Photo: “Ribbons of road and rail” by viviloob via flickr.
Les Klein, a local architect in Toronto, believes it would be a boon to the city to add a roof to the Gardiner Expressway. He proposes to make this into a park which would include trees, cycle paths and walking trails, all over-top of a roaring highway. It is an interesting, yet provocative, idea for sure. Any change to Toronto’s downtown behemoth would be welcome to what is now a crumbling eyesore.
His idea, called “Green Ribbon”, would include the addition of a new level about 8 metres above the highway’s elevated section. Columns would be added to the side to anchor a new level, which would become a linear park stretching for 7 kilometres. The project would also include solar panels and wind turbines to power light fixtures along Lake Shore Blvd., which would also undergo changes and be made more pedestrian-friendly.
His proposed project is not unique. It borrows inspiration from Queensboro Bridge in New York, and Manhattan’s High Line Park, built on an abandoned railway line.
