Harbourfront is a Toronto neighbourhood located on the northern shores of Lake Ontario but only steps away from the city's core. Harbourfront extends from Bathurst Street in the west, along Queen's Quay with its ill -defined eastern boundary being either Yonge street or York Street. Its Northern boundary is the Gardiner Expressway. Toronto's harbour has been used since the founding of Toronto for shipping and industrial purposes. Prior to the 1972 Federal election , Prime Minister Pierre Elliot Trudeau announced the Harbourfront project, which would expropriate the industrial port lands from York Street west to Bathurst Street, south of Queen Quay and convert them to a cultural and residential district for Toronto, similar to the the Granville Island district in Vancouver. The federal government has converted the industrial area to an area mixed with art galleries , performance spaces, boating areas and parks. The surrounding neighbourhood, formally industrial has been converted by private land developers into a series of condominium towers overlooking the project and Lake Ontario.
Today, Harbourfront is an area booming with the growth of many new condomium towers both by the lake and north of the Gardiner express way. Easy access to transit makes it ideal for downtown commuters. Close to shopping, restaurants, Rogers Centre, Cn Tower and St.Lawrence market.
It is also host to many art festival events in the summer and has a large network of parks, open spaces and trails that allow its residences to walk, bike or rollerblade. Some of the highlights of the area include:
Harbourfront centre: Which is made up of galleries, performance arts spaces, craft studios, cermaics, glass and metal workshops. Some of these spaces provide artist subsidezed work spaces for people at the begining of their career.
Queens Quay Terminal: Which is a mixed use building which includes a Sobey's market, restaurants and shops which predominately catered to tourists.
Toronto Music Garden: Designed by Julie Moir Messervey in collaboration with cellist Yo Yo Ma. The inspiration for the 3 achre park comes from Bach's "First Suite for Unaccompanied Cello" and the curving paths move visitors through six garden moments- Prelude, Allemande, Courante, Saraband, Menuett and Gigue. The paths evoke the different moods and themes of the music.
The Canada Malting Silos: On the western edge of harbourfront lays vestage to the industrial past of the harbour as one of the original silos still stands.
The Power Plant: Is one of Canada's leading contemporary non- collecting art spaces. It continues to advance the artistic culture of the city by hosting very diverse living artists from both Canada and abroad. It also has many educational programs, hosts public events and produces more than 40 artist books publications every year.
Billy Bishop Airport:Allows you to catch a domestic flight just minutes away from your downtown condo. Pedestrian tunnel now makes walking to the airport so much easier.
Jack Laten Ferry Terminal: Located at the foot of Bay street along Queens Quay is a ferry slip that provides transportation between mainland Toronto and the Toronto Islands.
