Turning Space into Place: Ookwemin Minising's Pop-Up Community Space
PUBLISHED: JUNE 29, 2026
In This Article:
- Learn about the new pop-up community space on Ookwemin Minising.
- Waterfront Toronto’s work with C40 Cities’ Green and Thriving Neighbourhood program.
- The role of circular design and salvaged materials in shaping the installation’s look and function.
- Behind-the-scenes videos featuring the designers and a downloadable self-guided tour.
- What to expect from this space, and how to get involved.
A new gathering space has taken shape on Ookwemin Minising in an unexpected location. If you’ve been to the new island, you may have noticed a stretch of meadow along the south side of Commissioners Street. This summer, it’s coming alive with activity as the Waterfront Neighbourhood Space, a pop-up that will offer seating, shade and a place to come together for events, informal play and everyday moments.
The Waterfront Neighbourhood Space is just east of Fire Hall 30 (39 Commissioners Street) and will welcome visitors through late fall 2026.
Look closely and you might notice the materials used to build this space have a past. The Waterfront Neighbourhood Space was built using reclaimed and repurposed materials sourced from projects across Toronto, including residential renovations, demolition sites, and infrastructure work, giving the materials a second life.
A Community Space Shaped by Global Collaboration
Developed in partnership with Waterfront Toronto, C40 Cities, and the City of Toronto, the pop-up brings to life a core idea behind the island’s future: creating spaces that support community, climate resilience and everyday life from the ground up.
This new shaded community hub builds on Waterfront Toronto’s continued collaboration with C40 Cities through its Green and Thriving Neighbourhood program. Last fall, Ookwemin Minising joined the initiative’s global network of neighbourhoods working to address the climate crisis through community-focused design.
The program encourages cities, like Toronto, to design spaces that support climate resilience, community health and well-being, and local life. The Waterfront Neighbourhood Space is an early example of this approach, transforming an underused site into a flexible, welcoming space for gathering, learning and community-led uses.
Designed by GXN, Ha/f, AKT II, and Arcana Materials, the space offers a flexible setting for both community-led and programmed events, while reflecting the island’s long-term sustainability and placemaking goals.
Built with Reuse and Circular Design in Mind
Rather than designing first and sourcing materials later, the design teams at GXN and Ha/f flipped the traditional process, identifying available materials and assessing each item for its history and potential for reuse. From salvaged lumber and recovered brickwork, to concrete blocks, utility materials, milk crates, and Muskoka chairs, each element helped inform the final design.
The design team then explored how the materials could be combined to create functional furniture, through a "stacking and strapping" approach.
With this approach, individual brick and block components are stacked to create bases for columns, legs for benches, and more, creating a flexible design that can be deconstructed and reused again and again.
Bringing this vision to life required close collaboration between designers and builders experienced in working with reclaimed materials. The Toronto-based materials company Arcana Materials constructed the final installation, helping transform salvaged materials into a welcoming space for community, connection, and activity.
What’s more? By prioritizing modularity and reuse, the space demonstrates how temporary installations can contribute to a more sustainable built environment.
Take a closer look
Want to see more? Explore our social media posts for behind-the-scenes looks, project highlights, visitor information, and more.
- See the finished space
- Watch the space take shape in a timelapse of the build
- Uncover the history behind the materials
- Plan your visit with directions from Union Station
You can also download the Waterfront Neighbourhood Space Information Sheet and take yourself on a self-guided tour of the space.
What You Can Do Here
In addition to providing a shaded gathering space, the pop-up serves as a living prototype for climate action, resilience, and inclusive placemaking. Over the coming months, visitors to Ookwemin Minising can expect a range of activities and events hosted at the Waterfront Neighbourhood Space from casual drop-ins to organized events designed with community, sustainability, and inclusion in mind.
Join us in August on the following dates:
Join us on the following dates:
Saturday, August 15 from 10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. – Nature-themed scavenger hunt and fun family activities
Saturday, August 29 from 9:00 a.m. - 1:00 p.m.– Storytime and fun family activities
Have an idea that fits the vision? We’re looking for programming that supports connection, learning, and care for the space. Reach out to info@waterfrontoronto.ca to share your event idea.
