The city has announced the winner from a shortlist of five proposals for a park at 229 Richmond Street West in Toronto's entertainment district. Because for years it was a surface parking lot sandwiched between buildings on John Street and Duncan Street, stretching from Nelson Street to Richmond, the city held an international design competition for the site and presented a shortlist in October 2023 with five designs.
The winning design is called “Wàwàtesí,” the Anishinaabemowin word for “fireflies.” and comes from the team led by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, with contributions from hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective, ARUP, KG&A, ERA Architects and AW Hooker.
Aerial view of “Wàwàtesí” led by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (Image by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective
The design consists of two main components: a central lawn and an elevated platform – a “balcony” – from which to watch and perform. The balcony acts as an elevated walkway through the southern part of the site, offering visitors views north of the central lawn. Elsewhere on the site, the site is paved in what the design team has dubbed a “river playscape,” in reference to the river that once traversed the site.
“Wàwàtesí” concept led by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (Image by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective)
Focusing on the integration of landscape, light and performance, the design team describes the design as Toronto's first park with a curator who plans art events and installations. According to the team, the space beneath the balcony is a “canvas” for public art, allowing visitors to travel on multiple levels. On opening day, it is proposed that The Canvas will feature a permanent, slow-moving projection by public artist NADI: Aki Illuminations (translated from Anishinaabemowin: Earth Illuminations).
Public washroom in the “Wàwàtesí” concept, led by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (Image by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective)
The design includes a public washroom, here in the form of two cylindrical buildings with separate lockable washrooms, a communal water source, maintenance rooms and storage rooms. At night this building lights up like a “lantern”. The proposal includes streetscape improvements along Richmond and Nelson such as: B. a row of trees and planters as well as a designated area for a TIFF screen.
“Wàwàtesí” concept led by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (Image by West 8 Urban Design and Landscape Architecture, hcma Architecture and Design, Native Art Department International, MinoKamik Collective)
The area now has a population of 16,000 and a daily employment of 52,000 people within half a kilometer. The area is also popular after hours for its restaurants and clubs. While the number of people living and staying in the area has increased dramatically over the past few decades and more are being added, no new recreational spaces have been created in the area. The Wàwàtesí concept will be transformed into a more detailed site design before work begins to convert the 2,600 m² area into a park, which is expected to begin in 2025. Detailed site design will include greater public engagement, including finding a permanent name for the park.
The selected concepts for the space were judged by a panel of experts from the fields of landscape architecture, indigenous landscaping, architecture, urban design, art and climate resilience, with the jury evaluating each proposal based on various performance criteria, while also taking into account feedback from the public.
UrbanToronto will continue to monitor the progress of this development, but in the meantime you can learn more in our database file linked below. If you'd like, you can join the discussion in the associated Project Forum thread or leave a comment in the designated area on this page.
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