After three years of work, Queens Quay will be officially reopened tomorrow. The kilometre-long project, designed by Rotterdam's West 8 and Toronto's DTAH after winning a design competition held by Waterfront Toronto, has moved all traffic to the north side of the roadway, rebuilt the streetcar tracks, significantly improved the Martin Goodman cycling trail through the Harbourfront area, added hundreds of new trees, and replaced narrower concrete sidewalks with vast areas of new granite walkways.

The last bits of Queens Quay are being readied for tomorrow's opening, image by Camil Rosiak

In the lead-up to the celebration, work crews have been scurrying to complete the last touches on the various components, above at Rees Street, and below on the Peter Street slip bridge.

The Peter Slip Bridge with the last fences on it, image by UT Forum contributor Megaton327

Street furniture including inviting new benches, wooden lampposts, and plenty of bike rings add both the aesthetic enhancements and practical equipment that this people place has long needed, but it's the feeling of generous space that now pervades the pedestrian realm here which makes the street so much more inviting.

Completed Martin Goodman Trail beside the York Quay Centre, image by UT Forum contributor Megaton327

A great way to come and see what has been accomplished is to participate in the opening celebration! Waterfront Toronto is still looking for volunteers to participate in the grand opening on Friday evening. If you are available and want to take part in this milestone ribbon cutting, show up wearing blue at the Simcoe Wave Deck between 3 PM and 5:30 PM. You will be needed until about 7 PM, but celebrations will continue long past then.

Martin Goodman Trail separated on the west end of Queens Quay, image by Craig White

Want to see the renderings that the Queens Quay plan has been working towards? Click on our dataBase file for the project, Linked below. Want to get in on the discussion? Choose the associated Forum thread link, or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.