Liberty Village elevator for pedestrian bridge out of service again

The King-Liberty Pedestrian Bridge, which has been plagued with issues since it opened under two and a half years ago, is facing issues with one of its elevators once again.

The elevator on the south side of the bridge was repaired last November after being broken down for a year due to a fire. And now, it appears to be out of service again.

A sign on the door to the elevator vestibule from the City of Toronto says the elevator is out of service “due to repairs.” CityNews reached out to the City of Toronto but did not receive a response.

City Councillor for the area Asuma Malik said she has been working with staff to have a longer-term reliable plan about the maintenance of the elevators and the bridge. She said it’s a serious issue that the elevator is down once again.

“I’ve been in regular contact with staff to understand what the issue is and to make sure we are repairing it as quickly and as effectively as we can because I know how important it is to local residents. It’s a bridge that I use myself and it is a high priority.”

Ken, a 79-year-old resident nearby, said he relies on the elevator to get to King Street, which he visits frequently. As far as he knows, the elevator has been out of service for two weeks.

He still will take the stairs, but he does struggle. “I take rests every two levels for about two minutes … It shouldn’t take long to get it fixed.” If he can’t make it up the stairs, Ken has to go all the way around down Strachan which is “twice the distance.”

A fire in November 2021 caused significant damage, forcing the closure of the elevator to the walkway, leaving it inaccessible to many in the community.

The bridge connects King Street to Western Battery Road, providing a shortcut to transit for those in the heart of Liberty Village.

The pedestrian walkway took 10 years to plan and build at a cost of $12 million, despite a number of safety concerns raised by area residents. During public consultations in 2016, residents were very vocal about their desire for an open-air concept with ramps – not elevators – but the City said that was not possible because of grading issues.

The bridge opened in April 2021 and while many residents say they are happy it was constructed, drug use and loitering in the elevator vestibules have caused safety concerns for those using it, especially at night. Graffiti also lines the bridge and the staircases on both ends.

Another resident, Emma, said the issues surrounding the bridge have been significant, considering its goal of providing an alternative to the congestion in Liberty Village.

“There’s not really a whole lot of in and out, except for Strachan and sometimes Dufferin if it’s open so access to TTC is really necessary … If you don’t take the bridge, it’s a 15-20 minute walk depending on where you are coming from so it’s pretty important to Liberty for such a high density area.”

She said she originally didn’t want to live in the Liberty Village neighbourhood because of this, but the bridge was a main selling point. Now, she says she doesn’t always feel safe using the stairs.

“There’s a lot of loitering on the bridge, especially at night, it’s not the most settling thing … it’s quite unhygienic, often the bridge doesn’t smell very good. I don’t think it’s properly maintained … so it’s a little bit of a safety issue.”

Broken glass can also be found often along the bridge which can be dangerous for young children and dogs.

Emma said newly installed mirrors on the stairs does help slightly because you can see who is coming, but said the City should do more.

“A working elevator would be, I think, quite significant for accessibility issues. I think that should be a priority for the city,” Emma said, who added it was astonishing it took a year for it to be repaired last time.