Toronto to get new park in downtown Entertainment District
Construction on the 2,600 square foot park is expected to begin in 2025.
Torontosun.com
Dec. 20, 2023
Jane Stevenson
A new park is coming to Toronto’s Entertainment District where some 16,000 people live and 52,000 people work nearby.
According to the city, construction on the new 2,600-square-foot park that will open at 229 Richmond St. W. is expected to begin in 2025.
The site was once a surface parking lot and, more recently, utilized by a restaurant as an outdoor patio for dining and social activities but was acquired in 2019 for the specific purpose of creating a park.
The winner of the international design competition for the park was conceived by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture and was a collaborative effort that included contributions from HCMA Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective, ARUP, KG&A, ERA Architects and A.W. Hooker.
The design concept, Wawatesi, which translates to “Firefly” in Anishinaabemowin, integrates culture, public art, landscape, light and performance space.
“Wawatesi will transport visitors through a woodland experience, all while in a downtown neighbourhood surrounded by high-rise buildings,” a news release from the city read.
“Over the next two years, the Wawatesi concept will be transformed into a more detailed site design.”
The final decision on the winning design was also informed by the public with additional opportunities for public engagement, including selecting a permanent name for the new park, to occur later.
- © 2019 City of Vaughan. All Rights Reserved.