Architecture

Elevated public park above a railway planned for Toronto

Elevated public park above a railway planned for Toronto
A new elevated park is planned as part of a development in Toronto
A new elevated park is planned as part of a development in Toronto
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A new elevated park is planned as part of a development in Toronto
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A new elevated park is planned as part of a development in Toronto
The park will connect two commercial buildings and will sit above the rail corridor
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The park will connect two commercial buildings and will sit above the rail corridor
The park is part of the ongoing Union Station development
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The park is part of the ongoing Union Station development
A new bus terminal will also be built as part of hte development
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A new bus terminal will also be built as part of hte development
Construction is expected to begin in spring 2015
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Construction is expected to begin in spring 2015
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The need to retain public spaces in our cities as they develop and grow requires increasingly ingenuitive thinking. A new development in Toronto shows just that sort of thinking in action. Plans for a new commercial and transport hub include a public park elevated above the rail line.

The new development, at 45-141 Bay Street, is reminiscent of New York's High Line and Sydney's Goods Line, both of which are public spaces that have reappropriated rail infrastructure for use as public spaces. The Bay Street development won't be built on disused rail infrastructure, however, but will be raised above operational tracks.

Created by real estate company Ivanhoé Cambridge for the Toronto area transport authority Metrolinx, the proposals are part of the ongoing development of Union Station. The plans include the addition of a new bus terminal, two office buildings to be constructed standing either side of the rail corridor, and the park area between the buildings.

The park will act as a means of connecting the buildings, as well as providing space for recreation and leisure.

The park will connect two commercial buildings and will sit above the rail corridor
The park will connect two commercial buildings and will sit above the rail corridor

In addition to the new green space provided by the park, the Bay Street buildings will be designed to achieve LEED Platinum certification. The development will also connect to PATH, Toronto's network of underground pedestrian tunnels.

Construction is expected to start in spring 2015.

Sources: Ivanhoé Cambridge, Metrolinx

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5 comments
5 comments
Bob Flint
Seems rather ironic creating a new commercial and transport hub, with goods, and passengers buzzing around in all directions, what exactly is the "Public Space" can't imagine sitting anywhere near this noisy, smelly, downtown core for lunch. Trying to hard to be green?
Shane Holborn
Why don't we use the ground for gardens, trees, frass and farms and build roads, railways, offices and shops on elevated human-made platforms??
Strauski
Why not a "high line" under the elevated Gardiner expressway, above the ground, which could run for several kilometers and be protected from the weather?
Jay Finke
May I suggest a beer garden instead.
Slowburn
@ Shane Holborn Aside from the additional cost of building a massive RR bridges and all the columns you would need interrupting the play space, the need of lights to keep the grass alive. It would be just one more indoor space.