{"id":21992,"date":"2011-08-16T17:15:11","date_gmt":"2011-08-16T21:15:11","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/spacingtoronto.ca\/?p=21992"},"modified":"2011-08-16T18:17:00","modified_gmt":"2011-08-16T22:17:00","slug":"park-city-hidden-under-a-highway","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2011\/08\/16\/park-city-hidden-under-a-highway\/","title":{"rendered":"Park City: Hidden under a highway"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"\"<\/em><\/p>\n

Toronto is often called \u2018a city within a park,\u2019 a nickname which not only conjures a pretty picture but is a pretty good goal for any city. In some ways we do live up to the name \u2013 there are over 1,500 parks across Toronto that cover more than 20,000 acres and the number grows each year. This year alone nine new parks are expected to be added to the list and over the next few days I’ll be introducing some of these new and soon-to-be parks.<\/em><\/p>\n

\"\"
\n<\/em><\/p>\n

Further east along the waterfront, tucked under Eastern Avenue at the Richmond and Adelaide overpasses is the soon-to-be\u00a0Underpass Park<\/a>. Another of Waterfront Toronto\u2019s cutting edge ideas, the park will transform an under-used and derelict space into a \u201cbright, new, urban amenity.\u201d Since downtown raised thoroughfares, such as the Gardiner and Eastern Ave., are such visually and physically imposing obstacles, the park creates an essential pedestrian connection between the north and south sides of the overpass.<\/p>\n

Like Sherbourne Common the park has been designed by the Vancouver-based landscape architectural firm,\u00a0Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg<\/a>, with an innovative design that maximizes the existing conditions \u2013\u00a0especially the more than 50 overpass columns. Understandably, light will feature prominently in the new space making it safe and attractive at all times of the day. Recreational facilities, climbing structures, and \u201cflexible community space\u201d will take up much of the covered areas while the opened areas will be defined by greenery – groves of trees and grasses as well as community gardens.<\/p>\n

<\/p>\n

\"\"
The wall of graffiti along St. Lawrence Street where Underpass Park is now under construction. (Photo courtesy of Google Street View).<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

The park is part of larger plans to redevelop the West Don Lands, a part of the city which, as Toronto Star’s\u00a0Christopher Hume<\/a> described, has been a \u201chole in the urban fabric for as long as most of us can remember.\u201d The area will become home to into a new mixed-use and mixed-income community. Underpass Park is being built in two phases, the portion east of St. Lawrence Street will be completed first due to it\u2019s proximity to the\u00a0River City<\/a> development, the new\u00a0TCHC complex on King St<\/a>, and the\u00a0Don River Park<\/a>,\u00a0whereas the western portion (directly under the Adelaide and Richmond ramps) will be constructed soon after.<\/p>\n

Construction began in May and the first part of the park is expected to open sometime by the end of this year. Already the wall of graffiti along St. Lawrence Street has disappeared and in its place are backhoes and some freshly poured concrete. The concrete will soon be covered with ipe wood and will transform into one of the park\u2019s defining design features \u2013 a series of long, narrow\u00a0ribbon-like strips \u2013 the dividers, walkways, and benches of the park.<\/p>\n

\"\"
Looking east under the Richmond ramp and the many columns that will be part of the park.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Top photo courtesy of\u00a0Waterfront Toronto<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Toronto is often called \u2018a city within a park,\u2019 a nickname which not only conjures a pretty picture but is a pretty good goal for any city. In some ways we do live up to the name \u2013 there are over 1,500 parks across Toronto that cover more than 20,000 acres and the number growsContinue reading “Park City: Hidden under a highway”<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":4102,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"ngg_post_thumbnail":0,"_ef_editorial_meta_paragraph_assignment":"","_ef_editorial_meta_date_first-draft-date":"","_ef_editorial_meta_checkbox_needs-photo":"","_ef_editorial_meta_number_word-count":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[22,47,20,5],"tags":[662,340,370,18160,1682,18161,19,341,14564,54],"class_list":["post-21992","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-architecture","category-parks","category-urban-design","category-waterfront","tag-adelaide","tag-christopher-hume","tag-king","tag-phillips-farevaag-smallenberg","tag-richmond","tag-tchc-complex","tag-toronto","tag-toronto-star","tag-underpass-park","tag-vancouver"],"acf":[],"yoast_head":"\nPark City: Hidden under a highway - Spacing Toronto<\/title>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/spacing.ca\/toronto\/2011\/08\/16\/park-city-hidden-under-a-highway\/\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Park City: Hidden under a highway - Spacing Toronto\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Toronto is often called \u2018a city within a park,\u2019 a nickname which not only conjures a pretty picture but is a pretty good goal for any city. 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