Don Valley Brickworks photo by billyd2

Incredible textures, colourful decay, striking beams of light, and the sense of adventure that comes with being an urban explorer (foraging into off-limits and abandoned parts of the city) have drawn hundreds of shutterbugs to the Don Valley Brickworks. They are some of the most photographed buildings in Toronto.

But come 2008, visitors will no longer have to hop fences or crawl through holes in the walls to visit the complex.

The federal government announced yesterday that they would be contributing $20million to the restoration and redevelopment of the historical site.

Evergreen will be converting the site into a model of sustainability and urban innovation with plans to showcase green design technologies and related community programming. Some of the features they hope will attract tourists and Torontonians alike include a farmers' market, restaurants, educational programs, a theatre, gardens and a nursery, as well as hiking and nature trails. I can hardly wait!

Check out some of the many Brickworks photos by blogTo Flickr Pool contributors (click to view larger):

by AtillaSoylu

by Photosapience

by Metrix*

by Gordon Jennings

Trevor Haldenby

by spotmaticfanatic

by Metrix*