Following a meeting on Thursday to outline a possible plan for the space, Exhibition Place may soon be looking at a transformation that will turn the popular summer spot into a year-round destination, dedicated to major events and festivals.
The Exhibition Place Vision Plan and Concept Scenario was endorsed by the Exhibition Place Board of Governors on April 16, allowing the plan to go to the next phase, which will include looking into planning and financing strategies, community consultation, and further talks with the provincial government, keeping the idea moving forward.
So far, the project’s outline was created with the hopes to implement a new front entrance, a nexus park which will include a food building for community hangouts.
Additionally, a festival plaza will also be contructed, which is planned out to be about 69,300 square feet in size, and would be able to potentially accommodate up to 20,000 guests.
Ultimately, the plan will help the area see updated transit incorporation due to the upcoming Ontario Line, more waterfront accessibility, and more capacity to host large events in multiple spaces.
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In a media release by Exhibition Place staff, the destination’s CEO Don Boyle said he was excited to be moving forward with the plan.
“This vision builds on the site’s rich history while positioning it to better serve Toronto,” he stated in part. “By evolving Exhibition Place from a collection of venues into an interconnected campus, the plan is designed to reduce pressure on city streets, support Toronto’s growing festival and events sector, and strengthen the city’s position as a global destination.”
The City of Toronto, though backing the plan, also raised some concerns when it came to maintaining specific aspects of the space.
In a review released by the city on Monday, prior to Thursday’s meeting, they outlined that the space’s plan must keep in mind a balance of three zones: spaces to relax, entertain, and exhibit.
“There is a risk that the current emphasis on the central Festival Plaza and related programming could begin to blur these distinctions, with the ‘Entertain’ function expanding into areas intended for more passive or heritage-focused use,” the city stated in part.
The city said as the plan moves forward, “particular care” should be taken in preserving the relax zone especially, as it’s a place where “parkland, heritage landscapes, and the surrounding neighbourhoods meet.”
Talks on the 192-acre grounds’ transformation will continue among the board of governors, the CEO, a city planner and the province. There is currently no projected start or end-date for the revitalized Exhibition Place.
