Ookwemin Minising: Toronto's Pedestrian-First Waterfront Development Approved

On April 30, Waterfront Toronto's Design Review Panel unanimously approved the design for Ookwemin Minising, a new neighbourhood on a man-made island at the mouth of the renaturalized Don River. The project, a collaboration between GHD, SLA, Trophic Design, and Allies and Morrison, prioritizes pedestrians over cars with a 'Growing Streets' ethos. It includes 16 residential towers (30–48 storeys) providing 12,000 homes, up to 3,000 affordable, a 27% density increase. Centre Commons, a 760-metre fully pedestrianized corridor, will be Canada's longest. The Sandbar Trail traces the historic shoreline, highlighting Indigenous values. Streets double as stormwater management infrastructure, using nature-based solutions. Rasmus Astrup of SLA emphasized creating a 'living cityscape,' while Terence Radford of Trophic Design noted the design 'challenges what we typically see as heritage.' The neighbourhood builds on the earlier Biidaasige Park opening.