I spent some time at East Bayfront as part of a Jane's Walk. Something I noticed is that many of the public places, like Sherbourne Common and Aitken Place Park, were designed with the right intentions but don't attract many people as they aren't conducive to urban life and are pretty ugly. Sugar Beach, on the other hand, is full of people listening to music, enjoying the water and downtown views, chilling with friends, and taking pictures. It's a beautiful and vibrant place that we need more of to create a spectacular waterfront. The thought of Parliament Slip makes me optimistic that we'll have more magical places that people will actually want to go to.

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Just look at those weeping willow trees! They're beautiful!
ICYMI: the Waterfront BIA is asking these same questions and has commissioned a study to explore how to enliven the promenade and Sherbourne Common North:

 
To be fair, it is only pretty recently that some businesses actually started opening in the buildings east of Sherbourne. And a big chunk of one is a dentist office, which is never going to make for a lively pedestrian experience.

I've been meaning to try the veggie burgers there, but haven't gotten around to it. Now that the weather is nicer, I will probably walk down there for lunch sometime. I got a really nice vindaloo last week from Nakhraa, which is in the Daniels yard.
 
Taken just now. Apparently Sugar Beach has returned to its original form: a parking lot.

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We go there pretty regularly because the toddler loves playing in the sand, and I love sitting in the shade in those chairs, and I wouldn't say that cars intruding is a particularly salient issue. I've seen it a handful of times.

The silly roads with parking on the eastern side of that promenade is a different story, though. There are cars everywhere, and it ruins the whole atmosphere.
 
The water intake pipes at Sherbourne Common will, WT says, be finished in spring 2023 and the work on the new boardwalk on top of the is " dependent on the completion of the in-water pipes project, which has been delayed due to due to supply chain challenges and productivity losses from winter conditions. Subject to funding, construction of the wooden boardwalk is anticipated to be completed next fiscal year (2023/24)."

More info on pp 64+ of https://www.waterfrontoronto.ca/sit...nt Committee Meeting - September 22, 2022.pdf
 
Dear Stakeholder,

Waterfront Toronto is working on the final piece of a large Stormwater Management System that services East Bayfront, the West Don Lands and future communities north of the Keating Channel.

The final piece includes construction of in-water pipes along the section of the Water’s Edge Promenade spanning the foot of Sherbourne Common from approximately Dockside Drive to the southern point of 15 Merchants’ Wharf, also known as the Aqualina at Bayside condos.

To reduce further delays, on Saturday, December 10, 2022, our contractor, Clearway, will begin working on Saturdays until the completion of the in-water pipe along the Water’s Edge Promenade (WEP). Construction work will not take place on the following Saturdays: Saturday, December 24 (Christmas Eve) and Saturday, December 31 (New Year's Eve).

As per the City of Toronto’s bylaw, construction work on Saturday will take place between the hours of 9am-7pm on the waterside of the Water’s Edge Promenade.

During this period, moderate vibrations and noise near the site are expected as well as a crane and vessels in the water. Pedestrians and cyclists will still have access to the full length of the WEP during this time.

Waterfront Toronto will continue to provide construction updates as plans are finalized and work progresses.
 

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