cityscape
Proposed 21-Acre Raildeck Park Could Bring Much-Needed Green Space to Downtown Toronto
Cost and timeline have not yet been determined.
Photo courtesy of Jennifer Keesmaat on Twitter.
The growing downtown core could become increasingly connected with the addition of a 21-acre park above the rail corridor between Bathurst and Blue Jays Way.
Invoking the image of Toronto as a “city of parks,” John Tory noted that in recent years the city’s downtown core has not seen adequate growth in parkland despite its rapid development.
The downtown core has less parkland than any other part of the city. With more families moving in, we need a new park. #RailDeckPark
— John Tory (@JohnTory) August 3, 2016
Tory told media the park, which would span across Bathurst Street to the Rogers Centre, would take at minimum four to five years to build, and a cost has not yet been calculated. (Other parks, by comparison, have cost upwards of tens of millions of dollars per acre.) But the City says adding more green space, especially in building-dense downtown areas, is the main priority. “We need to ensure we’re building neighbourhoods, building communities, not just building towers,” says Councillor Joe Cressy (Ward 20, Trinity-Spadina), who has been advocating for more city park space. In July, Cressy proposed un-paving a parking lot near King and Spadina to create more green space downtown. Online, Torontonians are already championing the plan.
Exciting plans for #RailDeckPark in #TOcore. A great long-term vision for badly needed park space! — Matthew Z (@MZen) August 3, 2016
1 thing we heard loud & clear in #TOcore consultations is more play/parkland needed downtown to balance growth. Call answered #RailDeckPark
— Josh Fullan (@JoshFullan) August 3, 2016
#RailDeckPark is exactly how you should build a city. Bravo @joe_cressy and @JohnTory on this one! #Toronto — Pinko in Parkdale (@PinkoInParkdale) August 3, 2016
Tory’s proposal will be brought before the City’s Executive Committee in September, where implementation and public consultation plans will be unveiled.