The Gardiner Expressway is, and will remain, a major artery in and out of Toronto. The elevated portion of the Expressway stretches some 6.5km through the heart of the City, across the entire length of the downtown. From a regional perspective, the Gardiner represents an essential connection between the sprawling communities of the Greater Golden Horseshoe Area and the core of the city itself. Locally the Gardiner has cut a physical and psychological barrier between the fabric of the city and arguably Toronto’s single greatest natural asset, Lake Ontario.
How do we reconcile the Gardiner’s functional role as a corridor for movement with its legacy as a barrier?
In August 2021, The Bentway put out a call for professional Canadian artists and designers to develop creative interventions that re-imagine the experience of two key under-Gardiner intersections for pedestrians and cyclists – York Street and Simcoe Street.
Waterfront ReConnect challenged proponents to explore and expose the layered histories of the Gardiner, to address safety, reinforce a sense of arrival and transition, and transform an obstacle into an opportunity for enhanced connectivity.
The Bentway announces winners of Waterfront ReConnect: Boom Town & Pixel Story! The designs will improve accessibility and civic engagement under the Gardiner Expressway, along Lake Shore Blvd at both York Street and Simcoe Street. Learn more >>
The Bentway has revealed six proposals for the next phase of Waterfront ReConnect. Explore the designs >>
On Monday January 10, 2021, the six shortlisted teams unveil their design proposals for the York Street and Simcoe Street intersections. Watch the recording >>
In October 2021, The Bentway announced the six shortlisted teams for the Waterfront ReConnect Design Competition. Learn more about the design teams >>
In the Summer 2021, The Bentway put out a call to professional Canadian artists and designers, who would develop creative interventions that re-imagine the experience of the intersections for pedestrians and cyclists at two key intersections under the Gardiner – York Street and Simcoe Street.
Partners
Special thanks to Diamond Corp and Lifetime Developments.