A massive new park is set to replace the popular RendezViews restaurant and patio downtown.
The site was acquired by the city in 2019 through a transaction involving CreateTO and multiple city divisions.
The deal involved a new development at 260 Adelaide St. W that will include affordable housing and an indoor community space, a new Emergency Medical Services station at Metro Hall, and the purchase of 229 Richmond St. W., where the new park will be located. Overall, the project has a design and construction budget of $10 million.
In terms of the park, the city is conducting a two-stage design competition to find a creative and experienced design team for the new 2,600-square-metre park. As part of Stage Two of the competition, the city has displayed the conceptual designs submitted by five shortlisted applicants.
Here are the five design concepts:
Wàwàtesí Park – West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective
The Wàwàtesí (Anishinaabemowin: firefly) Park invites visitors on a journey through the woodlands and a trail with seven stepping stones of different experiential qualities. These include “The Eastern Gateway – humane laneway and park welcome, The Balcony – place to watch and perform, The Riverbed Playscape – with hammocks and slide, The Grove – for fireflies, The Green – to gather, The Source – of water and light, and The Canvas – for light.”
Electric Forest – Public City Architecture, Sook Yin-Lee, Seán Carson Kinsella
The Electric Forest acts as a balance between nature and culture. Described as an energy source in the city, the Electric Forest focuses on the importance of trees, such as pine and cedar and its connection to the Indigenous community. The name is also inspired by Electric Circus, a Canadian live dance music television program that aired on MuchMusic and Citytv. The park aims to pay homage to MuchMusic as a Canadian institution that sparked joy and belonging.
oneSKY – PMA Landscape Architects and SLA, Gow Hastings Architects, Ned Kahn Studio, Tàmmaro Art/Design, Ridge Road Training and Consulting
oneSKY has a goal to provide a universal connection by sharing the same celestial view, moon, sun and stars. Creators say this park design embodies the following collective insights: “encompassing land and sky, water and wind, with clarity and purpose. It serves as a beacon of unity and harmony in a changing urban landscape.” oneSKY has three key goals to its vision, to introduce a new nature experience, maintain a vibrant civic identity and create an important link.
Nookomis Garden – DTAH Architects, Paul Raff Studio, Trophic Design
The Nookomis Garden park design will feature a large, open palm sculpted in stone to symbolize the animism of the earth. The term Nookomis translates to “my grandmother” and comes from Anishnaabe origin stories where Nookomis fell from the moon to the earth and gave birth to the mother of Anishnaabe people. Creators chose the name Nookomis because of its spirit and its deep connection to the natural world.
River Park – O2 Planning and Design and OLIN Studio, Omar Ghandi Architects, Michel De Broin, Re:imagine Gathering
River Park has a mission to reimagine the narrative of urban parks and transform relationships between people and nature. The design pays tribute to a lost creek that was paved over in the 19th century and is a space that hopes to stimulate reflection, storytelling and cultural exchange. It is guided by three core gestures: “tracing the path of the river, lifting the edges to create banks, and connecting the city along the edges.”
Members of the public have until Oct. 29 to provide feedback on the five design concepts in this survey. The feedback will be shared with the jury who will then select one park concept to advance to the next phase of the competition.
The final decision will be based on the feedback, as well as each concept’s ability to meet the evaluation criteria and technical requirements identified by the city.
Construction of the new park will begin in 2025 and is expected to be completed in 2026.
