Toronto's biggest new park in a generation is now open. Here is a closer look
Biidaasige Park, the biggest park to open in Toronto in a generation, is open to the public starting Saturday, July 19, 2025. Here's what it looks like
Published:
Image 0 of 14
Biidaasige Park Located in Toronto's Port Lands neighbourhood, the city's newest park is accessible by canoe, kayak, or paddleboard.
Biidaasige Park The sprawling 40 hectares of public space features a number of kid-friendly installations, nature walks and bike trails, as part of a revitalization of the former industrial site.
Biidaasige Park Construction of the park started in 2017, and included the creation of a new mouth and kilometre-long extension of the Don River.
Biidaasige Park The manmade rerouting of the Don River was a key part of $1.35 billion Port Lands flood protection project to protect the space from a regional storm or 100-year flood.
Biidaasige Park The Badlands Scramble, one of several kid-friendly features on the island dubbed Ookwemin Minising, is one of a few play areas in the park.
Biidaasige Park Christopher Glaisek, chief planning and design officer at Waterfront Toronto, says wildlife has been slowing coming back to the space since construction started on the project in 2017.
Biidaasige Park Glaisek said he's observed bald eagles, swans, and fish species at the harbour that the city hasn't seen in 50 years, including bluegill and smallmouth bass.
Biidaasige Park “We wanted people to be able to come back down here…because it was in a concrete box for the last 100 years and that was very unappealing, not a place you would want to go, not a place you would ever celebrate the river,” Glaisek said.
Biidaasige Park While the park will open Saturday, construction is still ongoing on the manmade island. Phase two will include the construction of 14,000 new homes for 25,000 people slated to begin next year as part of a $975-million investment from all three levels of government.
Biidaasige Park The Snowy Owl Theatre is seen in this image. The city says the structure has a stage built into its belly where kids can perform for fun or play with sound features, like a drum or bells.
Biidaasige Park Toronto Mayor Olivia Chow was on hand for the park’s unveiling Friday and said the previous industrial space was “really dirty” and “terrible.”
Biidaasige Park “It was a pile of garbage, and here we are. Wow, yeah, it is just amazing…let us just be very grateful. Feel gratitude. Imagine the joy we are all going to have (here),” Chow said, adding that she actually kayaked to the site Friday.
Biidaasige Park A zipline area is seen at one of the play areas on Biidaasige Park.
Biidaasige Park Biidaasige Park, pronounced “bee-daw-si-geh,” means “sunlight shining toward us” in Anishinaabemowin.
