Torontonians are getting a brand new east end park with its own public beach, forested dunes and a 360-degree viewing platform.
Plans for the new Leslie Slip Lookout Park in Toronto’s Port Lands were announced today by the City and CreateTO, the agency that manages the City of Toronto’s portfolio of real estate assets.
“This new destination will offer year-round programs including pop-up events, concerts and public art, and will give people the opportunity to enjoy time outdoors while exploring an area of the city they might not have before.”
Located at 12 Leslie Street, along the Martin Goodman Trail, the 1.9-acre greenspace will feature a public beach surrounded by grassy, forested dunes that will create a new multi-use destination in Toronto’s east end. The park will include a viewing platform complete with sweeping views of the Port Lands, adjacent shipping channel and the Toronto skyline beyond.
“The Port Lands of Toronto hold a rich history and landscape,” said Toronto-Danforth Councillor Paula Fletcher. “Revitalizing this underutilized land will bring this site back into public use, beautify the landscape and complement the natural heritage system of the Port Lands, creating a stronger connection between the city and the natural areas south of Unwin Avenue and Tommy Thompson Park.”
Montreal-based landscape architectural firm Claude Cormier + Associés (CC+A) was selected through a design competition to construct the park. The award-winning firm is known for designing some of Toronto’s most iconic public spaces and landmarks including Berczy Park and Sugar Beach.
Conceptual designs pay homage to the natural and industrial heritage of the area, including the industrial complexes to the north and east, The Hearn to the west, and Tommy Thompson Park and Lake Ontario to the south.
“Leslie Slip Lookout Park embraces the look and feel of its industrial context, re-identifying the landscape of labour and work into one of play and recreation,” said Claude Cormier, Landscape Architect and Founding Partner, Claude Cormier + Associés. “The balance of open spaces proposed for Leslie Slip Lookout Park creates a place for all tastes in one of Toronto’s most curious landscapes.”
CreateTO will lead the project and work in close association with various City departments, including key support from Parks, Forestry and Recreation, City Planning Divisions, the Indigenous Affairs Office and the Waterfront Secretariat.
Public consultations for the park design will begin in February 2021, followed by site preparation and construction in the spring.
