Open House Recap: A Sneak Peek at the Future Eastern Waterfront

A seated audience facing a person on a podium.

POSTED: MAY 30, 2023

 

In This Blog:

  • On May 11–18, Waterfront Toronto hosted an open house to share details about the significant transformation underway in the eastern waterfront.  

  • Hundreds of visitors dropped by the open house at the Waterfront Innovation Centre 

  • We’ve linked all materials from the open house, below.  

 

On May 11–18, Waterfront Toronto hosted an open house to share what projects are planned and underway across the eastern waterfront. We were excited to share details with visitors about Quayside, Waterfront East Light Rail Transit, the Port Lands and East Bayfront.

 

Waterfront Toronto was joined by projects partners from MinoKamik Collective, Quayside Impact Limited Partnership, Toronto Transit Commission (TTC), City of Toronto, DTAH and MVVA.

 

There was a lot of excitement, enthusiasm and engagement during the week-long open house. About 150 people attended the opening event, on May 11, where they learned more about the various projects from Waterfront Toronto staff and project partners. The following day about 60 individuals listened in on a fascinating conversation about the “Value of Play.” A number of Urban Land Institute tours, including representatives from across the United States and Canada, dropped by as well. We estimate about 400–500 people dropped in throughout the course of the week. 

 

Thank you to everyone who came by and offered their thoughts and questions. All of this feedback will help make these projects even stronger.

 

If you weren’t able to attend, or want a second look, the materials we shared are linked below. 

 

A person picks up a packet of seeds from a table display.

As part of a passport activity, open house visitors were offered a packet of Indigenous seeds. The seeds were selected by horticultural experts and members of MinoKamik Collective, Ojibwe Elder Shelley Charles, Melanie Sifton and Lynn Short.

 

Future Eastern Waterfront 

A significant transformation is underway in the eastern waterfront with more to come over the next several years. What will this area look like? What residential development is proposed? Where are the parks and public spaces? What kind of amenities will support the community?

 

Information boards: Future Eastern Waterfront 
Plus, here is the opening night presentation which introduced projects to attendees.

 

Three people standing in front of a informational poster.

Transit will connect new homes, jobs, parks and cultural destinations on the waterfront. 

 

Waterfront East Light Rail Transit 

The Waterfront East Light Rail Transit is a priority project by the City of Toronto, TTC and Waterfront Toronto that is part of the City of Toronto’s Waterfront Transit Network Expansion. It will provide new and improved infrastructure to the central waterfront and expand the TTC’s streetcar network to serve East Bayfront, the Lower Don Lands, and the Port Lands. 

 

Information boards: Waterfront East Light Rail Transit

 

Two people in front of an informational poster, titled East Bayfront.

East Bayfront sets the standard for sustainable neighbourhoods with ambitious green building standards for all developments. 

 

East Bayfront 

Created through extensive lakefilling to accommodate the city’s manufacturing and marine transportation industries, the land in East Bayfront was left underused and contaminated for decades. Through thoughtful planning, East Bayfront is emerging as a complete community with places to live, work, learn and play.

 

Information boards: East Bayfront 

 

A crowd of people standing around informational posters.

Public engagement will help guide how Quayside becomes an inclusive and resilient community, and how it integrates into the surrounding area. 

 

Quayside 

Quayside is an L-shaped area of land on Toronto’s downtown waterfront about the size of six soccer fields. And in this small space something big and ambitious is happening. Waterfront Toronto, Dream and Great Gulf (together, known as Quayside Impact Limited Partnership or Quayside Impact) and some of the world’s leading architects, designers and problem-solvers are collaborating on building a sustainable community for people of all ages, backgrounds, abilities and incomes. 

 

Information boards: Quayside Infrastructure and Public Realm

Information boards: Quayside Development

 

Three people standing in front of a model. Two people take pictures with their phones.

A model helped visitors imagine a new kind of playground on the waterfront. The Destination Playground design team is now looking to better understand public aspirations and concerns for this space and related amenities before detailed design starts. 
 

Port Lands and Destination Playground 

With funding from three levels of government, Waterfront Toronto is removing the risk of flooding by extending the Don River and in the process creating Villiers Island, a future waterfront community. This project, called Port Lands Flood Protection, creates a natural mouth for the Don River, new roads, bridges, utilities, and public trails – and 29 hectares of new greenspace, wildlife habitats and parkland. 

 

As part of this revitalization, Toronto has a vision for a new kind of playground that will offer experiences that stimulate childrens' imagination and use their bodies in new ways. It will introduce a generation of kids (and some adults!) to nature by weaving it into a unique play environment. A place where thousands of kids each year will make their own fun and games. 

 

Information boards: Port Lands and Destination Playground 

 

Have a question about these materials or want to send us your feedback? Write to us at info@waterfrontoronto.ca.

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