterfront from HTO Park to Sherbourne Common. (Image courtesy of Redpath Waterfront Festival).
 DockDogs return to Sherbourne Common - see dogs of all sizes and breeds jump, dive, soar and splash. (Image courtesy of Redpath Waterfront Festival and image credit Sean).
|
|
|
Luminato is coming to the waterfront
|
|
|
A celebration in creativity, the Luminato Festival for ten days (June 19 to June 28), transforms theatres, parks and public spaces across the city and creates a home for artists to come play, share and create. There are two great events taking place on the waterfront this year: 7 Monologues – a festival within the Festival at Harbourfront Centre on June 20 and 21; and Unsound Toronto in the Port Lands on June 19 and 20.
|
|
|
|
For more information on these and the full listing of Luminato Festival events visit luminatofestival.com
|
|
|
Construction update: Queens Quay Revitalization
|
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
The final paving of the Martin Goodman Trail is nearly complete and crews are now testing pavement markings for the trail, which will be open in time for our June 19 opening festivities. Crew will open the trail in sections, starting at Bay this Saturday, June 13 and moving west. Final line painting at various intersections is scheduled for completion this week. Final landscaping and granite installation will occur over the next few weeks.
The transition back to two-way vehicular traffic operations on Queens Quay was completed on June 10 – a major milestone for this project. Residents of 33/55/65/77/99 Harbour Square are now accessing the new Harbour Square Service Road eastbound from York to Bay. Newly signalized intersections include a dedicated turning signal for southbound turns. For more details about specific intersections, please consult this special construction notice.
Martin Goodman Trail West
Crews are making fast progress and are ahead of schedule. Crews are completing final grading at Bathurst and Queens Quay and proceeding with line painting, bollard and signage installation. Sign-up for notices here.
|
|
|
|
In advance of a return to two-way traffic on Queens Quay, we held a public site walk to talk about some of the street’s new elements, from new intersections to lay-bys. Here, one of four groups chats with West8/DTAH’s Jelle Therry about pedestrian crossings.
Queens Quay webcams
Keep an eye on construction progress from your computer or mobile device using our Queens Quay Webcams.
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.
Sign up for weekly notices
You can sign up for the Queens Quay construction notice on the Queens Quay construction webpage.
|
|
|
Construction update: East Bayfront
|
|
|
Last month, partners and stakeholders gathered on the completed Water’s Edge Promenade next to the Aqualina construction site in Bayside to officially mark the start of construction.
Bayside Toronto
Works on the Bayside site are now nearing completion. Bayside Municipal Services were installed in the local streets (Merchants Wharf) in early spring including a temporary water connection on Queens Quay. Public Realm finishes in the local streets will be completed in late June.
The Water's Edge Promenade was completed in late 2014 except in the vicinity of the storm shaft. Installation of tree soil cells and topsoil in that area were completed in May. Granite mosaic pavement, tree planting and installation of street furniture and street lighting is in progress and should be completed by mid-June.
The Stormwater Shaft structure has been completed and the majority of pump and electrical equipment installed including work in the Sherbourne Common pavilion. Sequence programming for the operation of the storm system is in progress and final commissioning is targeted for completion in July.
Temporary Fencing at Sherbourne Common: Temporary fencing has been erected on the north side of Sherbourne Common, partially closing off the west side of the water feature. Crews are replacing pavement in that area. That fencing will be removed by June 30.
Queens Quay East: Interim Improvements
The new intersection for Bayside and the Martin Goodman Trail transition at Jarvis Street are now complete. All work has also been completed from Merchants’ Wharf to Parliament. Ongoing work at the Merchants' Wharf/Queens Quay intersection makes it inadvisable for cyclists to ride the Martin Goodman Trail between Parliament and Lower Sherbourne. In order to signal to cyclists that the on-street cycling lane is available as an alternative while this work is being completed, we are looking additional fencing and signage. Additional work on the south side sidewalk is scheduled to be completed by mid July, at which point the Martin Goodman Trail will be fully accessible.
East Bayfront Essential External Servicing Infrastructure
The work on the new Sanitary Pumping Station, located at the foot of Cherry Street at Lake Shore Boulevard East, continues to progress well. Concrete for the upper walls of the structure has now been poured, and forming of the roof slab is underway, after which the mechanical and electrical work will commence.
Construction of the sanitary trunk sewer from Bonnycastle Street and Queens Quay to the new sewage pumping station is also progressing well. Installation of the sanitary sewer is now over 50 per cent complete.
