City of Toronto receives $25M donation to create public art trail along waterfront
Posted June 28, 2022 8:22 pm.
City of Toronto officials have announced the municipality will be received a $25-million donation to create a new public art trail as part of the massive Port Lands redevelopment project.
During an announcement at Sugar Beach on Tuesday, it was revealed the Pierre Lassonde Family Foundation will be spending $10 million on creating two major, permanent public art pieces will be used as anchors for the trail.
One of the signature installations will be done by a “leading Canadian artist” and the other will be done by an international artist.
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Officials also said up to $15 million will be used to create a new non-profit organization that will be charged with managing the public art trail — to be called the Lassonde Art Trail — and curating it with rotating, contemporary installations by artists. They said it’s intended for the new entity to raise matching funds for its long-term viability.
The trail will be located on the Villiers Island portion of the Port Lands redevelopment, abutting the new, winding mouth of the Don River currently under construction.
Although the donation was announced, City of Toronto staff still need to finalize the agreements with the Pierre Lassonde Family Foundation for the public art trail. Also, should the approvals be received, the foundation will hire an executive director for the new entity and carry out an international competition to select artists for the two new signature pieces.
