The Port Lands of Toronto, Canada

The Port Lands is an industrial neighbourhood located about 5 kilometers south-east of downtown Toronto, Canada on the former Don River delta. The 356-hectare (880 acres) area contains a deeply rooted history that has undergone many changes over the years.

The Port Lands provides the city's only active industrial port, a large concentration of heritage sites, open spaces, and buildings such as Ashbridges Bay Wastewater Treatment Plant and the Toronto Hydro-Electric Building.

In the early 1800s, the area that is known today as the Port Lands, was originally the Ashbridges Bay Marsh. The marsh contained a variety of wildlife that was created by the lower Don River but since then, has been disrupted and overtaken by human development.

Fast-forward to the late 1890s, the Keating Channel was built along the northern edge of Ashbridges Bay Marsh. The installation of the channel impacted the natural flow of the Don River and caused the mouth to be rerouted at a 90-degree angle into the Keating Channel. The native salmon population was decimated by mill development along the river bank and acted as physical barriers to the salmon migration routes. Most importantly, the development in the area caused severe flooding issues and eventually dissolved the ecosystem of Ashbridges Bay Marsh. By 1912, a plan to redesign the Ashbridges Bay Marsh into a 200-hectare industrial district was accepted by the Board of the Toronto Harbour Commission.

In the 1950s, another 200-hectares of marsh land was filled to develop the Leslie Spit, the Hearn Generating Station, and the Commissioners Incinerator. The vision of an industrial district and shipping hub for the surrounding Toronto area was born. Today, the area is widely known as the Port Lands.

The Port Lands vision is to transform the existing industrial area into a beautiful and sustainable community that fosters economic growth through innovative-based industries. Reimagining the Port Lands can strengthen how the world perceives the Port Lands and ultimately drive economic development through community connectivity.

The Port Lands is an underutilized industrial district that has disconnected walking and biking trails, a dissolved ecosystem, and reoccurring flooding issues caused by the Don River and Keating Channel. The frequent flooding results in fatal outcomes for residents around the Toronto Waterfront, downtown core, and the entire north side in the Port Lands district.

• Create a sense of place for all community members at the Toronto Waterfront
• Naturalization of the Don River to reduce flooding and accommodate vulnerable ecosystems
• Create a green network that connects the residents to walking and biking trails throughout the Port Lands while increasing the pollinating plant habitat for site specific pollinators
• Provide residents affordable housing and job opportunities to sustain the current development in the Port Lands while maintaining the heritage of the industrial district
• Develop a transit system that provides residents access to and from the Port Lands, and throughout the Port Lands area
• Integrate mixed-uses throughout the Port Lands including retail, office uses, restaurants, affordable housing, and a variety of job opportunities so the Port Lands can be self sustaining
• Maintain the rich history of the industrial/shipping district while providing the Port Lands its own identity from the Toronto waterfront or downtown core
• Add access points throughout the Port Lands such as bridges that aid in the flow of traffic/circulation
• Design super blocks that are carless open courtyards surrounded by an outer ring of housing so people want to remain outside and have accessible walking/biking trails with wide sidewalks
• Preserve the Toronto Skyline

Sidewalk Labs Failed Opportunity Project

Originally Waterfront Toronto and Sidewalk Labs were pursuing the Quayside Development Opportunity project. However, several reasons impacted the decision to not move forward until all operation challenges were resolved. Concerns regarding this matter are discussed below to better aid in the overall well-being of the public interests and to drive the future of the Port Lands Development Opportunity project. 

Waterfront Toronto’s development mandate did not effectively communicate the revitalization plans of the Quayside waterfront and caused an overlap with mandates of other city entities. The mandates were not reviewed or revised accordingly causing development delays and project reconfiguration with the mandates of other entities. In addition, the ownership of the Quayside development was not transferred to the Waterfront Toronto entity and resulted in a development that did not meet the design ideas and visions of Waterfront Toronto nor the community.

Lastly, Waterfront Toronto had an underdeveloped data governance framework that raised public concerns on how collaborating companies gathers public data. The use of data was not described in detail which led the public to question if personal information would be leaked and used without permission or knowledge. 

