ABOUT THE PROJECT

The Landmark Project

The Landmark Project is one of the most significant open-space projects at the University of Toronto in the past 100 years. Our plan, based on more than a year of public consultation, envisions transforming the heart of our downtown campus into a greener and more accessible park-like setting, with a stunning network of pedestrian-friendly spaces. When completed, this historic space will once again serve as a thriving centre of campus life.

A more walkable and accessible campus

The University of Toronto Landmark Project will recapture the original open spirit of Front Campus and King’s College Circle (KCC) by creating an underground garage with 60 electric vehicle parking spaces and secure storage capacity for more than 300 bikes. A major geothermal field will also be installed beneath KCC, saving an estimated 15,000 metric tons of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions each year—equivalent to taking more than 3,000 cars off the road. It will make a significant contribution to greening the St. George campus and achieving our commitment to reducing U of T’s GHG emissions by 37 per cent from 1990 levels by 2030.

The Circle will become a beautifully integrated green space for the University community and the city at large. Winding granite pathways, dotted with colourful gardens and generous seating, will connect several new public spaces around the Circle creating dynamic new gathering places and a more integrated, safer and accessible campus.

Elevating our iconic spaces

The project will also rejuvenate the space surrounding Convocation Hall—the ceremonial heart of campus, where generations of graduating students have assembled to receive their diplomas and begin a new chapter in their lives. Here a spectacular new plaza will signal the significance this space holds for thousands of students, alumni and families, and provide a safer and more attractive passage to King’s College Circle.

Hart House Circle and Sir Daniel Wilson Quadrangle will also receive significant upgrades. Revitalized pathways will elevate the experience of passing through these spaces to Front Campus and King’s College Circle. A new plaza outside the Soldiers’ Tower will accommodate many types of gatherings and events, including the annual Remembrance Day ceremony. Granite pavers will extend from Soldiers’ Tower to a revitalized Tower Road, elevating the pedestrian experience along this important corridor.

Enhancing Back Campus

On Back Campus, new seating areas will create much-needed spaces for conversation, relaxation and quiet reflection. Resilient grasses, early-flowering trees and species that stay green well into the fall will be introduced, while a stately row of trees along Tower Road will frame the view south to the Soldiers’ Tower. The Back Campus fields will be integrated into the landscape with the addition of terraced seating, giving spectators a comfortable place to watch sporting events.

These elements, together with many more enhancements, will transform our campus into a much greener, more accessible and socially dynamic place. With the support of our community, we will reinstate the campus core as one of Toronto’s essential public spaces.