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Lake Shore Boulevard East Public Realm
We’re planning improvements along Lake Shore Boulevard between Jarvis Street and Logan Avenue. This will include enhanced sidewalks, a new bi-directional cycling trail on the north side of the street and additional planting.
Toronto’s exponential growth over the past decade has increased demands for more walking and cycling facilities, and green and open spaces. To help address these needs in one of the most challenging areas beneath the F.G. Gardiner Expressway, the City of Toronto and Waterfront Toronto have completed a Public Realm Phasing and Implementation Plan for Lake Shore Boulevard East from Jarvis Street to Logan Avenue. This Plan was submitted to and acknowledged by the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks in July 2020.
The Plan will be funded through the City's 10-Year Capital Budget for Gardiner-Lake Shore Blvd. rehabilitation, and implemented incrementally in coordination with adjacent projects and development. Over time, the Lake Shore Boulevard East Public Realm Vision, Phasing and Implementation Plan will create improved connectivity to the waterfront, including safer intersections and trails for cyclists and pedestrians, new linear planted landscapes, enhanced sidewalks, and opportunities for public art.
Why do we have a Public Realm Plan?
What is the vision for Lake Shore Boulevard?
- A corridor-wide public realm design vision and stormwater management strategy
- Conceptual design for the Lake Shore Blvd. East corridor from Cherry Street to Logan Avenue
- Schematic designs of the north and south side of Lake Shore Boulevard East public realm respectively from Jarvis Street to Cherry Street
Image: An artist rendering of South Lake Shore Blvd. South Sidewalk
Image: A rendering of North Lake Shore Blvd. Landscaped Trails
Proposed ‘Quick Start’ Projects
Quick Start Project types include:
1. Intersection improvements
- Wider pedestrian crossings and graphic enhancements to Gardiner structure to improve experience of crossing Lake Shore Blvd.
2. North Landscape Planting projects
- Early planting of parts of the north boulevard to allow time for the landscape to establish, and to test suitability of tree and plant species for the challenging conditions of the site.
3. South sidewalk enhancement projects
- Curbside planting, permeable paving, and patterned pedestrian zones at intersection corners to enhance the public realm along new developments and develop standard details for other development frontages to follow.
Proposed Quick Start Projects
Lake Shore Boulevard East – South Sidewalk Pilot Project
The first Quick Start implemented in 2020 involves a section of sidewalk along the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard from Sherbourne Common to 12 Bonnycastle Street. The project will test new permeable paving and subbase materials, planting and passive irrigation to advance Green Street standards in the city and inform the detailed design of the Lake Shore Public Realm. It will evaluate how innovative materials and passive irrigation design can achieve low-impact development (LID). That means implementing systems that use natural processes to capture stormwater and filter it through the landscape instead of letting it run off untreated into Lake Ontario and the Don River.
Construction began in August 2020 and was completed in September 2020. The existing concrete sidewalk has been reconstructed using porous pavers over a permeable sub-base instead of concrete, allowing stormwater to be retained on site and slowly filter through, thereby reducing the flow of water into storm sewers. This captured stormwater is used as a resource for passive irrigation of the adjacent planting area along the curb, improving plant health and reducing the need for manual watering. Plants selected are resilient hardy species resistant to shade, wind, and salt, while adding to the biodiversity of the corridor. The intersection corner at Bonnycastle St. was rebuilt in an enhanced concrete finish with exposed granite aggregate and a decorative sawcut pattern which is to highlight pedestrian areas at intersections across the Lake Shore Blvd. streetscape.
Image: An artist rendering of the South Sidewalk Pilot Project
Monitoring Program
The pilot will be monitored and evaluated by the Sustainable Technology Evaluation Program (STEP) for one year to evaluate how well these materials improve the sustainability of street plantings and management of stormwater, as well as their durability and maintenance requirements. The results of this pilot project will inform the detailed design of the full scope of Lake Shore Boulevard East. The monitoring findings will also inform the City of Toronto’s Green Streets program, contributing to the development of design standards, as well as operations and maintenance practices to facilitate broader implementation of Green Streets projects.
Image: A photo of the Implemented South Sidewalk Pilot Project
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Related Documents:
- Design Review Panel Meeting Minutes - April 24, 2019
- Design Review Panel Meeting Presentation - Gardiner East Public Realm (DRAFT) - April 24, 2019
- Design Review Panel Meeting Agenda - April 24, 2019
- Design Review Panel Meeting Minutes - May 16, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Presentation - Gardiner East Public Realm (DRAFT) - May 16, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Agenda - May 16, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Minutes - February 21, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Presentation - Gardiner East Public Realm (Draft) - February 21, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Agenda - February 21, 2018
- Design Review Panel Meeting Minutes - June 21, 2017