To ensure our commitment to the public and the proper development of the Port Lands area, we reviewed the failed operations at Quayside to create a framework guide that aids in protecting public interest by defining topics such as organization authority, security and privacy, and consumer protection issues. Correcting this matter will ensure the longevity and sustainability of the Port Lands Development Opportunity project by maximizing economic development. 

The Port Lands is home to a number of industrial and commercial uses that provide important services to the city. Power generation in relation to distribution and maintenance, is the most extensive city-serving use in the Port Lands in terms of the land it occupies, comprising the Port Lands Energy Centre (PEC), two Hydro One switching stations that transform power from higher to lower voltages, transmission lines and towers, and a Toronto Hydro Service Centre. Other city-serving uses include the Commissioners Transfer Station, a Canada Post distribution facility and a Toronto Transit Commission garage for Wheel-Trans vehicles.

The Port Lands Skyline and the Port Industrial Collage

A large portion of the Port Lands is a collection of historic industrial buildings, a few film studios, and a smattering of restaurants. Port Lands is home to a “an impressive collection of early and mid-20th century industrial buildings, structures and landscapes spanning three different waves of development - early 20th century port development, 1950s power and civic developments, and St. Lawrence Seaway port expansion in the late 50s and early 60s” (Port Lands Planning Framework section 4.3). Many of these buildings have been designated cultural heritage sites. Port Lands also boasts a unique skyline made up of industrial stacks and silos associated with these heritage sites

• Aim for housing nearly 50,000 people
• Provide space for about 50,000 jobs
• Create density to support growth and build community
• Create room for growth

The Port Lands is valued for multitudinous purposes. Some view the potential it possesses for creating new neighborhood districts and spectacular waterfront parks. Others see it as a city-wide asset that can create destinations for residents and visitors alike. The Port Lands is surrounded by a variety of distinct land uses and natural features.

Surrounding the Port Lands

There are four major areas near the Port Lands that showcases the desire for future development due to the accessibility to the downtown area. Residential neighborhoods, business locations, recreational uses, major parks and open spaces with the Port Lands acts as a extension to Toronto's culture and history. 

• North:  To the east of the Don Valley is an employment area referred to as the South of Eastern area. West of the Don Valley are existing and planned mixed-use neighborhoods
• South: Outer Harbor and Tommy Thompson Park are recreational destination also known as the Leslie Street Spit
• East: The industrial city-serving uses include Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant and a new TTC streetcar yard known as Leslie Barns
• West: The Inner Harbor and views to downtown Toronto

• Develop a legal framework that promotes the health, safety, and general welfare of the public
• Help the City of Toronto create the necessary designations and zone the area to ensure municipal development interests are protected
• Contact the City of Toronto and request to legally regulate development proposals to ensure unwanted development is
• Create an environment where the community has access to all desired land uses such as recreational, commercial, institutional, and housing is pertinent for the success of this plan.

The Port Lands Land Use Framework was collaborative work by the City and Waterfront Toronto, support from the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and numerous City divisions and agencies. The Port Lands Land Use Framework is a blueprint that establishes a refined and refreshed vision for the lands, guiding revitalization and redevelopment. The Framework provides a vision that encourages commercial, industrial and park land uses. 

Toronto has developed this framework for desired land use typologies and to guide future development in Port Lands. This provides a vision that encourages commercial, industrial and park land uses. Establishing well-defined policies designating the desired future character of various areas within Port Lands ensures municipal development interests are protected.

However, as development and land use changes continue to evolve across the Port Lands, formal zoning regulations are nonexistent. The absence of present zoning parameters can make it difficult for the City of Toronto to legally regulate development proposals, leaving the area vulnerable to unwanted development. We recommend that the city create the necessary designations and zone the area to ensure municipal development interests are protected.

The Port Lands is valued for a multitude of purposes. Some view the potential it possesses for creating new neighborhood districts and spectacular waterfront parks. Others see it as a city-wide asset that can create destinations for residents and visitors alike. The Port Lands is surrounded by a variety of distinct land uses and natural features.

