Today, upon the footprint of Lieutenant Governor Simcoe’s 1818 historic ‘Walks and Gardens’ proposal, the ‘Shoreline Stitch’ (a proposed assemblage of parks along front street that highlights the original shoreline)presents the opportunity to restore this vision and create a new civic spine and connected system of parks and open spaces in the heart of Downtown Toronto.

Here is the opportunity to fully and seamlessly connect, enhance, invent and share the network of streets, parks and open spaces between the Downtown and the waterfront and the west and east Core Circle, providing opportunities for civic life and recreation and promoting a corridor to significantly improve movement for cycling and pedestrians.

In Fall 2016, the City of Toronto initiated planning for the 21-acre Rail Deck Park in Downtown Toronto, to be built over the rail corridor west of Union Station. An innovative deck structure— essentially a land bridge across the rail corridor— will provide the foundation and be designed to minimize impacts on train operations below. It will be engineered to support all the elements of a vibrant and dynamic urban park: lawns, gathering and play spaces, shade trees, water features, public art and more. It will be seamless and serve as a major connector between the Downtown and waterfront. Rail Deck Park is an opportunity to create the city’s next great civic space, where all Torontonians can come to play, relax, connect and celebrate.