Industrial lot in Toronto's Port Lands now a public park

An old industrial lot in Toronto's Port Lands is now the city's newest park, complete with a public beach and a lookout tower with views of the downtown skyline and harbour.

Leslie Lookout Park, located on the Martin Goodman Trail at the entrance to Tommy Thompson Park, was officially opened to the public Saturday.

The park has nearly two acres of open space at the east end of the Shipping Channel. There are a variety of plants in a Japanese-style mini-forest, an artificial beach but no swimming and a 13.5 metre tower with a 360-degree view that takes in the surrounding Port Lands, the Islands, the Harbour and downtown Toronto.

Mohammed Khan, who lives nearby, was one of the first people to enjoy the park Saturday, bringing his two young children along.

"It's nice. The whole place used to be an industrial wasteland for the longest time," he said.

"With kids and everything, it's nice to have a place you can bring them over."

Leslie Lookout is the first major public space to open in the Port Lands area, according to city staff, an area with underutilized land the city has been trying to get developed.

"The city has reclaimed it and given it back to the community to use," Chow told reporters at the opening ceremony Saturday.

The park will also be available for year-round pop-up events like concerts and public art galleries.

Chow said the park helps connect people living in the city to the Port Lands and the Leslie Spit. To help people get there, the park has two Bike Share docking stations nearby, dozens of spots to lock personal bicycles and a bike repair station.

The park is also designed with asphalt that absorbs stormwater, meaning it doesn't rely on the city's stormwater system, something Chow has promoted throughout the city to reduce flooding.

Led and funded by CreateTO, the park project was designed by CCxA, the same firm that redeveloped other public waterfront spaces like HTO Park and nearby Sugar Beach and HTO Park. The inside of the watchtower includes a tribute to the project's lead designer, Claude Cormier, who died just a year ago.

Former Mayor John Tory first announced plans for the park in 2021. The project was spearheaded by local Coun. Paula Fletcher over a decade ago. It cost $8.5 million.

The city says it will continue to work with partners to continue development of the Port Lands.