Using Google Maps, our vision for land use within the Port lands was analyzed with street view to categorize the area into various land uses. Currently, there is a lack of residential, travel, and recreational uses while industrial land uses is highly prevalent. Creating an environment where the community has access to all desired land uses such as recreational, commercial, institutional, and housing is pertinent for the success of this plan and integrated into the final design.

Zoning and Land Use Planning are two critical elements in a successful regional plan and they work hand in hand. Land Uses plans reflect a community’s aspirations, values, desired end state and are used as tools for decision-makers on when, where and how future development will occur. Zoning helps ensure orderly development and helps a community achieve its desired future end state. 

Flooding is the main topic surrounding the Port Lands and causes extreme damage to existing ecosystems, property, and raises safety concerns for commuters and residents. Urban properties have become high risk areas for flooding as these lands are typically built near water sources such as rivers, lakes, or harbours. As the Toronto waterfront becomes heavily populated, the risk of flooding increases due to an influx of urban development, impermeable sidewalks, large areas of concrete and asphalt, in addition to bricks or pavers- all in which prevent water from seeping into the ground.

The Port Lands has several flooding factors that raise questions about the future development of the area. Naturalizing the mouth of the Don River can alleviate a majority of the flooding issues. Recall, that during the early 1900s when the Port Lands was first being developed, the land was originally a wetland ecosystem. Naturally, the water surrounding the Don River and Keating Channel floods the Port Lands as a result.

• Naturalize the Don River to accommodate flooding issues and preserve the ecosystems within the Port Lands
• Restore balance between the residents and dissolving ecosystems in the Port Lands
• Design infrastructure for flooding zones along the Don River and Keating Channel to prevent flooding from occurring near main highways and travel routes

Don River Naturalization

Water is a catalyst to post-industrial redevelopment, refocusing water from industrial use to a feature to attract people and build a resilient landscape. The Port Lands features prominently on the Toronto Harbour and the Don River with the Don River Naturalization project creating additional waterways.  

As the city grows, the cost of frequent and severe flooding also increases. To showcase the importance of flood mitigation, the damage from Hurricane Hazel in 1954 amounted to a $100 million dollars (about $1 billion today). Eighty-one people lost their lives from the flooding event. 

However, July 2013's downpour cost Toronto $850 million. A more populated, developed and transport system-dependent city suffered greater liabilities perhaps because of its wealth of modern real and commercial assets. Therefore, the first priority for successful economic development in the Port Lands must be flood mitigation, management and prevention to ensure job security as future development progresses. 

Estimates for the implementation of control measures and projects range from $1.08 to $1.6 billion. However, this construction is expected to generate around $2.2 billion in gross output and an estimated 10,800 labor years of employment according to UrbanMetrics. 

Once the flood protection is complete, construction in earnest in the Port Lands area could generate around $8.3 billion in gross output to the national economy and 41,100 labor years of employment (UrbanMetrics). From a civic standpoint, the two stages of development would yield nearly $2 billion in revenue for the municipal, provincial, and national governments.

A sixteen-hectare site below the Don River Naturalization project is reserved for future development, allowing space to meet the needs of the growing community over time, or expand naturalization. The Port Lands Flood Protection Project is already underway and is scheduled for completion in the later half of 2024.

The design for this area is by Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates Inc. (MVVA), a highly respected landscape architecture firm. This Geodesign plan incorporates the MVVA plan into an overall strategy for redevelopment in the Port Lands. The following master plan by MVVA shows their vision for the Don River area:

The Greater Toronto Area is growing rapidly with an annual growth rate of just under one-percent per year. The population is expected to rise nearly 41% by 2046, from a 7.1 million people in 2020 to 10 million people. According to the initial Waterfront Toronto request for proposal, the Port Lands is expected to hold nearly 50,000 people, making development vital to Toronto’s future.

The Waterfronts proposal to provide inclusively affordable housing is ambitious but not comprehensive nor includes the strategic mechanism to achieve its desired end state. Over the past five years, the Toronto real estate market has seen an average 21% increase in pricing. 

The Port Lands revitalization looks to achieve a balance by expanding land uses to encourages affordable high density mixed used development, population growth and jobs creation. Toronto is hinging its efforts on the success of the proposed new communities in the Port Lands and their ability to support a diverse population.

