It seems condominium developers in Toronto are always looking to outdo their own earlier projects, and set themselves apart from their competition, by including a diverse range of amenities with each new project. As the population of Toronto continues to grow with no signs of slowing, the number of pets living within condominiums is increasing too. Dog owners especially know that cleanliness and finding enough space for their pooch to exercise can be a problem. Fortunately, UrbanCapital's River City in the West Don Lands is offering two amenities to make life a little easier for dog owners. 

Scale models depicting the three River City phases, image by Marcus Mitanis

This past Saturday, UrbanCapital invited River City residents and their beloved dogs to an event celebrating Emma Park, a 4,360 square foot off-leash dog park set to open in 2017. Created in the shape of a bone and filled with pea gravel, the space will include art in the form of several playful fire hydrant installations.

River City residents will be able to enjoy private access to the dog park, image by Marcus Mitanis

The park was named to honour the memory of Emma the Pug, who belonged to UrbanCapital's Co-Founder David Wex. This newest amenity will be exclusively available to River City residents, and like Phase 3's outdoor spaces, will be designed by renowned landscape designer Claude Cormier + Associés. 

Emma Park will feature whimsical fire hydrant sculptures, image by Marcus Mitanis

The park will be located between the third phase of River City and Underpass Park, which sits underneath Eastern Avenue. The addition of Emma Park represents yet another attractive place for residents to walk their dogs. With Corktown Common across Bayview Avenue on one side, and Lawren Harris Square across River Street on the other, there is no shortage of public space in the area. 

Dog treats were in abundance at the event, image by Marcus Mitanis

On Saturday, dog owners had the chance to take home treats, plus portraits and paw prints of their pet. 

Dog owners could take home a print from their pet's paw, image by Marcus Mitanis

Saucier + Perrotte Architects' vision for the first two phases of River City has mostly come to life, with some work continuing on the second building. The sharp and bold black design of River City's first tower is contrasted by an opposing white exterior in its second phase.

The first two phases of River City, image by Marcus Mitanis

The third phase will take both the dark and light elements of the first two towers and combine them in an ultra-modern design that features protruding metal-clad boxes.

Three phases of River City represented in scale model form, image by Marcus Mitanis

The 29-storey dog-friendly tower will also include a pet cleaning station in its amenity package. That is in addition to an outdoor lounge and pool, 2,000 square foot gym, two-storey party room and theatre, reading room, hobby room, yoga studio, children's playroom, and a boardroom-equipped office and productivity centre. 

The Bayview Avenue frontage of River City 3, image by Marcus Mitanis

With 333 units in the building, there are plenty of suite layouts to choose from, including a selection of townhomes. Units range in size from 327 square feet to 1,663 square feet, and those attending the Saturday event also had the opportunity to tour a model suite. Construction is expected to begin this September, shortly after the neighbourhood calms down from the excitement of the Pan Am Games. 

Dog portraits were offered to those in attendance, image by Marcus Mitanis

Developers are increasingly offering unique amenities that cater to residents, including those of the four-legged variety. Not only does that give pet owners more freedom and less to worry about, it provides those looking for a companion further incentive to adopt. In a busy city where downtown living is a realistic and attractive option for many, expect dog-centred amenities to become the more common as Toronto continues to densify. 

River City 3 will climb 29 storeys, image by Marcus Mitanis

Additional information and renderings can be found in our dataBase file for the project, linked below. Want to get involved in the discussion? Check out the associated Forum threads, or leave a comment using the space provided at the bottom of this page.