Infrastructure Ontario has issued a request for proposals seeking landscape architects with the expertise and capacity to design an urban park and waterfront trail along the east island of Ontario Place.
The park and trail project will transform a portion of the site most recently used for parking, providing public access to a section of Toronto’s waterfront for the first time in 40 years. It will link to an expansive, 780-kilometre waterfront trail system that includes parts of the Trans Canada Trail Ontario route as well as the Martin Goodman trail. Through public consultations, green space with access to the waterfront was among the top three priorities identified for a new Ontario Place.
Interested bidders will need to provide a statement of design intent, examples of similar projects, and an overview of their firm’s proposed project team. Bids will undergo rigorous evaluation to ensure the landscape architect chosen has the experience, expertise and capacity to successfully manage a project of this size and scope. The successful landscape architect is expected to be announced in fall 2013.
Once the landscape architect is selected, the public will be invited to provide input as part of the design phase. The final designs will be unveiled in spring 2014.
Infrastructure Ontario will also oversee the competitive procurement and construction of the park and trail, which will take place in three phases. Removal of the existing parking lot and site preparation are scheduled to begin in spring 2014, underground infrastructure and servicing in summer 2014, and construction of the park and its surface-level amenities in fall 2014.
