As part of the massive project to revitalize the Toronto waterfront, a total of four new arch bridges have been built in the Port Lands. These bridges will protect the area from flooding, create a naturalized mouth for the Don River, and connect the future Villiers Island (now officially named Ookwemin Minising) to downtown Toronto. These are much-needed changes for our waterfront:
The currently underused industrial area will be transformed into the vibrant and resilient downtown neighbourhood of Villiers Island/Ookwemin Minising. The master plan is to make it a community with housing, parks and a range of transportation options.
I had not been down into this area for quite a while, so I was interested in seeing the new bridges and multiple changes that have so far been put in place.
The Commissioners Street Bridge
Opened in January 2024, the Commissioners Street Bridge is part of Waterfront Toronto’s $1.3 billion revitalization project. This bridge, as well as the Cherry Street North bridge, provides access to all manner of vehicles. It also includes future streetcar routes to the new Villiers Island neighbourhood.
Designed by Entuitive, schlaich bergermann partner (sbp), and Grimshaw Architects, completion of all the bridges is a key component of the Waterfront Toronto’s Port Lands Flood Protection Enabling Infrastructure (PLFPEI) project, which aims to transform 500 acres of previously underused land into a thriving urban space.
According to urbantoronto.ca, the new bridge designs… have earned North American and European accolades including recognition by the Institution of Structural Engineers and the National Council of Structural Engineers Associations. Their sleek, flowing curves are visually compelling and incorporate a hybrid shell-arch structure, optimizing material efficiency and adapting to the unique environmental and foundational challenges of the area.
The Commissioners Street Bridge is the longest of all the new bridges.
Cherry Street South Bridge
This new yellow and white bridge opened in January 2024. It enhances accessibility along the waterfront and serves both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. The bridge features modern engineering reflecting the city’s commitment to improving transportation:
The new Cherry Street South bridge carries the realigned street of the same name over the future mouth of a rerouted Don River now being carved out through the Port Lands, at what is now the Polson Slip, just north of Polson Street.
Cherry Street Strauss Trunnion Bascule Bridge
This is the last of the “old” bridges on Cherry Street, but it’s doubtful it will ever be replaced due to its unique function. It is a Bascule bridge, meaning the structure has the ability to pivot to a vertical position so that ships may pass through the Toronto Harbour Ship Channel below. The bridge has 750-ton concrete counterweights that assist in this lifting function (the white segments on each side of the bridge in the shot below):
This bridge was built in 1930 by the company of Joseph Strauss and the Dominion Bridge Company. Toronto Mayor William Stewart officially opened the bridge on June 29, 1931.
This Bascule bridge was listed under the Ontario Heritage Act by the City of Toronto in 1992 as architecturally historical.
Cherry Street North Bridge
Another of the new bridges. This one is on the newly aligned Cherry Street, spanning the Keating Channel. The left bridge is intended for vehicles, bikes and pedestrians, while the smaller one will be dedicated to future LRT:
This bridge had a mostly-Canadian development, being produced in Dartmouth, Nova Scotia. In October 2020 it left Dartmouth by barge and travelled along the St. Lawrence Seaway to Toronto. The bridge foundations had already been completed, ready for the arrival. When the barge arrived in Toronto’s Inner Harbour, the prefabricated steel superstructure was placed on the completed foundations, and crews then completed the installation.
Looking Ahead…
The Keating Channel Pedestrian Bridge
This will be an active transportation bridge connecting downtown to the new island, Ookwemin Minising, and Biidaasige Park. Anticipated to open in mid-2028, the bridge will provide a vital connection and stand as a gateway to Toronto’s next chapter of waterfront revitalization.
The bridge features a signature “S” shaped suspended arch bridge connected by an array of fanning cables that evokes the sun’s path during solstices and equinoxes, creating a dynamic experience that changes with each step and season.
This project is a partnership between Waterfront Toronto and the City of Toronto, in collaboration with Host Nation and Treaty Holder, the Mississaugas of the Credit First Nation (MCFN).
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