Latest news with #MichaelVanValkenburghAssociates
Edmonton Journal
30-07-2025
- General
- Edmonton Journal
Toronto's reclaimed Port Lands built to withstand another Hurricane Hazel
Article content To reclaim the Port Lands, Toronto partnered with the U.S.-based landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, which has worked on the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Article content Laura Solano, the lead designer, said the project was 'duty bound to address catastrophic flooding,' but stressed it offered 'much more.' Article content Because the area has been reformed to cope with flood waters, parts have been declared safe for new housing — an urgent need in the expensive metropolis. There is also a new park, trails and people can canoe or kayak through the rehabilitated Don. Article content Article content Solano stressed Toronto's initial decision to alter the area was consistent with the times, when North American cities moved to 'industrialize their waters … to raise their economic position.' Article content But now, 'every city is looking to reclaim their waters,' she told AFP. Article content Article content The Port Lands 'shows the world that it's possible to fix the past and turn deficit and remnant industrial lands into living and breathing infrastructure.' Article content Article content 'It's all planned so that it can flood, the water level can rise, the river can get about three, maybe four times wider than it is now, absorb all of that volume of water,' he said. Article content 'When the storm event subsides, it will shrink back down to this.' Article content It's a planning approach that recognizes 'we're seeing more and more of these events.' Article content 'Like in Texas, you see very tragic outcomes when you haven't really tried to plan for nature,' he told AFP, referring to flash floods in early July that killed at least 135 people. Article content He urged planners to 'reposition' their relationship to nature and ditch the mindset that 'humans (can) control everything.' Article content 'Let's acknowledge the river is going to flood. Let's build the space for it.'
Int'l Business Times
30-07-2025
- Business
- Int'l Business Times
Canada Project Reclaims 'Foul' Industrial Area To Contain Floods
The spur to build Toronto's billion-dollar-plus flood prevention project dates back to a devastating hurricane in 1954, but planners say its urgency was reinforced by the recent tragic flooding in Texas. The Port Lands project has, in part, reversed a consequence of industrialization by reconnecting Lake Ontario with the Don River, more than a century after they were severed to create an industrial area. Chris Glaisek, chief planning officer at the municipal body Waterfront Toronto, said the idea was to "heal the land from the way it was repurposed 100 years ago," with a focus on "flood protection and naturalization." The complex project -- one of the largest in Toronto's history with a cost of Can$1.4 billion (US$1 billion) -- included digging a river valley and the creation of two new river outlets, with wetlands and marshes to absorb excess water during extreme storms. The mouth of the Don River was once the Great Lakes system's largest fresh water marsh, a rich habitat and vital food resource for Indigenous people before colonization. But Toronto, like many North American cities, saw industrial growth in the late 19th Century. Much of the marsh was drained and filled in to make room for a port industrial area, while the river was re-routed into a man-made channel. The Port Lands never thrived as an industrial area, leaving a vast stretch of eastern downtown under-used, and the Don River became polluted. "It was really dirty, it was foul, it was terrible," Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said recently. On October 15, 1954 Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto, after hammering parts of the Caribbean and eastern United States. It killed 81 people across the Greater Toronto Area and served as catalyst for the city to get serious about flood protection. Hazel flooded the Humber River, in western Toronto, but Glaisek said "it was understood at the time that that same amount of rainfall, had it landed on the (eastern) Don, would have done a comparable amount of damage." He called Hazel an initial "impetus" to re-naturalize the Port Lands, but rising awareness over the past two decades about the causal link between climate change and extreme floods helped advance the project. To reclaim the Port Lands, Toronto partnered with the US-based landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, which has worked on the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Laura Solano, the lead designer, said the project was "duty bound to address catastrophic flooding," but stressed it offered "much more." Because the area has been reformed to cope with flood waters, parts have been declared safe for new housing -- an urgent need in the expensive metropolis. There is also a new park, trails and people can canoe or kayak through the rehabilitated Don. Solano stressed Toronto's initial decision to alter the area was consistent with the times, when North American cities moved to "industrialize their raise their economic position." But now, "every city is looking to reclaim their waters," she told AFP. The Port Lands "shows the world that it's possible to fix the past and turn deficit and remnant industrial lands into living and breathing infrastructure." As Glaisek described the project, he stood on a bank that would, by design, be under water during a major storm. "It's all planned so that it can flood, the water level can rise, the river can get about three, maybe four times wider than it is now, absorb all of that volume of water," he said. "When the storm event subsides, it will shrink back down to this." It's a planning approach that recognizes "we're seeing more and more of these events." "Like in Texas, you see very tragic outcomes when you haven't really tried to plan for nature," he told AFP, referring to flash floods in early July that killed at least 135 people. He urged planners to "reposition" their relationship to nature and ditch the mindset that "humans (can) control everything." "Let's acknowledge the river is going to flood. Let's build the space for it." The mouth of the Don River was once the Great Lakes system's largest fresh water marsh, a rich habitat and vital food resource for Indigenous people before colonization AFP The Port Lands never thrived as an industrial area, leaving a vast stretch of eastern downtown under-used, and the Don River became polluted AFP The Manitou Mkwa Signers perform a song along the banks of Don River in Toronto's Port Lands Flood Protection Project AFP
France 24
30-07-2025
- Business
- France 24
Canada project reclaims 'foul' industrial area to contain floods
