Toronto's Best Public Realm/Streetscapes

[Northern Light]

I just wanted to highlight this large planter at St. Joseph and Bay, it's such a nice little shaded green refuge, with a patio carved out for a quick pizza slice!

I was quite struck at how dense the plantings are, i'd really like to see more gardens planted to resemble a forest bed like this around the core!

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We're moving in that direction in terms of having larger open-air planters, with companion plantings (not just trees)

That said, there are lots of non-native plants in there, I see quite a few Hostas. Nothing wrong w/that per se in an urban context, but not exactly true forest. I think we under-utilize ferns for these types of settings.

 

[3Dementia]

I'm a little suprised that there aren't some cross-posts here of public realm stuff like the latest pocket park from Cormier (LOVE ), the evolving Wellington Street promenade (The Well), Bathurst Silos/Ireland Park (and future plans) etc.

I guess somebody with too much time on his/her/their hands should to get to work...?

 

[AlvinofDiaspar]

I would still treat St. George as the gold standard.

AoD

 

[Northern Light]

I've posted this section of streetscape before, but I was particularly impressed when I wandered by it on July 23rd, 2025.

Lower Sherbourne, between the rail corridor and The Esplanade:

This is lush, colourful, cheerful, well maintained, what's not to love? The street lights here are also the Victorian style and work well.

My only two ways this could be any better would be to replace the concrete sidewalk w/heritage style Toronto redbrick; and maybe find a pocket or two for some seating.

But that's being really nitpicky. This is really great!

 

[DSCToronto]

I've posted this section of streetscape before, but I was particularly impressed when I wandered by it on July 23rd, 2025.

Lower Sherbourne, between the rail corridor and The Esplanade:

View attachment 668832

View attachment 668833

This is lush, colourful, cheerful, well maintained, what's not to love? The street lights here are also the Victorian style and work well.

My only two ways this could be any better would be to replace the concrete sidewalk w/heritage style Toronto redbrick; and maybe find a pocket or two for some seating.

But that's being really nitpicky. This is really great!

Yes, this is maintained by the Old Town Toronto BIA and they really do a very good job with it. I wish Transportation would pay them to do more of these kinds of horticultural things!

 

[allabootmatt]

Yorkville Ave from Bay to Avenue is also looking outstanding: paving, planters, maintenance all top notch. Obviously a deep-pocketed and well-organized BIA makes a big difference.

Cumberland is somewhat shabbier, and still a very eclectic mix of nail salons and cheap sushi places, while a block north and south you have every big-bucks luxury retailer doing flagship spaces. It's weird!

 

[fiendishlibrarian]

Yorkville Ave from Bay to Avenue is also looking outstanding: paving, planters, maintenance all top notch. Obviously a deep-pocketed and well-organized BIA makes a big difference.

Cumberland is somewhat shabbier, and still a very eclectic mix of nail salons and cheap sushi places, while a block north and south you have every big-bucks luxury retailer doing flagship spaces. It's weird!

As someone who lives a block away, I think the BIA is figuring out what to do with that street (not currently having an Executive Director doesn't help, but that's another story). I think they're going to wait for construction along the stretch from Bay to Yonge (and whatever is happening to Cumberland Terrace) to finish before they decide what to do. There's been talk of doing the stretch from Bay to Avenue in the same manner as Yorkville was, but first the park needs to be extended to Bay and the current TTC entrance rebuilt into a proposed tower facing Bay (replacing that small office building). There was talk of actually pedestrianizing that stretch but I would be very surprised to see that happen as I've been hearing about that since I moved to the area fourteen years ago.