The empty lot at Queen and Augusta will become a Q-shaped plaza with a turtle

A new city park on Queen West will be complete by the summer of 2028, with construction beginning next year. The public space will feature a circular gathering space shaped like a Q (a reference to the park’s address), plus a turtle sculpture to represent Turtle Island, the name that some Indigenous peoples call North America.

There will be a variety of seating, an art panel, pathways and large stones throughout, as well as what the city is calling a “feature tree” in the central gathering space.

“The circular layout provides a flexible setting for community events,” reads a statement from the city. “From within the park, visitors will remain connected to the energy of Queen Street West.” The design was chosen as an amalgamation of three other options to better provide “shade and flexibility,” “gathering and storytelling elements,” and “biodiversity and observation opportunities,” as mandated via extensive community outreach.

The park is also steps from Toronto Community Housing’s massive redevelopment of Alexandra Park, which, when complete, will be home to more than 2,000 new units, a community centre and up to 5,700 square metres of retail, all of it covering 18 acres of downtown real estate.