Yonge Street now more pedestrian (and patio) friendly

You may have noticed some construction and a whole lot of greenery creeping up on Yonge St., around the Eaton Centre. No, it's not just senseless digging--rather, the area is being transformed into an urban, natural playground.

The crowded, concrete strip will become a green oasis of trees, boulders, logs, grass, and soil. It will also feature a 30-seat amphitheatre built into the dirt, 3 patios and a cedar fort. The design of the natural playground itself is courtesy of Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds.

The project is part of the Celebrate Yonge initiative, a community-based, month-long event that aims to transform a stretch of Yonge St. with art installation, public seating areas (and larger pedestrian zones), and activities. I can't help but wonder if they're prepared for what I think will be an outpouring of enthusiasm from pedestrians and cyclists (and equal amounts of rage from drivers).

The green space project is funded by ING Direct, the Canadian Wildlife Federation, Parks Canada and the Robert Bateman Foundation; it's slated to be completed on August 18, and will remain in place until September 18.

Additional photos:

Photos by Jimmy Lu