West Don Lands
Encyclopedia
The West Don Lands are the site of a planned neighbourhood
under construction in Toronto
, Ontario
, Canada
. The area is bordered by the Don River
, King Street, Parliament Street and the rail line adjacent to the Gardiner Expressway
.
The region was originally a large city park in the old city of York
. It was sold off to private developers in the 1830s to finance the construction of a new city hospital. By the late nineteenth century it was part of the Corktown community which was home to working class Irish immigrants. Most of the land was industrial or owned by the railways, and it became the site of an array of factories and warehouses, including one of the largest pork processing facilities in the world
.
Deindustrialization of the 1970s saw most of the land abandoned. In 1987 the area was expropriated by the provincial government at the urging of Toronto mayor Art Eggleton
. The city proposed creating a new community of 14,000 called Ataratiri to solve Toronto's pressing subsidized housing crisis. The Ataratiri project was to have consisted of a mix of subsidized and market priced housing, similar to the development of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood further west. The name for the project was taken from the Huron word for "supported by clay" in reference to the clay soil of the area. After investing a considerable amount of money purchasing and clearing the site, the project eventually failed to attract private investors. The industrial history meant the soil was highly polluted and needed expensive cleanup before any residents could live there. The risk of flooding from the Don River also required a flood barrier to be erected. By 1992 the city and province had already invested some $350 million, and new estimates put the final cost at more than a billion more. The real estate market had also collapsed, making any private investment unlikely. The new provincial government of Bob Rae
thus decided to cancel the project in 1992. Since then the land has sat deserted.
A number of plans were advanced for the land. For a time the provincial government considered selling it to a developer who wanted to build a harness racing
facility, but local opposition put a halt to it. The lands were also have been a central part of Toronto's bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics
. In 2001, Mike Harris
pushed for a complete redevelopment of Toronto's waterfront, but mayor Mel Lastman
objected to the idea of removing parts of the Gardiner Expressway
. During Lastman's six years in office no progress was made on redeveloping the site.
His successor David Miller
made waterfront redevelopment a priority. In 2006 a new plan was announced to create a residential community on the abandoned area. According to Waterfront Toronto, plans for the area include nearly 6,000 new residential spaces with twenty percent being allocated as 'affordable' or 'subsidized' housing. Redevelopment plans include extensive integration with Toronto transit routes and 23 acres (9.3 ha) of public greenspace. The new Don River Park is likely to be the recreational core of the West Don Lands, linking the Don Valley Discovery Walk to a new Toronto waterfront. The location is crucial to providing improved non-vehicular access throughout the city to hundreds of thousands of pedestrians, cyclists, inline skaters
and mobility scooter
users. In 2009 it was announced that the West Don Lands would be the home of the athlete's village for the 2015 Pan American Games
.
Neighbourhood
A neighbourhood or neighborhood is a geographically localised community within a larger city, town or suburb. Neighbourhoods are often social communities with considerable face-to-face interaction among members. "Researchers have not agreed on an exact definition...
under construction in Toronto
Toronto
Toronto is the provincial capital of Ontario and the largest city in Canada. It is located in Southern Ontario on the northwestern shore of Lake Ontario. A relatively modern city, Toronto's history dates back to the late-18th century, when its land was first purchased by the British monarchy from...
, Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
. The area is bordered by the Don River
Don River (Toronto)
The Don River is one of two rivers bounding the original settled area of Toronto, Ontario along the shore of Lake Ontario, the other being the Humber River to the west. The Don is formed from two rivers, the East and West Branches, that meet about north of Lake Ontario while flowing southward into...
, King Street, Parliament Street and the rail line adjacent to the Gardiner Expressway
Gardiner Expressway
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, colloquially referred to as "the Gardiner", is a municipal expressway in the Canadian province of Ontario, connecting downtown Toronto with its western suburbs...
.
The region was originally a large city park in the old city of York
York, Upper Canada
York was the name of Old Toronto between 1793 and 1834. It was the second capital of Upper Canada.- History :The town was established in 1793 by Governor John Graves Simcoe, with a new 'Fort York' on the site of the last French 'Fort Toronto'...
. It was sold off to private developers in the 1830s to finance the construction of a new city hospital. By the late nineteenth century it was part of the Corktown community which was home to working class Irish immigrants. Most of the land was industrial or owned by the railways, and it became the site of an array of factories and warehouses, including one of the largest pork processing facilities in the world
William Davies Company
William Davies Company was a pork processing and packing company in Toronto, Canada. At one time, it was the largest pork packer both in Canada and the British Empire, and it operated Canada's first major chain of food stores...
.
Deindustrialization of the 1970s saw most of the land abandoned. In 1987 the area was expropriated by the provincial government at the urging of Toronto mayor Art Eggleton
Art Eggleton
Arthur "Art" C. Eggleton, PC is a former Canadian Cabinet minister and Mayor of Toronto, and is currently a Senator representing Ontario.-City council:...