Construction of the sanitary forcemain from the sanitary pumping station, north on Cherry Street to just north of the Lake Shore East rail corridor has been deferred until after the completion of the Pan and Parapan Am Games.
|
|
|
|
Construction update: West Don Lands
|
|
On the left: the Pan Am/ Parapan Am Games Athletes’ Village in 2013 at the beginning of construction and on the right: the Village today in June 2015, where you can also see a number of the temporary facilities that have been constructed.
Pan Am Athletes’ Village/Canary District
In February, the Province officially handed the Athlete’s Village over to TO2015 to prepare for the Games. While the infrastructure complete, a variety of other preparations are underway to host the nearly 10,000 athletes and officials staying here over both the Pan and Parapan Am Games, including: outfitting rooms with beds and furnishings, constructing a temporary dining tent, medical clinic, welcome centre and a media centre, as well as installing a security fence around the perimeter of the site.
Corktown Common: For the Games, some temporary changes are also needed in the area surrounding the Athletes’ Village. TO2015 communicated these changes, including the closure of Corktown Common, to the local community at public meetings held this winter and spring. The park was kept open as long as possible, however, on June 1, TO2015 closed public access as part of its security and overlay preparations. TO2015 has committed to doing everything it can to have Corktown Common open as soon as possible after the completion of the Games in late August. You can read more about it here.
Cherry Street closures: Cherry Street will be closed in stages to provide a safe work space during the construction of temporary buildings within the Village, transporting goods into the Village and for the purpose of installing and testing security fencing. At Games time, Cherry Street will be the main route for buses carrying athletes, coaches and officials as they travel to and from competitions and training in dozens of venues throughout Toronto, Markham, Oshawa, Whitby, Ajax etc.
- April 2: Cherry Street between Mill and Front Streets closed.
- June 1: an additional section from Front Street to Eastern Avenue will be closed.
- June 15: Cherry Street will be closed from Lake Shore Boulevard to Eastern Avenue.
TO2015 is sensitive to the impacts that area residents and businesses will feel as a result of the Games. They are working with a variety of partners and stakeholders to manage the flow of local traffic and public transportation.
Post Games: TO2015 has committed to doing everything it can to have Corktown Common open as soon as possible after the completion of the Games in late August. The remainder of the Village will remain closed until the end of September while the temporary furnishings are removed, and the facilities and the security fence are deconstructed. The Village will then be handed back over to the developers to begin transitioning the facilities to their legacy state, including the market and affordable housing buildings, the YMCA recreation centre and the George Brown College student residence. The conversion is expected to be complete in spring 2016.
Visit Ontario.ca/games2015 to find out about temporary traffic changes and how to plan ahead.
Please contact TO2015 with any questions or accessibility requirements you may have: businessinfo@toronto2015.org or residentinfo@toronto2015.org.
Public Art in the Pam Am Village
The installation of three public art pieces was recently completed in the Pan Am Athletes’ Village, and another is in progress. Watch for a future update with photographs! All pieces will remain as permanent features in the community long after the Games are done.
Woonerfs
The final phase of construction for the Woonerf on the east side of River Street continues. The pavers have all be installed and the landscape transition between the east curb of the Woonerf and Corktown Common has been prepared for the placement of topsoil and prairie seed mix. The balance of the work, which includes soft landscaping, boulevard trees, irrigation, bike rings, benches and traffic signage, and rectifying any deficiencies will take place after exterior construction of River City (Phase Two) is finished. Completion is expected early in the autumn.
Toronto Community Housing
Residents continue to take occupancy at Toronto Community Housing’s three-building complex with the family buildings on River Street and St. Lawrence Street 71 per cent and 86 per cent occupied, respectively, and the seniors building on King Street 95% occupied. The streetscaping along King Street is well underway and should be completed soon and amenities in the complex have opened.
River City
River City, the four-phase LEED Gold community by Urban Capital located at the corner of King Street East and Lower River Street continues to progress. Phase 2 is now about 70% occupied, the amenities are open to residents and the building is in the process of being registered with the City.
King-Queen bridge construction update from Infrastructure Ontario
Work on the King/Queen bridge has been completed! The bridge reopened to traffic on June 4 and the TTC resumed regular routing June 5.
|
| |
|
|
Follow Waterfront Toronto on:
|
|
|
|
|
|
 |
|
