9 h. ago Toronto is getting a waterfront park with breathtaking views this summer

The epic undertaking to renaturalize Toronto's Port Lands has already created a new serpentine mouth for the Don River, soon to be joined by stunning public spaces — including one standout park scheduled to welcome the public this summer.Waterfront Toronto has released new aerial footage of the renaturalized Don River captured in March, showing off the new human-made waterway that officially started flowing last year.The latest video update on construction in the Port Lands offers a hint at what is in store for the coming months, most notably the gradual opening of new parks and public spaces in the formerly industrial district.One standout of the reimagined Port Lands will be a large public space hugging the Keating Channel and Toronto Harbour on the north side of the river.The space known as Biidaasige Park, (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh) is comprised of a future northern section and an upcoming southern section, the latter of which is scheduled to partially open this summ...

Other

33 h. ago Toronto's artificial peninsula set to keep growing for decades

Toronto's man-made peninsula, the Leslie Street Spit, is still growing, and will be for the next few decades to come as dredged material from the city's harbour continues to be deposited along its shoreline.Created in 1959 by the Toronto Harbour Commissioners (THC), now PortsToronto, for "port-related facilities," the Leslie Street Spit's expected use as an outer harbour port never panned out, yet the landform has expanded significantly through millions of cubic metres of concrete, earth fill, and dredged sand, and today supports Tommy Thompson Park.The artificial peninsula extends five kilometres into Lake Ontario and is over 500 hectares in size. The park is home to some of the largest existing natural habitats on the Toronto waterfront, and includes wildflower meadows, cottonwood forests, cobble beaches, and coastal marshes.Aerial view of the Leslie Street Spit in 1975. Photo: Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA).It's also become on...

Culture

5 d. ago Toronto's popular waterfront promenade is about to get a huge extension

The impressive granite-paved promenade lining Toronto's waterfront is about to grow even larger.Construction crews are hard at work extending a section of the red granite pathways lining two sections of the city's waterfront.The waterfront promenade's eastern section extending from Canada's Sugar Beach is currently being expanded to the Parliament slip to surround a new addition to the neighbourhood.The new Aqualuna development's imminent completion at the west end of the slip will soon inject new life to the burgeoning East Bayfront district with hundreds of new residents and a fancy community centre.The eastern section of the promenade's 9.4-metre-wide red granite mosaic maple leaf pattern now wraps around the south and east sides of Aqualuna, adding to the approximately one-kilometre stretch.It's an infrastructure upgrade almost 20 years in the making, developed from the winning entry of a 2006 design competition, and opening with an initial segment co...

Other

8 d. ago Swarms of aggravating midges are taking over Toronto once again

They're back, and as always, they're as annoying as ever. Toronto's infamous midges have officially returned in swarms for 2025, and if you've been near the lake or tried to enjoy a peaceful park stroll lately, you've likely met dark clouds of them up close, or even accidentally swallowed a few.The tiny, cloud-forming bugs belong to the family known as Chironomidae, and although they don't bite, it doesn't make their presence any less irritating.The flies typically emerge in thick swarms starting in mid-April, and are known for flying into people's faces, getting tangled in your hair, and even becoming unintentional snacks mid-conversation or bike ride.The midge invasion hits like clockwork every spring, especially along Toronto's waterfront. With temperatures on the rise, it looks like the first wave has already landed, and so too have complaints on social media.While they are definitely a huge nuisance, midges actually play a vital role in Lake ...

Other

9 d. ago Toronto's foremost cherry blossom expert is getting honoured by Japan

Toronto's most iconic cherry blossom expert is getting his well-deserved flowers as he receives a special honour from Matsunaga Takeshi, Consul-General of Japan.It's almost impossible to discuss Toronto's breathtaking High Park cherry blossoms without the city's resident sakura expert, who fittingly goes by the name Sakura Steve online, entering the discourse.Steven Joniak, the man behind Sakura in High Park, has been Toronto's (and blogTO's) source for cherry blossom updates ever since he launched his website in 2012, supplementing his journey with extensive research on the trees.To date, Steve is the foremost authority for Toronto residents keen to catch the peak bloom every year, providing weekly updates and, at times, braving less-than-ideal conditions from March to May as the trees progress.While Steve has certainly earned his fair share of recognition over the years, he's now about to receive an official honour for all of his contributions...

Other

2 w. ago Bombshell allegations about Ontario Place megaspa make international headlines

The "revitalization" of Ontario Place — specifically, the Therme megaspa that serves as the project's cornerstone — has become a blight on Toronto's waterfront, leaving passersby both devastated and enraged to see a public green space and mature habitat reduced to dust overnight despite ample resistance.Alarming revelations about the site's enormous future parking garage, plans to extend the development over the lake, the lack of environmental assessments involved, and more have emerged in the years since the overhaul of the 155-acre property was first announced.But the latest update, which comes via a damning New York Times investigation published on Wednesday, may be the most scandalous yet.While most would agree that the long-defunct amusement park could have benefited from an overhaul, NYT — which is already very familiar with the Ontario Place saga — elucidates why Therme was, as many community members al...

Society

3 w. ago TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon Generates $50.3M in Local Economic Impact, Uniting Global Runners

TORONTO, April 10, 2025 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon is pleased to announce their 2024 Economic Impact Study, which reinforces the role of major events in positioning Toronto as a world-class city and a hub of homegrown tourism. The TCS Toronto Waterfront Marathon generated $50.3 million in economic impact for the City […]

Economics