What to know
- The City of Toronto is inviting public input on its yongeTOmorrow project, which aims to redesign Yonge Street alongside a planned watermain repair to better support growing downtown pedestrian traffic.
- Proposed changes include wider sidewalks (minimum four metres), reducing traffic to one lane each way, and adding new “activity zones” for seating, cafés, and greenery along the stretch from College/Carlton to Queen Street near the CF Toronto Eaton Centre.
- Public consultations are ongoing through the design phase (until 2028), with a drop-in meeting at Central YMCA on April 21 and an online survey open until May 5.
The City of Toronto is asking for community consultation as they say a watermain repair will give them the opportunity to revamp Yonge Street for increased pedestrian traffic.
The project, called yongeTOmorrow, was created in hopes to keep up with growing populations around the downtown area.
“For over a century, Yonge Street has been an iconic destination in the heart of downtown Toronto for both residents and visitors,” the city’s website said in part. “In recent years, growth and technology have changed the look and feel of our city. Today, Downtown Yonge is booming with development and activity during all hours and days of the week. There are more people using the street and their needs and priorities are shifting.”
The areas impacted will include Yonge Street from College and Carlton Streets, down to Queen Street, south of the CF Toronto Eaton Centre.
The city said it is considering the installation of a minimum four-metre-wide pedestrian clearway with paving stone, on each side of the street. Additionally, the four-lane roadway would be condensed down to one lane in each direction. A 2.7-metre-wide furnishing, planting, café and curbside “activity zone” will also be added on each side of the street.
So far, the city has already held three past consultations with the public, providing information on what they hope to achieve and how.
As they continue with the design stage, which has an end-date of 2028, the city said they’ll continue to consult with the public.
The City of Toronto’s next meeting will be a drop-in event at the Central YMCA at 20 Grosvenor Street on April 21. The meeting will begin at 5:30 in the auditorium on the second floor.
The city also asks that residents fill in a survey on yongeTOmmorow by May 5.
The repair and rejuvenation are slated to begin in 2030.
