Parkdale’s waterfront has a rich history from its earlier days as a settlement for the Mississaugas, the French trading fort Fort Rouillé, to the mid 18th century settlement of European settlers and the establishment of Parkdale Village in 1879 and it’s annexation to Toronto on 1889.

The area changed dramatically with the building of the Gardiner Expressway in the mid-50s, demolishing the southern section of the neighbourhood together with the Sunnyside Amusement Park to expand Lakeshore Boulevard, thereby creating a barrier between the neighbourhood and the lakeshore.

Western Waterfront Plan:
The area of the Western Waterfront stretches from Ontario Place / Canadian National Exhibition Grounds (CNE) in the east to the Humber River in the west – a stretch of over 4km in length.  This area was once a recreation destination for early Torontonians.  This section of waterfront has been drastically underused over the past 30 years, due, in part, to the physical barriers created along this now major transportation corridor by the combination of the Gardiner Expressway, the CN/CP rail line and Lake Shore Boulevard West. The City of Toronto created a multi-year plan to re-establish the Western Waterfront as a recreation resource available to Parkdalians and all Torontonians.

To get more information:
Toronto Western Waterfront Master Plan
Waterfront Trail