Taking the Next Step in Ontario Place Revitalization Province Announces Design Team for Urban Park and Waterfront Trail

aerial view showing the location of a new park and trail at Ontario Place

November 12, 2013, Toronto, ON— Ontario is another step closer to the revitalization of Ontario Place by selecting the design team that will transform approximately 7.5 acres of the east island into a vibrant urban park and waterfront trail.

Chosen for their extensive local and international experience in planning and designing large waterfront projects, such as Toronto’s Tommy Thompson Park and New York’s Governors Island Park, LANDinc in partnership with West 8 will design the new green space. The province is inviting Ontarians to contribute their ideas and vision for the park and trail online or at one of four public meetings.

Once complete, the new urban park and waterfront trail will link to the existing 780 kilometre waterfront trail system — stretching from Niagara-on-the-Lake to east of Cornwall. It will also give residents and visitors access to part of the waterfront that has been closed to the public for more than 40 years.

Revitalizing Ontario Place into a world-class destination that attracts visitors and offers residents increased access to green space is part of the government’s economic plan to invest in people, build modern infrastructure and support a dynamic and innovative business climate.

QUOTES

“With a high-calibre and distinguished design team selected, we are moving forward to reimagine and revitalize the Ontario Place site. Our government is committed to continuing our conversation with Ontarians that will shape the bold new vision for our urban park and waterfront trail. I encourage people across the province to offer their ideas so that together, with our partners and design team, we can best meet the public’s needs and support long-term revitalization of the waterfront.”
— Michael Chan, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport

“This is an exciting step in the creation of new green space on Toronto’s waterfront. I look forward to seeing the design of this important public feature take shape over the coming months.”
— Glen Murray, Minister of Infrastructure

QUICK FACTS

The first public meeting will be held on Wednesday, Dec. 4, 2013 from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
The province is aiming to open the urban park and waterfront trail in time for the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.
Building the park and trail is the first step of revitalization and delivers on an important part of the new vision for Ontario Place — to create a public park and easy public access to the waterfront.
The province is leveraging Waterfront Toronto’s expertise to manage the public consultations and the design process on the park and trail project.

LEARN MORE

Provide your ideas and vision at the public consultations.

Designing the Urban Park and Waterfront Trail at Ontario Place

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Backgrounder: Designing the Urban Park and Waterfront Trail at Ontario Place

Public Consultation

A key element in the design of the park and trail project is consultation with Ontarians. In addition to four public meetings, the public can provide input online at key stages in the design process.

The first public meeting is scheduled for Wednesday, December 4, from 6 to 9 p.m. at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre. This first meeting will provide an overview of the project and environmental assessment, and will give the public the opportunity to meet the project and design teams. Visit www.ontario.ca/myontarioplace to learn more about how to participate and contribute.

Design Team

LANDinc and West 8, working in partnership, have been chosen as the successful firm to design the new urban park and waterfront trail at Ontario Place.

LANDinc is a progressive, integrated firm with extensive experience that includes local and
international work involving parks and recreation, open space, trails, streetscapes, urban design, ecological restoration and world-class waterfronts. LANDinc has offices in Toronto, Halifax, and Abu Dhabi; its Team Lead Landscape Architect is based in Toronto. LANDinc has had long-standing involvement in the design and implementation of Tommy Thompson Park on Toronto’s waterfront, as well as projects across Canada, including the Parliament West Sector Area Master Plan for Parliament Hill in Ottawa and the Never Forgotten National War Memorial in Cape Breton, Nova Scotia.

West 8 is an award-winning international design firm providing urban design and landscape architecture since 1987. West 8 has extensive experience in large-scale urban master planning and design, landscape developments, waterfront projects, parks, squares and gardens. West 8 is based in the Netherlands, with offices in Belgium and New York. West 8 has designed renowned parks and public spaces in major cities around the world, including Governors Island Park in New York and Jubilee Park in London, United Kingdom. In Toronto, West 8 has designed the award-winning central waterfront plan now under construction along the waterfront.

Infrastructure Ontario launched an open, fair, and competitive procurement process with the release of a Request for Proposals (RFP) on Sept. 6, 2013. Submissions were received from landscape architecture firms, mainly from Ontario, but also from the United States and Europe. Following an extensive evaluation of the submissions against the criteria set out in the RFP, LANDinc and West 8 received the highest score.

Working Collaboratively

The province is working closely with its project partners, Infrastructure Ontario and Waterfront Toronto, to achieve excellence in the design of the new urban park and waterfront trail at Ontario Place.

Infrastructure Ontario is responsible for delivering and managing the park and trail project, which includes oversight for design and construction procurements, implementing the environmental assessment, and project management during the construction phase. Infrastructure Ontario has a solid track record of delivering some of the province’s largest and most complex infrastructure renewal projects.

Waterfront Toronto has been engaged to leverage their expertise in delivering beautiful parks and public spaces along Toronto’s waterfront. Waterfront Toronto will manage the design process and public consultations. Since 2004, Waterfront Toronto has opened or improved 23 parks, covering 59 hectares on Toronto’s waterfront.

LANDinc and West 8 will present the park and trail design to Waterfront Toronto’s Waterfront Design Review Panel at key stages in the design process. The mission of the panel is to provide objective, professional advice to designers, developers and governments to ensure that high-quality design. The panel is made up of leaders in architecture, landscape architecture, engineering and planning.

Environmental Assessment

An environmental assessment is being conducted to identify and address potential effects of the project on the natural, built and social environments and will involve public and stakeholder consultation.

Infrastructure Ontario is conducting a Category B Class Environmental Assessment under the Ministry of Infrastructure Public Work Class Environmental Assessment.

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