. The city proposed creating a new community of 14,000 called Ataratiri to solve Toronto's pressing subsidized housing crisis. The Ataratiri project was to have consisted of a mix of subsidized and market priced housing, similar to the development of the St. Lawrence neighbourhood further west. The name for the project was taken from the Huron word for "supported by clay" in reference to the clay soil of the area. After investing a considerable amount of money purchasing and clearing the site, the project eventually failed to attract private investors. The industrial history meant the soil was highly polluted and needed expensive cleanup before any residents could live there. The risk of flooding from the Don River also required a flood barrier to be erected. By 1992 the city and province had already invested some $350 million, and new estimates put the final cost at more than a billion more. The real estate market had also collapsed, making any private investment unlikely. The new provincial government of Bob Rae
Bob Rae
Robert Keith "Bob" Rae, PC, OC, OOnt, QC, MP is a Canadian politician. He is the Member of Parliament for Toronto Centre and interim leader of the Liberal Party of Canada....
thus decided to cancel the project in 1992. Since then the land has sat deserted.
A number of plans were advanced for the land. For a time the provincial government considered selling it to a developer who wanted to build a harness racing
Harness racing
Harness racing is a form of horse racing in which the horses race at a specific gait . They usually pull a two-wheeled cart called a sulky, although racing under saddle is also conducted in Europe.-Breeds:...
facility, but local opposition put a halt to it. The lands were also have been a central part of Toronto's bid for the 2008 Summer Olympics
2008 Summer Olympics
The 2008 Summer Olympics, officially known as the Games of the XXIX Olympiad, was a major international multi-sport event that took place in Beijing, China, from August 8 to August 24, 2008. A total of 11,028 athletes from 204 National Olympic Committees competed in 28 sports and 302 events...
. In 2001, Mike Harris
Mike Harris
Michael Deane "Mike" Harris was the 22nd Premier of Ontario from June 26, 1995 to April 15, 2002. He is most noted for the "Common Sense Revolution", his Progressive Conservative government's program of deficit reduction in combination with lower taxes and cuts to government...
pushed for a complete redevelopment of Toronto's waterfront, but mayor Mel Lastman
Mel Lastman
Melvin Douglas "Mel" Lastman , nicknamed "Mayor Mel", is a former businessman and politician. He is the founder of the Bad Boy Furniture chain. He served as the mayor of the former city of North York, Ontario, Canada from 1972 until 1997. At the end of 1997, North York, along with five other...
objected to the idea of removing parts of the Gardiner Expressway
Gardiner Expressway
The Frederick G. Gardiner Expressway, colloquially referred to as "the Gardiner", is a municipal expressway in the Canadian province of Ontario, connecting downtown Toronto with its western suburbs...
. During Lastman's six years in office no progress was made on redeveloping the site.
His successor David Miller
David Miller (Canadian politician)
David Raymond Miller is a Canadian politician. He was the 63rd Mayor of Toronto and the second since the 1998 amalgamation. He was elected to the position in 2003 for a three-year term and re-elected in 2006 for a four-year term...
made waterfront redevelopment a priority. In 2006 a new plan was announced to create a residential community on the abandoned area. According to Waterfront Toronto, plans for the area include nearly 6,000 new residential spaces with twenty percent being allocated as 'affordable' or 'subsidized' housing. Redevelopment plans include extensive integration with Toronto transit routes and 23 acres (9.3 ha) of public greenspace. The new Don River Park is likely to be the recreational core of the West Don Lands, linking the Don Valley Discovery Walk to a new Toronto waterfront. The location is crucial to providing improved non-vehicular access throughout the city to hundreds of thousands of pedestrians, cyclists, inline skaters
Inline skating
Inline skating is a recreational sport practiced widely internationally. Inline skates typically have 2 to 5 polyurethane wheels, arranged in a single line. The in-line design allows for greater speed than roller skates and better maneuverability...
and mobility scooter
Mobility scooter
A mobility scooter is a mobility aid equivalent to a wheelchair but configured like a motorscooter. It is often referred to as a power-operated vehicle/scooter or electric scooter as well.-Description:...
users. In 2009 it was announced that the West Don Lands would be the home of the athlete's village for the 2015 Pan American Games
2015 Pan American Games
The 2015 Pan American Games, officially the XVII Pan American Games or the 17th Pan American Games, will be a major international multi-sport event that will be held from July 10–26, 2015 in Toronto, Ontario, Canada, with some events held in the suburbs of Ajax, Barrie, Brampton, Caledon, Hamilton,...
.
See also
- Port Lands
- Corktown
- Regent Park
- St. Lawrence MarketSt. Lawrence MarketSt. Lawrence Market is one of two major markets in Toronto, the other being Kensington Market.It features two buildings, both on the west side of Front St. East and Jarvis St. Each building holds different purposes:...
External links
- WATERFRONToronto Federal, provincial and local partnership encouraging progressive and sustainable development of the Toronto waterfront.