Summer and sandy beaches go hand in hand, and Toronto is home to a number of them to bask away on, including one of the world’s best nude beaches.
Pretty soon, the city will get a brand new man made public beach along the waterfront in Toronto’s Port Lands, featuring forested dunes and a lookout tower.
Named Leslie Lookout Park, the sandy beach is located in the city’s east end off the Martin Goodman Trail by the entrance to Tommy Thompson Park.
Leslie Lookout joins Toronto’s other artificial beaches Sugar Beach and HTO Park, easily recognized by their signature pink and yellow umbrellas.
The CEO Vic Gupta of CreateTO posted on LinkedIn a sneak preview of the park, with some photos of the beach.
He wrote, “The park is set to open this summer and will be a transformative addition to Toronto’s east end, offering a public beach with forested dunes and a viewing platform for panoramic views of Toronto’s dramatic skyline.”
Leslie Lookout Park will spread over a 1.9 acre open space at 12 Leslie Street, overlooking the entire length of the Ship Channel.
Previously an industrial landscape, the park will transform into a new recreational hub for the public, offering year-round programming like pop-up events, concerts, and public art.
You can also spot a gorgeous mural which depict the Great Anishinaabe Migration on the construction hoarding surrounding the site, which was created by Indigenous artist and architectural designer Dani Kastelein-Longlade of Brook McIlroy.
The mural is on display at 12 Leslie Street until the park opens, and will then be relocated to a TBD site in the Port Lands for another 18 months.
Leslie Lookout Park does not yet have an official opening date, but is on track to be ready for this summer.