• Contribute to the sustainable future of the city while providing flexibility and certainty in the plan's implementation

• Create an interesting and dynamic urban mix of housing, retail, employment, and recreational uses while staying connected to the City of Toronto through accessibility

• Leverage the Port Lands assets while developing a high-quality public realm

Create Affordable Housing

Toronto has an ongoing affordable housing crisis. Rental vacancy rates are at the lowest they’ve been in the last 10 years, yet housing prices have skyrocketed. There is not enough new rental housing being built, and the City’s homeless shelters are at full capacity. This Framework emphasizes the need for affordable rental housing to be delivered in lock-step with market ownership housing.

Housing in the Port Lands will provide for a diversity of choices in terms of type, affordability, and tenure. All new developments will have 20% affordable housing to ensure a diversity of unit sizes to support a range of different household types and sizes. Providing a healthy balance of different types of housing, tenures and affordability levels will foster a high-quality living environment for all people.

Over 51% of Toronto's housing is unsuitable, unaffordable, or inadequate and 57% of Toronto residents are either at or below the market-based poverty level. The mandate for 25% affordable housing only covers the market rate or median-income workers. Toronto residents 20% or higher below the median income level could still see themselves priced out of the market. Additionally, several of the proposed sites will require significant environmental remediation or are adjacent to heavy industrial use areas, posing an environmental justice issue for the elected officials. Toronto would need to generate a surplus of available housing and create eligibility bands to achieve its end state. 

Values are the fundamental beliefs that guide or motivate attitudes or actions. They help determine what is important. Values provide an indication of a person's qualities and what a person chooses to embody to guide their actions; values reflect the sort of person we want to be, how we treat ourselves and others, and our interaction with the world around us. They provide the general guidelines for conduct.

In 2001, the Waterfront Toronto Commission was ordered by the Canadian government to develop a mandate that was succinct and ambitious for the current Port Lands area. The mandate needed to go into further detail on how to enhance the economic, social, and cultural value of waterfront lands and to create an accessible and active waterfront for living, working, and recreation.

At the heart of the mandate and approach, sustainability and innovation were at the forefront of the development plan. The various project the Waterfront delivers helps the greater community strive to support a thriving city while sustaining healthy ecosystems.

Currently, the Port Lands does not support a large array of amenities such as restaurants, schools, fire houses, hospitals, libraries, or welcoming open spaces for residents to enjoy. Designing the Port Lands to support these amenities will ensure the well-being and sustainability of the area in future years. Integrating amenities that the community needs is important for the success of the Port Lands Vision.

• Designing the Port Lands to support these amenities will ensure the well-being and sustainability of the area in future years

• Support a large array of amenities such as restaurants, schools, fire houses, hospitals, libraries, or welcoming open spaces for residents to enjoy

In 2001, the Waterfront Toronto Commission was ordered by the government to develop a mandate that was succinct and ambitious for the current Port Lands area. The mandate needed to go into further detail on how to enhance the economic, social, and cultural value of waterfront lands and to create an accessible and active waterfront for living, working, and recreation. At the heart of the mandate and approach, sustainability and innovation were at the forefront of the development plan. The various project the Waterfront delivers helps the greater community strive to support a thriving city while sustaining healthy ecosystems.

Rights

Creates connected and visually pleasing environments by coordinating the development, removing clutter, enforcing consistent architectural themes, creating appropriate pedestrian and vehicle circulation patterns, focusing attention on installation appearance, enhancing the quality of life, and contributing to the overall community efforts.

Blights

Blights are areas in the process of deterioration and decay due to various factors, including neglect, crime, or lack of economic support. As homes or properties fall further into disrepair, they can negatively affect other properties around them, including lowering surrounding property values, creating havens for crime and illegal activity, and possibly threatening a community's public health and safety. In addition, blights are a drag on community energy, a siphon on city vitality, and a deterrent to economic investment. 

The Port Lands road network lacks the tight-knit structure of the neighboring residential and commercial Toronto districts. Lack of a formal street, bike, and pedestrian network coupled with limited connection to neighboring districts creates a "no-mans-land" effect. Despite Toronto having a robust public transit network, public transit in the Port lands is limited to a few bus routes, one being seasonal. Connections to the network and other communities is limited.

