Waterfront Toronto is working to transform the central waterfront area  to allow it to live up to its remarkable potential.

Working with a comprehensive plan by West 8 + DTAH, the winners of the 2006 Central Waterfront Innovative Design Competition, Waterfront Toronto is implementing a remarkable vision for the area that will link major waterfront destinations, create new public spaces and give the city the grand waterfront boulevard it deserves.

Ultimately, the goal is to create a powerful, world-class identity for the central waterfront that celebrates the Canadian lakefront experience and provides the public with access to the water’s edge.

In addition to the new uniquely Canadian wavedecks at the Spadina, Simcoe and Rees slips, that we’ve already built, we are revitalizing the central waterfront by:

• Reconfiguring Queens Quay to create a signature waterfront boulevard with a generous, tree-lined public promenade for pedestrians and cyclists;

• Building a continuous water’s edge promenade and boardwalk connected by dramatic timber footbridges;

• Encouraging lively marine activity with the installation of a series of finger piers; and

• Connecting the entire waterfront using a consistent palette of trees, furnishings and materials such as granite paving surfaces, cedar and ipe wood decking and benches, brushed stainless steel railings and timber and aluminum light poles.

Waterfront Toronto holds regular community update meetings designed to provide an overview of projects currently underway in the area.

Presentations from all community update meetings are available for review.

The Downtown Waterfront Master Plan, takes the competition-winning vision for the central waterfront and translates it into an action plan for implementation. The plan offers a blueprint to guide the overall revitalization of the area — which includes the central waterfront and East Bayfront — and offers guidelines for construction. The plan provides specific information about everything from the types of lighting and furniture that will be installed in the area to a description of how intersections will work on Queens Quay.

We need your input before presenting the master plan to Toronto City Council for formal endorsement in 2011. Waterfront Toronto will be holding focused workshops on three key topics in the master plan – marine infrastructure planning, wayfinding and signage, and programming/public art and heritage. If you are interested in signing up for any – or all of these working sessions – please send an email to central@waterfrontoronto.ca and Waterfront Toronto will contact you with more information.