Toronto Richmond Adelaide Centre: EY Tower | 188.05m | 40s | Oxford Properties | Kohn Pedersen Fox

NBGtect said:
Yes, biking is the best way to access the park. It's a very long walk!
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Indeed, it's a commitment to walk but it's a great one... you can really slow down time by strolling to the very tip of the spit. And there are separate routes on the north and south sides. Fantastic way to see the city too. We've biked out to the lighthouse several times but it's just as much fun to walk out even partially... particularly in the summer. Take some snacks and a few drinks and have a picnic.
 
I'm pretty sure that's the same lot I arrived at and it closed for the season or during week. It didn't have barricades up or anything but I was worried about getting a ticket.

How long is the walk on the trail to get the to the lookout point from the parking lot anyways?
 
Depending on your clip, a half hour to 45 or more... lots of people get out there in all seasons, it's a great workout. If you take the lakeside route, it has this lazy arc that takes you quite out of the way but it's also fabulous; the city really recedes and it's more about the lake and (a relative) silence. We biked it late last summer for the first time and we're amazed by how much longer the route felt.... but it was still extremely cool. The inner route is more direct and offers the best views of the cityscape. Both have their charms.
 
I biked the inner route and stopped for a break about half way through and to admire the bay and skyline backdrop from the end of this side path (the side path, facing north): https://www.google.ca/maps/@43.6266...4!1s-D0G4DyfBsasFwsuN_FNHw!2e0!7i13312!8i6656

It was around the twilight, so the sky was gorgeous and the lights of Aura were just coming on. It was one of the most incredible experiences I've had within the city. I would definitely go check it out on a nice, warm summer evening (best to go when the sun isn't blistering, probably).

Is there any plan to lengthen or widen the spit? I thought I read that it wasn't going to be expanded, but construction debris is still dumped there, no?
 
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The park isn't open all the time, so that may be why the parking lot was closed when you arrived @kotsy. The hours of operation:

Tommy Thompson Park is open to the public weekends and holidays, except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year's Day. Operating hours are 9 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. from November to March and 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. from April to November.​
 
Hopefully it will one day be open at all times.

Re that photo above (I've wondered this for a while); how/why was it permitted to alter the aesthetic of the CN Tower's main observation level with EdgeWalk? Since it is a heritage structure, and basically the most identifiable one in the city, shouldn't this defacement have been rejected? It has ruined the gracefulness of the sloped roof. The concept of EdgeWalk is neat, but the fact that it required the alternation of the pod's appearance, it should have been considered unacceptable. Money trumps all, I suppose.
 
Yeah I downloaded that photo and reuploaded it I probably should have mentioned that so thanks for editing that in
 
Armour said:
Hopefully it will one day be open at all times.
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The spit is an active construction site during the week with all the fill being dumped which is why it's closed during those times. Until that stops - it won't be opening all the time.

Also they've been doing a lot of work to cell 2 and cell 3 and the outer trail is "closed" but it doesn't seem to stop anyone from walking there. Be careful out there when it starts to get warmer - the garter snakes will start appearing.
 
I was under the impression the only dumping is from dredging operations which is not every day of the week. I guess fill is need to cap cell 2 if it's not done already.
 
Why can't I go in during the week?
The park is not open during the week because it is an active construction site with a steady flow of trucks bringing in more fill. As a construction site it presents many dangers to the public and is therefore closed during construction operations for safety reasons. The construction site property is owned by the Ministry of Natural Resources and is leased and operated by the Toronto Port Authority (TPA).

When does the dumping take place?
Lakefill operations run year long, Monday through Friday. For more information please visit: http://www.torontoport.com/.
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kotsy said:
I'm pretty sure that's the same lot I arrived at and it closed for the season or during week. It didn't have barricades up or anything but I was worried about getting a ticket.

How long is the walk on the trail to get the to the lookout point from the parking lot anyways?
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If the barrier is up when you arrive by car, just park on either side of Leslie Street, or along the north shoulder of Unwin Avenue, as I do. There are no parking meters and I've never seen anyone ticketed. I do the Spit walk regularly on weekends, but admittedly more so in the spring, summer and fall. This time of year, and particularly when the temps are as low as this, I take a pass and stick to my east side city walks. According to my Walkmeter App, the long route that I take at the Spit (following the southerly lakeside road and then along the westerly beach to the lighthouse and straight back) is ~7.5 miles, which you can do in under two hours. As Lenser mentioned, the Leslie Street Spit (Tommy Thompson Park) is an incredible treasure and the city's best kept secret. Being a downtown condo dweller and not having a cottage, the Spit allows me to "escape the city" and experience me some real nature. Best of all, my cottage country commute is only 5 minutes by car. Priceless.

Now getting back on topic, below are some peek-a-boo pics of the EY Tower I took this frigid Valentine's Day (as seen from my perch in the Distillery).





 
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