Existing infrastructure will not support further development. Undeveloped roads and a single lane bridge on Unwin Avenue are limiting factors. Furthermore, there is no major north-to-south thoroughfare connecting the Port Lands to the Toronto Core. Current rights-of-way are wide enough to support increased traffic and public transit. There are multiple 100 foot rights-of-way.

Diverse existing street typologies is non-existent in this area and they are also limited to single and two lane roads. Side streets and main avenues have on-street parking, sidewalks, and park benches.

However, this is the depth of road development as there are no existing bike lanes, bus lanes, or walkable areas for community members to utilize. A majority of the smaller streets are crumbling, un-improved, single lane roads.  

• Create a street grid with a sidewalk and bike network accessible to pedestrians

• Establish a public transit plan with connections to surrounding communities and transit lines

• Develop a major north-south road.

• Develop roads to accommodate increased traffic demand 

Key Performance Indicators  

• Vehicle Miles Traveled (VMT) per Capita  
• Destinations accessible by transit (multimodal)  
• Distance to transit stops. 
• Multimodal Share (Auto, Bicycle and Pedestrian) 
• Level of Service: Grade A-F  
• Multimodal Safety: The number of accidents per 1000 capita (Auto, pedestrian, bicycle) 
• Mixed Land Uses: transportation analysis zone and parcel measurement. 

Commissioner Street maintains its status across the Port Lands and serves as a main conduit for a public transit loop. The loop continues around the Port Lands, connecting with Unwin Ave, Cherry Street and Leslie Street. Additionally, Cherry Street features the “Cherry Street Flyer” route, connecting the Quayside Development to Cherry Beach. A public transit centerline right-of-way allows for bus transit or rail flexibility should service need to be expanded with population growth.

Despite a robust public transit system in Toronto, connection to the Port Lands is limited to three bus routes including one that is seasonal. There are no hubs or major stations tying this area to Downtown Toronto or the East Bayfront making travel to the Port Lands difficult unless done by automobile.

Major infrastructure upgrades need to be made to roads and public transit to accommodate development, including additional or expansion of existing bridges. A successful transportation plan considers inbound and outbound connections to the region for all modes of traffic, but also local mobility within the Port Lands.    

Public Transportation  

Commissioner Street maintains its status across the Port Lands and serves as a main conduit for a public transit loop. The loop continues around the Port Lands, connecting with Unwin Ave, Cherry Street and Leslie Street. Additionally, Cherry Street features the “Cherry Street Flyer” route, connecting the Quayside Development to Cherry Beach. A public transit centerline right-of-way allows for bus transit or rail flexibility should service need to be expanded with population growth.     

The Hearn as a Hub  

Traveling through the Port Lands will require a major transit center to move people to and from their destinations and the Hearn is a prime location for adaptive reuse. This plan recognizes the cultural significance, centrality, and mass of the Hearn, repurposing the building as a transit hub with bike and equipment storage for Tommy Thompson Park. Additional space should be reserved for retail and event space, making the Hearn a destination in and of itself. 

As a city-wide resource, the Port Lands is in close proximity to the downtown area and makes it highly accessible for community members and tourists. Currently, the Port Lands area is composed of industrial infrastructure that is not suitable to support the Toronto community in meeting social needs and enhancing the quality of life for all Torontonians.

• Preserve the history and culture of the Port Lands
• Modernize the look and feel of the Port Lands  

 Neighboring regional cities such as Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland have successfully transformed dormant, deindustrialized spaces into housing, retail, and workspaces. These spaces are extremely attractive to the tech industry, as evident by Pittsburgh’s resurgence as a tech hub. The deindustrialized spaces in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland should serve as a model for revitalization of the Port Lands. Smokestacks, silos, bank buildings, and lifeguard shacks serve as a link to the mid-century Port Lands and should be used as cultural touch-points. 

Modernize the look and feel of the Port Lands

Modern Glass Structures

The new modern, taller, glass and steel buildings found within the core of the Port Lands should reflect the reflective and glassy nature of the Don River and Lake Ontario. Straight lines should not be utilized in the form of these structures. The curvy and meandering nature of the River needs to be reflected in the built form of these buildings. This will also give the area a distinct feel. 

