Hume's Waterfront Tour: Toronto's newest beach set to open
It may be called Canada's Sugar Beach, but it belongs to Toronto.
Sitting at the foot of Jarvis St., south of Queen's Quay, this small facility remains a construction site. When finished, it will include a maple-leaf shaped splash pad, a sandy beach, tree-lined promenade, numerous pink umbrellas as well as two large rock outcroppings hacked out of the ground in Quebec and re-installed here.
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Designed by Montreal landscape architect Claude Cormier, Sugar Beach will be a great place to watch tankers being unloaded at the Redpath sugar refinery just across the slip. It is also well situated for attending events that occur on the Corus Entertainment headquarters now under construction directly to the east.
Though some might wonder the decision to put a beach in a former industrial location such as this, there's no doubt this is a project remarkable for its urbanity. This is the sort of place that cities usually try to ignore. This time around, it has been celebrated. It might take a bit of getting used to, but so far the chances of success look good. The facility won't be large, but its location opens up an important spot on the waterfront and makes it attractive as well as accessible. It will also help get people to the water's edge and the promenade that will eventually carry on east to Parliament St. and beyond.
Canada's Sugar Beach will open in late June.
