Green spaces are an essential part of city living. They serve as an escape from the concrete jungle, as well as a meeting and recreational place for neighbourhoods that help bring together the community. Currently our city boasts a total of 121 parks that cover roughly 100 hectares of land. On any given day in the summer you'll find that any one of these parks will be brimming with Torontonians - playing, sunning, and relaxing. Last August, Mayor John Tory announced plans for the development of a new public park - the Rail Deck Park. Here's everything you need to know.
The proposed Rail Deck Park is set to exist over the rail corridor that runs between Bathurst Street and Blue Jays Way. The 21-acre park, being championed by the Mayor, chief city planner Jennifer Keesmaat, as well as the ward's councillor Joe Cressy, is estimated to cost a whopping $1 billion. The design reveals what is essentially a bridge that would have parkland landscaping on its deck. While this may be difficult to conceive, other cities have had success building similar parks, and many experts have said the park's design and structure are entirely feasible.
Currently the rail corridor is a physical barrier between the neighbourhood, its residents, and the waterfront. The Rail Deck Park would aim to foster a sense of community as it would physically bring these communities together with increased accessibility as well as offering a new green space for the public. Many considerations will have to be made, both large and small. The question of maintenance, programming, and the sustainability of funding lead this discussion, as well as designing inclusivity into the park. The goal is for the space to be useable by both tourists, as well as the city's diverse families and inhabitants.
The city is expected to reveal more details by the fall, including an updated guess at overall cost. While the price tag will ultimately be quite expensive, funds have already been raised, and the value the park will bring to this underutilized space will help to completely transform the downtown core.
All images via toronto.ca
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