Height and Form Progression 

The Port Lands is revered as having a wonderful view of Toronto and it's waterfront. This view should be preserved for its residents in addition to the smaller brick buildings that will make up specific areas of the Port Lands. The overall design plan will create a seamless transition from open space to brick buildings- to modern glass buildings. Therefore, those in the core can still see outwards from this center.

Embrace Nature

This land must be interconnected with the core through a series of trails and multi-modal transportation. In addition, the built form of the right of the way within the core should contain elements of nature. Plants, trees, water features should be implemented to lighten the new constructive form this area will endure.

Channeling the Don River 

The Don River channel will be naturalized. Instead of the 90-degree turn, it will flow through the Port Lands providing scenic views and access to open space. Buildings within the Port Lands are mostly located near the sidewalk, helping form a street-wall, fostering walkability, and creating a sense of enclosure.

Storytelling Pathway

Stemming out from the core, a history of development should be displayed along the right of way. Signs, QR Codes, and markers will provide a cohesive story of what the Port Lands once was, and how it came to be what it is now. This will assist tourism within the area and give those who live there a more defined sense of place.

Super Blocks

Mixed-use development is a key component to creating an equitable and accessible Port Lands. European “superblock” style blocks create carless open courtyards surrounded by an outer ring of housing. At the street level, a closely aligned sidewalk and street wall with ground level retail create a feeling of community and accessibility. Wide sidewalks with space for outdoor seating encourage people to remain outside, traveling by foot or bike.

Superblocks provide tight communities with integral open spaces. The expanded Don Roadway runs north to south while Commissioners Street runs east to west. The bike network and "Ideas Corridor" snakes through the superblocks and around McCleary Park.

Stadium and Enclosed Block Typologies 

The stadium and enclosed block building typologies create defined sub areas within the Port Lands. Each block allows its residents to have access to green space while also being able to have a walkable and bikeable community. The stadium typology is a looser, more natural land typology, while the enclosed block is a flatter and defined shape. These typologies also allow the Port Lands to grow progressively over time, one block at a time.

Tech Campus & Offices

The Port Lands is a prime location for a tech campus. Sites bordering the Don River naturalization area and just east of the Hearn are suited for office and mixed-use spaces. To keep building height low and uniform across the Port Lands, this area is best suited for a tech campus, or a walkable series of low office buildings arranged in a natural way befitting the site at a human scale. Open space can accommodate the changing workplace in the COVID-19 pandemic era, creating flexible outdoor workspaces. This reflects the transformation of the region to its focus on people and nature, while providing space for nearly 51,500 jobs. Unwin Ave realigned around the southern slip. A tech campus can make use of open space. 

Changing the smaller side streets while adding walking and biking trails that connect the main streets to the side streets, will enhance the aesthetics of the Port Lands while encouraging circulation use and connectivity. The street hierarchy in the Port Lands district limits mobility both for vehicular traffic and recreational uses. Establishing a new transportation route that provides a natural flow of traffic to enter and exit the area will bring use to the Port Lands.

The Port Lands infrastructure is limited and uninviting for community members and tourists. A transformation of this land is necessary and can provide a community infrastructure that accommodates a range of services and facilities that reflects the history and culture of Toronto while also providing social needs to enhance well-being.

Tommy Thompson Park is the largest park in the Port Lands area. It is home to over 300 species and is a popular attraction (100,000 visitors per year) for those looking to escape the urban landscape. However, it is often closed due to heavy truck traffic from city infilling operations.

Cherry Beach Park is the second largest park in the area. It has a beach front, dog park, boat launch, and other amenities. Although it is next to Tommy Thompson Park there is no easy, walkable or safely bike-able access between the two large areas as they are connected by main roads.

The remaining parks and open space are small and accessible only through main roads. Online reviews of these parks are generally favorable, mostly citing the lack of other people in them and classifying them as "hidden gems". This is not an aspect that the city should be proud of. In addition, for sites such as McCleary Park, they are surrounded by dilapidated buildings, contaminated soil operations, and vacant lots. These are not areas people want to relax in.

