Queens Quay runs east-west parallel to the waterfront of Lake Ontario. The new world-class Queens Quay links major destinations along the water’s edge and has created a pedestrian- and cyclist-friendly public realm. Now a grand civic meeting place, Queens Quay has produced economic vitality and ground floor retail activity, while creating a lasting legacy for the city that is both beautiful and functional.

The redevelopment of Queens Quay is one of the sub-projects from the 2006 award-winning Toronto Central Waterfront Master Plan. Designed by West 8 in collaboration with DTAH and developed by Waterfront Toronto, this 1.7km (2 mile) waterfront boulevard was officially opened in June 2015.

The reconstruction of Queen Quay noticeably reorganized traffic: reducing the number of lanes of traffic on the street from four to two, placing a dedicated Light Rail Transit (LRT) Corridor in the middle, and adding wider granite sidewalks on both sides of the street. The Martin Goodman Trail (a multi-use recreational trail along the waterfront) has been extended and now runs along the broad south side of the street.

The generous pedestrian sidewalk, equally on the south side, includes a double row of 240 trees. All trees are planted inside a silva cell, a hollow frame that contains a generous amount of soil for the tree while supporting the weight of the pavement above. Built-in irrigation channels in the pavement steer rainwater to the trees’ roots and then the overflow into the sewer system.

 

Partners
In joint venture with DTAH

Consultants
Design Engineer: Arup; Site Engineer: WSP Global (MMM Group); Electrical, Streetlighting and Signalization: TSL Consulting + Design Group Ltd; Structural: WSP Global (Parsons Brinckerhoff Halsall Inc.); Urban Forestry: James Urban and Associates; Quantity Surveying: A.W. Hooker Associates Ltd; Traffic Management: BA Group; Irrigation: Smart Watering Systems; Utility Coordination: DPM Energy Inc; Environmental and Geotechnical: LVM Franz, Toronto, and Golder Associates; Construction Manager: Eastern Construction Company Limited

Photography
Nicola Betts

Client

Waterfront Toronto

Partners

Design Engineer: Arup; Site Engineer: WSP Global (MMM Group); Electrical, Streetlighting and Signalization: TSL Consulting + Design Group Ltd; Structural: WSP Global (Parsons Brinckerhoff Halsall Inc.); Urban Forestry: James Urban and Associates; Quantity Surveying: A.W. Hooker Associates Ltd; Traffic Management: BA Group; Irrigation: Smart Watering Systems; Utility Coordination: DPM Energy Inc; Environmental and Geotechnical: LVM Franz, Toronto, and Golder Associates; Construction Manager: Eastern Construction Company Limited

Awards

Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence 2017; Consulting Engineers of Ontario, Award of Merit in Transportation 2016; CSLA Awards of Excellence honorable mention 2016; Brownie Award Best Overall Project - Neighbourhood Scale 2015; Toronto City Planning Award of Excellence 2007