Design firm hired for Ontario Place urban park and waterfront trail
Posted November 12, 2013 8:58 am.
This article is more than 5 years old.
A design team has been chosen by the provincial government to transform Ontario Place into an urban park and waterfront trail as part of the landmark’s revitalization.
LANDinc design firm, whose projects include Tommy Thompson Park, and West 8 landscape architects will design the new green space, the government said Tuesday.
The province announced last June it would convert about three hectares in the east portion of the waterfront site, which was previously a parking lot, into green space.
“With a high-calibre and distinguished design team selected, we are moving forward to reimagine and revitalize the Ontario Place site,” Tourism Minister Michael Chan said in a release on Tuesday. “I encourage people across the province to offer their ideas so that … we can best meet the public’s needs and support long-term revitalization of the waterfront.”
The government will also be holding four public meetings to get the public’s input beginning with one on Dec. 4 at the Metro Toronto Convention Centre.
Once completed, the urban park and waterfront trail will connect to 780 kilometre waterfront trail system from Niagara-on-the-Lake to Cornwall.
The government wants to open the urban park and waterfront trail in time for the 2015 Pan Am and Parapan Am Games.
Ontario Place opened in May 1971 but was closed in the summer of 2012 due to dwindling tourists and a lack of funds as it struggled to rein in a $15-billion deficit.