• Accommodate redevelopment for ecological habitat restoration
• Create a green network of open space and multimodal transportation
• Provide easy and safe access to the parks and open space throughout the area
• Minimal development to help foster the pursuit of preservation
• Create bike lanes and trails that provide a loop to traverse the landscape without facing dangerous oncoming traffic
• Create trails, kayak launches, recreational amenities, and other facets of green recreational development along the waterfront

The Pollinator Plaza celebrates the role of pollinators in the world through honey-comb inspired paving design and adaptable chairs and tables. It’s a great place to enjoy a cup of coffee or tea while pollinators forage for nectar in nearby beds of native flowering perennials.

Pollinator-friendly native plants are naturalized along the edges of the trail and nesting habitat for solitary bees is provided in the form of bee houses. Sheltered viewing platforms are proposed along the trail to provide areas for bird watching and simply enjoying the view of the lake.

The Nature Walk & Children's Play Area

The Nature walk and children’s play area provides an open space for kids to run and explore various nature-inspired play elements. This family-friendly ‘backyard’ space is close to residential development and perfectly located on this car-free pedestrian parkway. There are many nature-based playscapes, but the Cincinnati John G. and Phyllis W. Smale Riverfront Park is an inspiring precedent that could inform the design of this area. 

One precedent for this area could be the Buffalo Industrial Heritage Trail pictured below. It provides a historic timeline along the walking trail that draws the community closer to it's past.

Parks & Open Spaces Must Accommodate Redevelopment

In this plan, the Martin Goodman Trail meets with the Industrial History Trail at the southern end of Cherry Street. We propose that the surface of the Martin Goodman Trail be improved to make it fully accessible, allowing Torontonians of all ages and abilities to enjoy this slice of urban nature. Sheltered viewing platforms are proposed along the trail to provide areas for bird watching and simply enjoying the view of the lake.  

The plan also aims to support pollinators by providing both forage and nesting opportunities. Pollinators are important for the survival of many plant species and for the success of many food crops. Pollinator caterpillars are also an important food source for nesting birds. Toronto has an existing Pollinator Protection Strategy which should be consulted in the further development of these open spaces.

Cherry Street- Industrial History Trail

The Port Lands Industrial History trail is located along Cherry Street. This urban trail connects Villiers Street Plaza in the north with the Martin Goodman trail in the south. Reclaimed brick kiosks along the sidewalk share the history of Port Lands and are located strategically near historic buildings or structures. The final kiosk at the head of the Martin Goodman trail transitions from industrial history to natural history with information about the area’s native pollinator and bird populations.

Open Spaces at Villiers Street Pedestrian Parkway

The Front Lawn is a lightly designed space that can accommodate a variety of activities from pop-up play spaces, to outdoor moves, to community chess tournaments. Precedents for this space include The Lawn on D in Boston, Massachusetts, and streetscapes from Lisbon, Portugal.  

Port Lands Flood Protection Project (PLFP)

Currently, revitalization of Toronto’s eastern waterfront- a project known as the Port Lands Flood Protection (PLFP) project- will transform the existing mouth of the Don River and Keating Channel to provide critical flood protection and ecological habitat restoration. Integration of development, transportation, infrastructure, and community character is a key component to the revitalization of Toronto’s waterfront. 

As the Don River is re-routed through the Port Lands, land use changes and new transportation modes develop the open spaces throughout the area and must provide a cohesive green network to those who will inhabit this environment. Access to the Don River will be vital. Trails, kayak launches, recreational amenities, and other facets of green recreational development must be considered along the waterfront. Private commercial interest must not be allowed to privatize this valuable land and restrict the access to only those who can afford such a luxury.

In addition, land within Tommy Thompson Park should have a primary focus on natural habitat revitalization. This is the area's richest area of biodiversity and has a proven effectiveness as a draw for eco-tourism. Therefore development should be minimal and any development should help foster the pursuit of preservation.

Lastly, an overall green network of open space and multimodal transportation must be incorporated in order to provide easy and safe access to the parks and open space throughout the area. Bike lanes and trails should provide a loop for those who want to traverse the landscape without facing dangerous oncoming traffic from cars and trucks. Parks should also be accessible via public transport.

