PUBLISHED: NOVEMBER 22, 2024

In This Blog: 

• The 300-ton Atlas Crane in the Port Lands is being repainted.
• As one of the last remaining cranes of its kind on the Great Lakes, it is a designated heritage structure.
• Installed in 1961, the crane was used to load and unload cargo at the Marine Terminal 35.
• The crane is being incorporated into the new park in the Port Lands as a landmark.

The 300-ton Atlas Crane stands tall over the new island, recently named Ookwemin Minising, in Toronto’s Port Lands. You may have noticed that recently it has been surrounded by scaffolding! We are restoring the crane as part of our efforts to revitalize the Port Lands. 

Looking west towards downtown Toronto from the new river valley, the Atlas Crane joins the CN Tower as a part of the Toronto skyline.

As a designated heritage structure, the crane is being retained and integrated into the design of the new park along the renaturalized mouth of the Don River. As one of Toronto’s only heritage-designated pieces of construction machinery, it’s soon to become an iconic Toronto landmark.

On the north side (left) of the new outlet for the Don River into the lake, the Atlas Crane bridges the divide between the future mixed-use neighbourhood and the area’s industrial past. Some industrial uses are still present in the area; the cement plant on the south side of the water still receives shipments by boat.  

The History of Atlas Crane  

The Atlas Crane was part of Marine Terminal 35, which began operation in 1959. Toronto is on the Saint Lawrence Seaway, which provides a direct connection to Atlantic Ocean shipping routes. The terminal was part of Toronto’s port, where goods from abroad were loaded and unloaded onto ships. Learn more about the history of the Port Lands [LINK].

T.T.C. streetcar destined for Cairo on the deck of the freighter JALAPANKHI, taken September 17, 1966, photo probably by Les Baxter. The Atlas Crane is on the right. Photo courtesy of Ports Toronto.  

Installed in 1961 on the edge of Polson Slip, the crane supported the shipping industry. It loaded and unloaded cargo, including Toronto icons like old TTC streetcars destined for Cairo in 1966. It is one of the last cranes of its kind on the Great Lakes.

Marine Terminal 35 and the Atlas Crane were listed on the City’s Heritage Register. Unfortunately, the Marine Terminal was lost in a fire in 2017 – leaving the Atlas Crane behind. Later, the Port Lands Stakeholder Advisory Committee identified the crane as an important heritage asset for preservation within the Port Lands. 

The crane will be a showpiece carrying on the legacy of the terminal. It will be a sight along the shore of the new Biidaasige Park, looking over a series of new islands in Canoe Cove.  

Revitalizing the Atlas Crane 

The crane before its restoration: you can see where the old paint has worn thin. The bright white cladding around its base was installed a couple years ago to discourage people from trying to climb it.  

Scaffolding started going up in October. In total, there are around 20 levels of scaffolding, reaching 40 metres (140 ft) high.  

To prepare the crane for its new life as a landmark, we started with some structural reinforcements and installed new cladding around its base. Now, crews are sandblasting and repainting the crane before the parks open.  The scaffolding is in place to support the sandblasting equipment and to prevent paint flakes and sandblast media from getting in the air and ground.   
 

Each level of scaffolding you see in this photo is  about 2 metres tall.

The crews working on the Atlas Crane have specialized training for working at heights.  

We are painting the crane white to match its original colour, and repainting heritage features like lettering and visible gauges in their original colour. The crane will also have new feature lighting installed.   

In addition to the scaffolding, the structure of the crane is enclosed to contain paint flakes and sandblast media.  

Stay up to date on the exciting work that is happening along Toronto’s waterfront by subscribing to our newsletter [Link].