Jack Layton Ferry Terminal

Jack Layton Ferry Terminal
Jack Layton Ferry Terminal main passenger gates
General information
Location9 Queens Quay West
Toronto, Ontario
M5J 2H3
Coordinates43°38′25″N 79°22′31″W / 43.64028°N 79.37528°W / 43.64028; -79.37528
Owned byCity of Toronto
Operated byToronto Ferry Company (1892–1926)
Toronto Transit Commission (1926–1961)[1]
Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division (1961–present)
Line(s)Toronto Island ferries
Connections Queens Quay station
TTC buses
Construction
AccessibleYes
Other information
WebsiteCity of Toronto webpage
History
Opened19th century
Rebuilt1972[2]
Passengers
20091.2 million per year[3]
Services
Preceding station Toronto Island ferries Following station
Terminus Ward's Island Ferry Ward's Island
Terminus
Centre Island Ferry Centre Island
Terminus
Hanlan's Point Ferry Hanlan's Point
Terminus

The Jack Layton Ferry Terminal (formerly called the Toronto Island Ferry Docks) is the ferry slip for Toronto Island ferries operated by the City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division. Three ferry routes provide transportation between mainland Toronto and Centre Island, Hanlan's Point and Ward's Island in the Toronto Islands, with levels of service to each destination differing depending on time of year. The terminal is located in the Toronto Harbour, behind the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel and adjacent to Harbour Square Park. It is south of Bay Street and Queens Quay in Toronto, Ontario, Canada.

The Toronto Island Ferry Docks were renamed the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal in 2013 to honour Jack Layton, who served as a Toronto city councillor, and was later leader of the New Democratic Party (NDP) and leader of the Official Opposition.

History

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The main departure point from the city to the Island has been at the foot of Bay Street since the 19th century.[1]

First terminal location (19th century–1918)

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The first ferry terminal at the Toronto Harbour, c. 1899.

The original terminal was located on the east side of the Toronto Harbour Commission Building at Bay and Harbour Streets. The terminal in the picture was destroyed by fire in 1907 and was rebuilt. A steamship terminal and berth areas was added to the east side. The site is now filled in and occupied by a parking lot.

Second terminal location (1918–1972)

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When the infilling of the harbour took place after 1918 the docks moved to Queen's Quay west of Bay Street. It had a waiting room and was heated in the wintertime.[4][5] This terminal would be there until it was demolished during the redevelopment of the Toronto waterfront that began in the 1960s when Leslie Marlow's company, Marvo Construction Company got the approvals for the site from the Ontario Municipal Board in late 1964.[6] Marlow sold his rights to the development to Robert Campeau's group in the late 1960s, and they went on to finish the development that included the Harbour Square condos on the site of the second terminal.[7]

Third terminal location (1972–present)

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The third terminal was inaugurated in January 1972, situated approximately 100 meters to the east of the previous terminal.[2] This new terminal was an integral component of a comprehensive waterfront development project initiated in 1964, with an initial budget of 85 million dollars.[6] The project culminated in the early 1970s, resulting in the construction of the Harbour Castle Hilton and Harbour Square condominiums, as well as the filling in of the Bay Street shipping slip.[4][6] The project’s total cost amounted to 250 million dollars.[2]

Statue of Jack Layton at the terminal. The terminal was named in honour of Layton in 2012.

The new terminal was constructed at a cost of CA$519,000.[4] However, unlike its predecessor, it lacked a waiting room due to the temporary suspension of ferry operations during the winter months. Consequently, it encountered significant crowding issues during its inaugural season.[2] Metro Parks Commissioner Tommy Thompson expressed dissatisfaction with the terminal’s location and layout.[5]

To address the access to Bay Street, a new service road/pedestrian walkway was constructed, incurring a cost of approximately one million dollars for Metro and the City of Toronto.[5] This road was completed after the terminal’s opening in 1972 and served the condominium-hotel complex surrounding the terminal.[4]

Minor upgrades have been implemented to replace the original ticket booths with newer and larger ones situated north of the original entrance, partially covered by a canopy.

In 2012, the Toronto City Council voted unanimously to rename the terminal in honour of the late Jack Layton, who served as a Toronto city councillor, and led the NDP and Official Opposition.[8][9] In 2013, on the second anniversary of Layton's death, the terminal was formally renamed and a bronze statue of Layton riding on a tandem bicycle was installed at the site.[10][11]

New Terminal

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In 2015, a winning design was announced for a renovation and redesign of the terminal building.[12] The first phase of construction is expected to be complete in April, 2019.[13]

Usage

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There is an estimated 1.2 million passengers to the station per year, mostly in the summer months.[3]

The three larger ferries are stored here during the winter months. The ferries' exposed decks are covered by a white tarp.

References

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  1. ^ a b Flack, Derrick (June 26, 2011). "A visual history of Toronto ferries". BlogTO. Toronto: Freshdaily. Archived from the original on November 3, 2011. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  2. ^ a b c d Oakes, Gary (August 3, 1974). "Poor dock access is blamed for ferry crowding". The Toronto Star (3-star ed.). Torstar. p. A6. ISSN 0319-0781 – via Newspapers.com.
  3. ^ a b Kari, Shannon (May 22, 2010). "Ticket machines will ease Toronto Island ferry waits". National Post. Toronto: Canwest. p. A17. ISSN 1486-8008. Retrieved April 14, 2025 – via Newspapers.com.
  4. ^ a b c d Star Staff (March 10, 1972). "Path promised through mud to ferry dock". The Toronto Star (2-star ed.). Torstar. p. 25. ISSN 0319-0781 – via Newspapers.com.
  5. ^ a b c Ross, Alexander (March 17, 1972). "A ferry dock that nobody needed but Campeau". The Toronto Star (2-star ed.). Torstar. p. 25. ISSN 0319-0781 – via Newspapers.com.
  6. ^ a b c Kennedy, Frank (December 28, 1964). "Start work on $85 million waterfront project". Toronto Daily Star (3-star ed.). Torstar. pp. 29, 32. ISSN 0319-0781 – via Newspapers.com.
  7. ^ Ross, Alexander (March 27, 1972). "The Pier Group and its dreams for waterfront". The Toronto Star (4-star ed.). Torstar. p. 43. ISSN 0319-0781 – via Newspapers.com.
  8. ^ CBC Staff (June 6, 2012). "Toronto ferry terminal to be renamed in honour of Jack Layton". CBC News. Toronto: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on February 3, 2015. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  9. ^ Rider, David (June 1, 2012). "Ferry terminal to be renamed for Jack Layton". Toronto Star. Torstar. Archived from the original on March 6, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  10. ^ CBC staff (August 22, 2013). "Jack Layton memorial statue unveiled". CBC News. Toronto: Canadian Broadcasting Corporation. Archived from the original on September 22, 2013. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  11. ^ White, Craig (August 23, 2013). "Layton Memorial Unveiled at renamed Island Ferry Terminal". Urban Toronto. Archived from the original on April 14, 2025. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  12. ^ Kohut, Tania (April 10, 2015). "New design for Toronto ferry terminal revealed". Global News. Corus Entertainment. Archived from the original on April 10, 2021. Retrieved April 14, 2025.
  13. ^ "Enhancing Toronto's gateway to one of its most cherished public spaces – the Toronto Islands". Projects. Waterfront Toronto. Archived from the original on March 29, 2017. Retrieved April 14, 2025.

See also

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Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.
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