Underpass Park to connect two halves of Toronto’s West Don Lands

Eastern Construction Co. Ltd. is putting its experience in urban park construction to use at the Underpass Park site in Toronto’s West Don Lands community.

The firm, whose credits include Canada’s Sugar Beach, Sherbourne Common and the Don River Park, is acting as construction manager on the project, the most extensive park to be built under an overpass in Canada and the first of its kind in Toronto.

Renato Tacconelli, the firm’s vice-president of operations and director of waterfront projects, said Eastern is pleased to be involved in the redevelopment of Toronto’s waterfront and proud to be part of the Waterfront Toronto development team.

“These are all beautiful parks that provide a unique experience for those who use them,” Tacconelli said.

“They are all challenging projects from a design and engineering standpoint, requiring a superior level of quality and skill.”

Underpass Park is poised to transform derelict space beneath the Eastern Avenue, Richmond Street and Adelaide Street overpasses into what Waterfront Toronto describes as “a bright and welcoming” neighbourhood amenity and a key public space in the West Don Lands.

The imposing concrete structures of the overpasses currently act as a barrier between the north and south parts of the community, the organization says.

Underpass Park “innovatively re-engineers” the area under the overpasses to create an inviting public space that connects the two parts of the West Don Lands, contributing to the vibrancy of the neighbourhood and the success of the development projects underway in the area.

Designed by the Vancouver landscape architectural firm Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg with The Planning Partnership of Toronto, the park is being built in two phases. The budget for Phase 1 is $4.7 million.

The portion east of St. Lawrence Street adjacent to both the River City private sector development and the new affordable housing complex by Toronto Community Housing is being constructed first. The first phase is expected to be completed by the end of 2011.

The second phase of the park, on the western side of St. Lawrence Street, will be built next.

Waterfront Toronto said construction of Underpass Park is another sign of the momentum and progress being made in the West Don Lands, which will be home to the Athletes’ Village during the 2015 Pan Am Games.

Work is well underway throughout the West Don Lands, both in the area that will be home to the Athletes’ Village and the areas surrounding it.

Since 2005, Waterfront Toronto has opened more than 17 new or improved parks or public spaces including wavedecks, sports fields, revitalized trails and new waterfront parks.

Last year the organization opened Canada’s Sugar Beach and Sherbourne Common South in the new East Bayfront neighbourhood. It started construction of Don River Park in the West Don Lands.

Waterfront Toronto has also finalized development agreements with Great Gulf Homes, Urban Capital and Hines for private sector projects on the waterfront as well as with George Brown College for development of its medical arts building on Queens Quay.

Waterfront Toronto together with the governments of Canada, Ontario and the City of Toronto recently celebrated the official start of construction on Underpass Park.