WESTERN WATERFRONT
MASTER PLAN

In recent years, the City of Toronto has made extensive efforts to improve the public realm of the city, particularly on the waterfront. planningAlliance was commissioned by the City of Toronto to outline a vision and master plan for a four kilometer-stretch of parkland, termed the Western Waterfront, including the identification of improvements that will create a beautiful public realm and provision of compatible uses that meet a range of stakeholder interests.

The resulting master plan includes a number of “big moves” designed to re-connect the waterfront to the city, redesign major transportation infrastructure, incorporate transit, render the parkland itself more useable, and balance competing uses. Key features include the creation of a series of significant urban beaches, the improvement of water quality and swimming opportunities, a dramatic realignment of Lake Shore Boulevard to capture “orphaned” parkland, the establishment of active recreational hubs at key locations, and the establishment of a network of complementary pathway systems.

The planning process included an extensive civic engagement strategy to involve Torontonians in the reshaping of their waterfront.

CITY OF TORONTO
TORONTO, CANADA
2008-ONGOING
120 ha