You’re Going to Love Toronto’s New Waterfront Park

If you’re planning to propose to your sweetheart, this new green space will be the place to do it

Downtown Toronto isn’t known for its whimsy, but Love Park may change that. Designed by landscape architecture firm Claude Cormier + Associés’ (CCA) in collaboration with Gh3, the new park, a project lead by Waterfront Toronto, replaces a Gardiner offramp and park space at York Street and Queens Quay West with a two-acre site transformed with pathways, an enclosed off-leash space for dogs, a pavilion and, most notably, a huge heart-shaped pond.

Image courtesy of Claude Cormier et Associés and Waterfront Toronto.

Yes, Love Park will certainly live up to its name, and will very likely be the site of countless selfies. But the romantically-inflected green space will function on a practical, day-to-day level, too. The 165-metre border of the pond is clad in crimson anti-slip glass mosaic tiles and designed to function as outdoor seating (which, in this era of social distancing, is sorely needed). In addition, the Gh3-designed pavilion – a steel wireframe pergola that, in time, will support clusters of wisteria – will provide some shelter alongside 37 new trees, including silver maples, black walnuts and American elms. Above it all, an illuminated heart will be suspended, marking the park’s distinct design for passersby.

Since CCA and GH3 won the design competition in 2018, the pavilion has evolved from a structure with mirrored steel cladding, a bright red interior and a roof that collected rainwater for use in the park.

Construction on Love Park will begin in May and is set to finish in 2022. CLAUDECORMIER.COM; GH3.CA

Love Park Updates

Love Park will be the heart of the waterfront . You can see the heart-shaped pond starting to emerge from the construction.

Image courtesy of architecture firm Claude Cormier + Associés