Creating an environment where the community has access to public transit, retail shops, open spaces and trails, and job opportunities- while fostering biking and walking trail- are the central design elements of the Port Lands redevelopment. Fully redeveloped, the Port Lands could support nearly 50,000 residents who live in mixed-use and multi-family buildings. The connections to the Port Lands industrial past has not been forgotten. Industrial uses still shape large areas of the Port Lands today, except the primary land uses are supported by smaller amounts of offices, retail and cultural amenities.

The Port Lands plan envisions a walkable mixed-income community with access to jobs, beautiful greenspaces, and transit options connecting residents to the entire city of Toronto. Creating a plan that redevelops and integrates a green network within the Port Lands also aims to protect the area’s historic buildings by envisioning a community where past and future can come together to create a uniquely present Toronto neighborhood.

Land Use Metrics

The proposed plan would significantly change the Port Lands landscape and the proportion of land use types. According to the models created by our team, the current land use is as follows: 

The proposed land use changes help to move the project towards the goal of an economically and ecologically vibrant community that supports Torontonians in all stages and walks of life.

Affordable Housing & Economic Development Metrics

The proposed economic development shows an increase in the number of residential units within the Port Lands area and the number of affordable housing units that will add value to the existing area. As the affordable housing industry is dissolving, proposing a design plan that aids in the needs of residents, was a priority for the developing area.

1. Housing 
2. Application  
3. Land use visioning process  
4. Space planning and programming 
5. Performance monitoring

1. Assessment Area: Density.  
2. Key Performance Indicator(s): 
3. The number of street intersections per acre 
4. Diversity mix of housing types 
5. Transit accessibility within ¼ mile of residential areas and key points of interest 
6. The amount of infill development

In addition to the proposed metrics the City of Toronto should consider the adopting policies on: 

Limitations on Compatible Uses: Limitations on compatible uses in residential zones: The City of Toronto is faced with escalating real estate market, absentee owners and short-term rentals. To reduce the impacts of these acts on Toronto’s housing market the City of Toronto should also consider adopting zoning legislation like the District of Columbia that would limit compatible uses in residential district housing restrictions such as the availability of hotels, the establishment of short-term rentals.  

Moderately Priced Dwelling Unit (MPDU) Density Bonus: To encourage the development of inclusionary moderately priced dwelling units the City of Toronto should also provide additional density bonuses for developers who exceed the proposed 20% MPDU requirement, or those who offer a unit mix of inclusionary MPDU’s and alternative housing.  

Modern Glass Structures

The new modern, taller, glass and steel buildings found within the core of the Port Lands should reflect the reflective and glassy nature of the Don River and Lake Ontario. Straight lines should not be utilized in the form of these structures. The curvy and meandering nature of the River needs to be reflected in the built form of these buildings. This will also give the area a distinct feel.

Embracing Nature

The Port Lands is home to two bodies of water and widely visited conservation land (Tommy Thompson Park). This land will act as the periphery, border, and protection from the elements for the core of the Port Lands. This land must however be interconnected with the core through a series of trails and multi-modal transportation. In addition, the built form of the right of the way within the core should contain elements of nature. Plants, trees, water features should be implemented to lighten the new constructive form this area will endure.

Open spaces within the Port Lands celebrate both the area’s industrial history and the rewilding of this urban landscape through the Don River Naturalization and the incorporation of improved pollinator habitat along the Martin Goodman Trail. Strong pedestrian and bike connections allow residents and visitors to enjoy the waterfront, explore Port Lands’ industrial history, and observe Toronto’s native pollinator and bird communities.

Bridges

There are existing bridges within the Port Lands, however they are small and non-expressive in from. New, larger bridges will need to be constructed to allow for the higher amount of traffic that will be needed to traverse throughout the area. Regarding the Don River naturalization, pedestrian bridges must be constructed to allow for two purposes, convenience, and tourism. Pedestrians should be able to transverse this area efficiently and will need effective crossings between sections of the river. However, these bridges can also act as sight seeing opportunities of the surrounding area.