Guided by Neluka Leanage and Paul Young
Historically a large marsh, now a no-go zone in Toronto’s east side waterfront. Located a stone’s throw from downtown it is a mash-up of recreation, industry, shipping and wildlife. Two local “active transportation” planners will guide you through a section of this large scale landscape highlighting transportation challenges, new developments (some controversial!) and opportunities to get involved in shaping this vast area.
We will review how the Port Lands has transformed from one of the largest freshwater marshes in Lake Ontario to an industrial area. We’ll look at the tension between transportation (trucking, shipping, rail, cycling and hiking, wildlife migration) and land uses (wild park lands, recreation corridors, recreation complexes, shipping channels, emerging industrial concentrations, waste management, etc.).
Historically these tensions have attracted the attention of activists and visionaries. Today is no different. We’ll take in dramatic views of the shipping channel, big box retail impacts, concrete companies, expressway demolition and more. From there we’ll head to a local coffee shop to unwind.
This is the fallback content for users who cannot see the Google Map.
- Meeting Place:
Meet at the north-west corner of Leslie St and Lakeshore Boulevard East (just south of the Tim Horton’s).
- End Location:
We will finish at Carlaw Avenue and Queen Street East for a beverage at Mercury Espresso or an ice cream at Ed’s Real Scoop.
- Neighbourhood:
Lesliville, Portlands
- Public Transit Directions:
Queen E. street car to Leslie St. and walk two blocks south.
- Accessible:
We will walk along sidewalks and in some places there are paved multi-use trails. Beware however, that the route along Commissioners Street is rough with gravel and without sidewalks.
- Parking Available:
TBA
