Here in Toronto’s Financial District, we’re monitoring or directly involved with several initiatives set to make the downtown core more vibrant, walkable, sustainable and in demand for tourists and professionals alike. Here are just some of the projects we can’t wait for. The City’s popular outdoor dining initiative has been made a permanent addition for Toronto’s warmer months. Not only did the project provide plentiful sidewalk dining options and animate the pedestrian realm last year, but it proved to be essential for restauranteurs struggling throughout repeated lockdowns. In 2021 almost a dozen Financial District patios expanded their outdoor space through CafeTO and we can’t wait to see who takes part in 2022.Ī brand new commuting experience at Union Station In 2021, 36 per cent of total sales came from CafeTO, a higher percentage than indoor dining, permanent patios or takeout and delivery options. Last July, the long-awaited Union Station Revitalization Project was completed. Additions like a sleek bus concourse, enhanced PATH connections, a brand new food court and improvements to prioritize pedestrian flow were just some of the newly-unrolled elements, all of which have helped triple capacity at the transit hub. We’re looking forward to a more connected and convenient commuting experience in 2022, plus details about the upcoming Union Station Enhancement Project, which will include a new platform and concourse area.Ī “floating” park in the heart of the Toronto Financial Districtĭevelopers Ivanhoe Cambridge and Hines unrolled the first phase of CIBC SQUARE on Bay Street last year, immediately recognizable on the skyline thanks to its striking, geometric exterior. Related Companies:Īdamson Associates Architects, ANTAMEX, entro, Entuitive, LRI Engineering Inc.As Phase 2 continues at a steady pace, the project will see one one of its most unique elements unveiled this year: The first phase of a one-acre park that will stretch across the Union Station rail corridor, supported by a steel deck crossing as it connects two of the project’s towers. If you would like to leave your mark, a link to the survey is available here. The survey takes about two minutes to complete, offering the option to leave individual comments alongside a short series of multiple choice questions. To get a better understanding of how users feel about Cloud Gardens, the BIA's survey asks what they like and don't like about the park. Looking north along Cloud Gardens, image by Marcus Mitanis But how well does it work at less busy hours, and how can the experience be improved? Drawing a diverse user base that ranges during the day from office workers to bike couriers, tourists, and construction workers, the park is an important public space for the busy community around it. With an elevated greenhouse at its east end alongside a landscaped park space, Cloud Gardens features ample public seating, along with a water feature below the glass conservatory. While the economic downturn of the early-to-mid 1990s left the initial project incomplete, the 21st century's ongoing building boom continues to transform the surrounding area, with the first two towers of Brookfield's new Bay Adelaide Centre now standing to the south. Located in the heart of Downtown between Temperance and Richmond, the 2,400 m² Cloud Gardens is the Financial District's only public park, serving an area that employs over 200,000 people.Ĭloud gardens, image via Wikimedia Commons, by Maury Markowitzĭating back to the aborted original Bay Adelaide Centre proposal of the 1980s, the space was given to the City as a community benefit in exchange for rezoning to allow the 57-storey tower. The Toronto Financial District Business Improvement Area (BIA) has launched a survey to inform the future of Cloud Gardens Park and Conservatory.
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