The Port Lands project has, in part, reversed a consequence of industrialization by reconnecting Lake Ontario with the Don River, more than a century after they were severed to create an industrial area. Chris Glaisek, chief planning officer at the municipal body Waterfront Toronto, said the idea was to "heal the land from the way it was repurposed 100 years ago," with a focus on "flood protection and naturalization." The complex project -- one of the largest in Toronto's history with a cost of Can$1.4 billion (US$1 billion) -- included digging a river valley and the creation of two new river outlets, with wetlands and marshes to absorb excess water during extreme storms. The mouth of the Don River was once the Great Lakes system's largest fresh water marsh, a rich habitat and vital food resource for Indigenous people before colonization. But Toronto, like many North American cities, saw industrial growth in the late 19th Century. Much of the marsh was drained and filled in to make room for a port industrial area, while the river was re-routed into a man-made channel. The Port Lands never thrived as an industrial area, leaving a vast stretch of eastern downtown under-used, and the Don River became polluted. "It was really dirty, it was foul, it was terrible," Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow said recently. Hurricane Hazel On October 15, 1954 Hurricane Hazel hit Toronto, after hammering parts of the Caribbean and eastern United States. It killed 81 people across the Greater Toronto Area and served as catalyst for the city to get serious about flood protection. Hazel flooded the Humber River, in western Toronto, but Glaisek said "it was understood at the time that that same amount of rainfall, had it landed on the (eastern) Don, would have done a comparable amount of damage." He called Hazel an initial "impetus" to re-naturalize the Port Lands, but rising awareness over the past two decades about the causal link between climate change and extreme floods helped advance the project. 'Duty bound' To reclaim the Port Lands, Toronto partnered with the US-based landscape architecture firm Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, which has worked on the Brooklyn Bridge Park and the Obama Presidential Center in Chicago. Laura Solano, the lead designer, said the project was "duty bound to address catastrophic flooding," but stressed it offered "much more." Because the area has been reformed to cope with flood waters, parts have been declared safe for new housing -- an urgent need in the expensive metropolis. There is also a new park, trails and people can canoe or kayak through the rehabilitated Don. Solano stressed Toronto's initial decision to alter the area was consistent with the times, when North American cities moved to "industrialize their raise their economic position." But now, "every city is looking to reclaim their waters," she told AFP. The Port Lands "shows the world that it's possible to fix the past and turn deficit and remnant industrial lands into living and breathing infrastructure." 'The river is going to flood' As Glaisek described the project, he stood on a bank that would, by design, be under water during a major storm. "It's all planned so that it can flood, the water level can rise, the river can get about three, maybe four times wider than it is now, absorb all of that volume of water," he said. "When the storm event subsides, it will shrink back down to this." It's a planning approach that recognizes "we're seeing more and more of these events." "Like in Texas, you see very tragic outcomes when you haven't really tried to plan for nature," he told AFP, referring to flash floods in early July that killed at least 135 people. He urged planners to "reposition" their relationship to nature and ditch the mindset that "humans (can) control everything."
CBC
24-04-2025
- CBC
Riverfront revamp: Windsor's historic streetcar and Detroit's massive multi-use park
While the relationship between Canada and the U.S., is strained on many fronts, Windsor and Detroit's shared riverfront remains a certainty. The geography between the cities is undeniable and both municipalities are seeing new fairly significant landmarks pop up along the river's banks. Thursday marks the official opening of Windsor's Legacy Beacon off Riverside Drive West near Caron Avenue. Work has been underway since the start of the summer in 2023. It's believed the historic streetcar No. 351 was built in Ohio in 1918 and later purchased by the Sandwich, Windsor and Amherstburg Railway in 1926. It's 15 metres long and almost 11,000 kilograms. The cost of the project has risen steadily since council gave it the go-ahead in 2017 — coming in at $10.3 million. It will include spots to eat and drink, and a patio overlooking the river. Back in 2020, city council greenlit a budget of $7 million for the project, then called the Celestial Beacon. "This streetcar is a relic from Windsor's past — one of those unique artifacts that is important because it is truly authentic to the city of Windsor's history," said Mayor Drew Dilkens. He said when the city discussions first occurred about what could be done with the streetcar it wasn't clear what they were going to do. "But I knew we had to do something," he said. "It was important to find a new life for the streetcar, and to write a new chapter for it in our community. Thursday morning's unveiling will be followed by guided tours and an onsite historical exhibition, according to the city. Tours will continue through Sunday as well as live entertainment. Detroit waterfront site reimagined Detroit's Ralph C. Wilson, Jr. Centennial Park project has also been years in the making. The nine hectares of land sit along the riverfront between the Ambassador Bridge and Detroit's downtown. It connects the east riverfront to the west riverfront. The Detroit River Conservancy purchased the property in 2007 and construction started in 2022 with an official groundbreaking. A landscape architect for the project says a key focus throughout the design process was for the park to illustrate a strong connection to the river and its uniqueness to southeast Michigan and Ontario. "We wanted to make a design that took advantage of the long views up and down the river as well as across," said Nate Trevethan from Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates. "If you were a kid growing up in the region and you didn't have the ability to get to some of the … outer parts of the Great Lakes, you could have an experience of the Great Lakes right within your city." Trevethan says young kids and teenagers were also kept top of mind when they were designing and consulting with the community. The park is roughly divided into different areas. One is a play garden highlighting animals from the region such as bears, otters and beavers. Another area in the park is a sports facility including two basketball courts. "It's covered but it doesn't have walls," said Trevethan. The other key parts of the park are a water garden and downriver large hill — a place to sled in the winter but something that can be used in all four seasons, he said. Knitting all of those areas together is a "serpentine cherry tree walk." "Typically the waterfront edge in Detroit is … kind of hard and linear and we were trying to do something different that will kind of help you to experience the park in a new way and the water's edge in a new way." Trevethan says a difference most people from the region will notice right away is the removal of the concrete bulkhead along the length of the park. "That was pretty intentional, both for just making a more natural shoreline to the river, but also for maintenance." He said looking across the water from Windsor, you'll also quickly notice large animal statues peering over the landscape and the topography of the land.
