Recap: Lots of Summer Fun on the Waterfront

August 22, 2013, Toronto, ON—Great activities along the waterfront kept the crowds coming back to the water’s edge this summer. The season kicked off early in May with a Jane’s Walk along Queens Quay. Waterfront Toronto’s Christopher Glaisek and West 8’s Jelle Thierry led more than three hundred people on a walking tour that explored the construction and visionary redesign of Toronto’s main waterfront street. For those that missed it, the tour was captured on video and is now available on Waterfront Toronto’s YouTube Channel.

A second opportunity to explore the Queens Quay Revitalization project came with Doors Open later that month. Waterfront Toronto and Eastern Construction opened up a section of the Queens Quay construction site – the only construction site in this year’s Doors Open program – to offer a closer look at the range of construction technologies, planning and design activities involved in a project of this scale. Toronto Hydro and Bell Canada were on-hand to provide demonstrations of the work they are doing to upgrade underground services like fibre-optic communications and electrical. Eastern’s construction managers opened up the construction trailer to show up construction drawings and safety gear. The informative, family-friendly event also offered a sandbox, a chance for kids to have their pictures taken with backhoes and other construction equipment, and a barbecue courtesy of Eastern Construction. Laser, light, and sound show at Sherbourne Common, part of the Redpath Waterfront Festival.

From June 20th to the 23rd, The annual Redpath Waterfront Festival once again drew thousands of residents, visitors and families to the water’s edge to see the Tall Ships® and take in a variety of exciting programs. Highlights included thrilling Flyboard® demonstrations on the lake, the spectacular ‘Cinema H2O’ show of laser light and sound show on the water fountain screen at Sherbourne Common South, and fun musical performances at the EMERGE Artists Showcase held at Sugar Beach. That same weekend, also saw Ontario Premier Kathleen Wynne spend some time at the water’s edge when she officially opened Ontario Square at Harbourfront Centre.

The popular Open Roof Festival moved their venue to Moonview Lot – next to George Brown College and Corus Entertainment – bringing film lovers, foodies and music fans to the water’s edge every Thursday night from June 20th to August 22nd. The festival kicked off with Juno award winners The Sheepdogs and their film The Sheepdogs Have At It. The closing night drew crowds for Toronto indie band The Honeyrunners and the coming-of-age comedy The Kings of Summer. Celebrating Canada Day and the opening of a new public space, Canada Square with cake!

Waterfront Toronto along with Harbourfront Centre rang in Canada’s birthday by officially opening Canada Square, a new landmark on Toronto’s central waterfront that transformed Harbourfront Centre’s former surface parking lot into a vibrant waterfront destination. The event was only part of Harbourfront Centre’s weekend long Canada Day celebrations that saw thousands of people enjoying music, food and fireworks while taking in beautiful views of Lake Ontario and Toronto’s skyline.

Check out a collection of summer photos at the waterfront in our Facebook album. With Labour Day just around the corner, there is still time to enjoy activities along the lake with Harbourfront Centre’s Hot and Spicy Food Festival featuring music, shows, shopping and food starting August 30th.