Harbourfront Centre offers cultural, educational and recreational activities from its four hectare (10 acre site) in the heart of Toronto’s central waterfront. In 2000, Harbourfront Centre developed a master plan for the revitalization of its site which encompasses York and John Quays.

The master plan was designed to reclaim underutilized spaces and strengthen public access to the water’s edge. It also included a vision for Canada Square, an urban plaza at the water’s edge.

This project, now known as the York Quay Revitalization Project, has since evolved to include elements from the winning submission of the Central Waterfront Innovative Design Competition.

In its submission, West 8 + DTAH envisioned a vibrant, mixed-use cultural/retail village for the site which would include a lake-facing square called Canada Square and another urban square bordering Queens Quay.

The York Quay Revitalization Project has been divided into several key phases. The first phase, completed in 2006, improved public access to the lake by completely restructuring the

water’s edge around York and John Quays. It also featured extensive landscaping improvements, the widening of the promenade and the addition of a five-metre wide wooden boardwalk and two 60-metre finger piers. Since opening, this area has become a much loved and visited part of the waterfront.

Phase two is now underway. Waterfront Toronto and Harbourfront Centre are replacing the 212-spot surface parking lot — a 1.4 hectare area in the heart of the Harbourfront Centre site — with an underground parking garage (with approximately 300 parking spaces). By building an underground garage, we unlock this beautiful waterfront site for future public space. The garage is expected to be complete in 2012.

Future plans for the site include two generous public spaces - one facing the water and the other along Queens Quay. Harbourfront Centre also has plans for the development of a cultural village featuring low-scale, neighbourhood shops and cafes and open space for public activities. Proposed development would be located above the footprint of the garage located on the northeast corner of the site and is not expected to be more than four storeys high. Development above the garage is not currently funded and would be subject to a rezoning process under the Planning Act during which public input would be sought.

Community outreach and communication is an important part of all waterfront revitalization projects. In 2009, Waterfront Toronto and Harbourfront Centre established a York Quay Stakeholder Advisory Committee (SAC) with approximately 25 members representing residents and businesses along the Central Waterfront. In addition to providing feedback to the team, part of the mandate of the SAC is for its members to communicate with the community they represent and to bring any issues/questions.

A Construction Liaison Committee (CLC) has been formed to provide a structured forum for neighbours in the immediate vicinity to discuss issues related to the construction of the underground parking garage on the York Quay site. The mandate of CLC members is to liaise with Waterfront Toronto, Harbourfront Centre and Ellis Don (the construction manager) during construction. CLC members will bring the neighbourhood’s concerns about noise issues, traffic management, debris disposal etc. to the team for discussion and resolution.
If you have questions about construction or would like to have an issue brought to the CLC, please send an email to info@waterfrontoronto.ca