[ad_1]
Toronto’s East Bayfront continues to take shape as work continues on the infilled north area of the Parliament Street Slip as the City prepares to extend Queens Quay eastwards. In the meantime, two major public-realm additions opened in the area over the last couple months: the extended Water’s Edge Promenade, and the new East Bayfront Community Recreation Centre within the base of Aqualuna at Bayside. Overseen by Waterfront Toronto, the public realm work designed by West 8 and DTAH forms the foundation for an expanded mixed-use precinct surrounding the slip.
The Water’s Edge Promenade is seen here looking east in September, 2025, from its previously opened section south of Aquabella, between a double row of maturing maple trees. Where the trees are smaller and the sky opens up in the middle ground, is what opened this year. In the distance, the arch of the new Cherry Street North Bridge can be made out.
Looking west across the newly opened section, the maple leaf inspired patterns in the granite set paving stand out. Young, far more slender trees are set in circular tree pits, just starting their journey towards creating the lush canopy seen in the distance. To the right, Aqualuna’s wave-like balconies bracket the edge of the public realm, while timber-and-steel benches, another interpretation of wave structures, provide seating. Stainless-steel guardrails run along the lake edge.
At the north end of Aqualuna, the East Bayfront Community Recreation Centre’s main entrance is framed by curved curtain wall, its floor-to-ceiling glazing set within bronze-toned mullions.
Inside, the recreation centre’s double-height lobby and main hall overlooks the promenade and slip, with polished concrete columns and large-format porcelain tile flooring. A wood-slat cladding system wraps the mezzanine and reception desk. The centre features a gymnasium, fitness and dance studios, and multi-purpose rooms, as well as Indigenous-led programming.
Just to the northeast of Aqualuna where the north end of the Parliament Slip had been filled in over the preceding months following the removal of the former dock wall, the area has been undergoing earthwork to establish new grades for the future Queens Quay East extension. Dozers and excavators were shaping and compacting the imported fill, creating a stable subgrade for upcoming utility corridors and roadbed installation. The cleared expanse sits south the rising No. 31 Condos to the left, and west of the Victory Soya Mills Silos to the right.
In early November, 2025, crews were continuing to grade the newly filled land, preparing a temporary eastward extension to run the Martin Goodman Trail across the site. Heavy equipment remains staged across the site, with larger mounds of soil piled in some areas to press water out ahead of road and utility installation.
A high-angle view looking east shows earthworks advancing across the north end of Parliament Slip. An excavator and a compact roller are seen near an emerging trench being dug. To the left, newly delivered precast concrete chambers and pipe sections, components of the stormwater and sanitary system, are staged nearby the construction trailers.
Waterfront Toronto’s long-term vision calls for motorcraft, canoe, and kayak launch and dock facilities, seasonal concessions, a WaveDeck with swimming pool, and a marine transportation pier, all contributing to a hub for recreation, dining, and cultural programming.
UrbanToronto will continue to follow progress on these developments, but in the meantime, you can learn more about them from our Database files, linked below. If you’d like, you can join in on the conversations in the associated Project Forum threads or leave a comment in the space provided on this page.
* * *
UrbanToronto’s research and data service, UTPro, provides comprehensive data on construction projects in the Greater Golden Horseshoe—from proposal through to completion. Other services include Instant Reports, downloadable snapshots based on location, and a daily subscription newsletter, New Development Insider, that tracks projects from initial application.