Toronto's gorgeous new heart-themed park will officially open in June

Toronto will get its latest park in just a few weeks, as the City and Waterfront Toronto have announced an official opening date for the long-anticipated Love Park.

Fences around the hotly-anticipated new outdoor space — centred around a heart-shaped pond — will be lowered in just over three weeks as the park opens with a public celebration on June 23, from 12 to 4 p.m.

The new two-acre park at the southern foot of York Street and Queens Quay West adds a new gathering space to the city's vibrant waterfront on the former site of a spiral offramp serving the Gardiner Expressway, largely demolished in 2017.

The remaining highway supports were demolished in 2021, and construction for the new park would begin immediately after the last remnants of the ramp came down. In the time since, the park's whimsical design from renowned landscape architects CCxA has gradually come together as the public patiently waits.

Its central pond — framed by a massive red mosaic tile bench — is surrounded by plenty of new features for the public to enjoy, including green space, shaded areas, and a new off-leash area for the countless four-legged friends that pass through the area daily.

Other features will include a series of nine bronze-cast Canadian animals along with outdoor furniture, including sets of moveable café-style tables and chairs sponsored by the Waterfront BIA.

The park's design comes from the same minds behind some of Toronto's most-celebrated public spaces, including the redesign of Berczy Park with its famous dog fountain, Canada's Sugar Beach, and HTO Park.

The opening on the afternoon of June 23 is expected to be a celebratory affair, with Waterfront Toronto and the City planning to ring in the start of summer at the new park with live music, special guest speakers, activities, and what is cryptically described as "an exciting surprise for attendees."