Enormous bear statue will watch over new Toronto park

Residents of Toronto may still have to wait a while longer for the much-postponed opening of the Eglinton Crosstown LRT, but there's one thing bearing the Crosstown name we can look forward to actually using in the coming days: a new park.

Located at the corner of Eglinton Ave. and Don Mills Road — which the LRT will serve with Don Valley Station, formerly known as Science Centre Station— Crosstown Park South, as it is presently being called, is a new green space coming to the rapidly evolving Flemingdon Park neighbourhood sometime in November.

And, while the addition of any and all public space is certainly exciting, aside from its Crosstown connection, the 3,120-square-metre park has one feature that will make it really stand out from the rest.

What the City calls a "larger-than-life" bronze statue of a bear sitting in a chair is, as of late October, being installed adjacent to the property, regally looking over the playgrounds that are gearing up to open.

Designed by Alberta-born, Toronto-based artist Dean Drever, who is known for his sculptures of the majestic animal, the piece is meant to "celebrate the bear as a protector and nurturer," the City says in a social media post about the stunning new feature.

Staff also added that the official name of Crosstown Park South will be divulged soon, just ahead of its public launch.

Concept designs of the park.

In total, the new park has both junior and senior play structures (including slides and swings), picnic and seating areas, creative shade structures, an open lawn, local flora and an amphitheatre, all connected by pathways.

It is part of the larger Crosstown-Eglinton mixed-use community development project, which will densify the area along the transit line with thousands of new homes across multiple towers.