Toronto’s waterfront revitalization took another major step forward Wednesday as the city’s elected officials, including Mayor John Tory, were on hand to launch the second construction phase of the Bathurst Quay Neighbourhood Plan (BQNP).
The project entails redeveloping a disused office building into the Corleck Building, a waterfront arts and culture hub that will be operated by the Canada Ireland Foundation, a non-profit City of Toronto partner. Additionally, this phase of construction includes the restoration of the Canada Malting silos, which carry heritage designation, and through which pedestrian paths will be created.
“This Bathurst Quay waterfront project has been an enormous undertaking dating back many years,” Mayor Tory said in a news release. “I am thrilled about the progress that’s been made so far and applaud the efforts made by all of our partners who all share the same goal of improving our city’s waterfront. While we move forward in our next phase of construction, residents and visitors are able to continue to enjoy many parts of our beloved waterfront including new and improved facilities.”
The third phase of construction is slated to begin this summer and will adorn the waterfront with a plaza replete with lakeside seating, a public event space, and lighting “that can transform the malting silos into iconic waterfront beacons,” according to the release. BQNP will also have a parkette and a public art mural on Eireann Quay, which will connect each of the Bathurst Quay projects to each other, the neighbourhood, and the water.
"Our ongoing revitalization work is about opening up access to our city's waterfront, and creating new, dynamic public spaces,” Ward 10 Councillor Joe Cressey (Spadina-Fort York), said. “The new water's edge promenade and rebuilt dockwall at Bathurst Quay have opened up opportunities for community space, which will only be increased as we begin the transformation on an empty office building into a new arts and cultural hub.”
