The Bentway Expands its Leadership Team to Deliver on a Growing Public Mission
April 24, 2026
The Bentway announces new staff arrivals and a series of internal promotions, strengthening and solidifying its team as the organization continues to grow its impact as one of Toronto’s leading civic spaces.
In Bloom: A Flower Market + Workshop
Explore offerings from local growers and take part in a drop-in arranging workshop as West Block blooms into a summer flower market. Guided by the new Step-Up Series mural’s floral imagery and striking colour palette, these sessions connect contemporary practice with cultural traditions and invite visitors into a shared moment of creativity.
Opening – Artist Talk and Neighbourhood Walk
Guided by the exhibiting artists, this tour visits two new artworks shaped by CityPlace’s layered histories and rhythms. Experience the inaugural Step-Up Series mural which threads vivid colour and narrative into the architecture of West Block, and celebrate Staging Ground’s final chapter, evoking our place in a collective urban ecology.
Shared Rhythms: Music at West Block
Gather at West Block for a joyful afternoon of live performances as musicians from Small World Music’s Incubator program create a shared listening space that celebrates community and cultural exchange. Set against Anahita Akhavan’s newly unveiled mural مجلس Majles / Sitting Room, the event invites neighbours to linger, listen, and connect.
Social Fabric: A Community Textile Activation
Drawing on the textile traditions reflected in Anahita Akhavan’s new mural, West Block becomes a place for shared making. Working with SHEEEP Studio, visitors of all ages will assemble textiles throughout the afternoon, gathering colour, pattern, and the gestures of many hands.
Reimagining Life Under the Gardiner: The Bentway Unveils Two New Public Art Works in CityPlace
April 16, 2026
New works by Toronto artists Anahita Akhavan and Stanzie Tooth transform spaces beneath the Gardiner into sites of gathering, reflection, and exchange.
Daylight Saving Skate
Daylight saving steals an hour of sleep, and we’re giving it back the best way we know how: on the ice! On our final day at the skate trail, we’re inviting neighbours to reset their internal clocks together with complimentary coffee and an extra hour of skating –pajamas encouraged!
Cool by Design: A conversation about The Bentway’s latest report on the power of shade
February 18, 2026
The Bentway invites the public to a free panel discussion on March 31 to mark the launch of Cool by Design: The Power of Shade in Public Space, a new report that reframes shade as a vital element of public health and social infrastructure as northern cities confront rising temperatures. Explore the power of shade in public space at this free public […]
The Bentway Extends Skate Trail Season Through March 8
February 12, 2026
We are pleased to announce that our popular figure-eight outdoor Skate Trail will remain open through Sunday, March 8, giving skaters more time to glide beneath the Gardiner Expressway and enjoy one of Toronto’s most distinctive winter experiences.
A Toronto Winter Tradition Returns: Skating Under the Gardiner Opens December 20
December 1, 2025
This year the celebration is taking shape on the ice! Now in our 8th year, we’re inviting Toronto back to our iconic 220m figure-eight skate trail, a fitting symbol for how winter has brought paths together across the city since day one.
The Bentway Enters a Bold Next Chapter of Growth and Citywide Impact with Leadership Transition
November 12, 2025
Building on significant progress to date — from the design of The Bentway Islands to expanded programming on the city’s west end — The Bentway is advancing bold public art, design, and civic projects that connect communities and reimagine Toronto’s public spaces.
Bentway After School
Two 5-week session options; Jan 6-Feb 3, or Feb 10-Mar 10.
This winter, The Bentway invites young urbanists to explore and learn about their city with lots of fun, creativity, and outdoor discovery along the way! The program empowers participants to understand and influence concepts in urban design, city building, and placemaking through neighbourhood investigations, storytelling, and recreation.
The Bentway and Exhibition Place announce plans to connect our two sites
October 29, 2025
The opening of a new joint mural project signals the future westward expansion of The Bentway’s programming offerings and trail, under Strachan Ave into Exhibition Place.
Howl’oween
It’s the ulti-mutt fall celebration: Howl’oween at The Bentway, presented with Ren’s Pets! Gather the family, two-legged and four, for our spook-tacular costume contest. Enjoy prizes, music, local vendors, and cozy fall treats on this festive afternoon full of laughter, wagging tails, and Halloween fun for pups and their people!
Howl’oween returns to The Bentway on October 25
October 1, 2025
Toronto’s ulti-mutt fall celebration is back! Howl’oween at The Bentway invites families—two-legged and four—for an afternoon of spooky fun, creative costumes, and plenty of wagging tails. The Bentway presents the beloved, annual spooky-season tradition on Saturday, October 25 from 12:00pm to 4:00pm at 250 Fort York Blvd. Thanks to returning Presenting Sponsor, Ren’s Pets, This year’s canine […]
Tips on how to experience A Lake Story
September 19, 2025
On September 27 & 28, audiences are invited to celebrate the shoreline with A Lake Story, created by artist Melissa McGill. Discover more about the project and check out our recommended viewing areas to get ready for the performances!
Documentary Screening: A Lake Story
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After the on-water performance, gather at Harbourfront Centre’s Concert Stage during Nuit Blanche for a celebration of A Lake Story. Enjoy a documentary chronicling the project’s creative journey, see the wind-activated colour field paintings up close, and honour the community partners, paddlers, and artists who brought this story to life.
Petal and Stone
October 2025 through to 2027
A 10,000 square-foot mural project inaugurates the Gardiner Wallworks series, transforming this concrete expanse into a poetic tableau of site memory, native flora, and symbolic passage. Inspired by the architecture and ecological communities bridging The Bentway and Exhibition Place, it offers commuters and residents an evocative new lens on their urban landscape.
The Bentway & Exhibition Place announce Petal and Stone, new mural by Rebecca Munce
August 21, 2025
The Bentway and Exhibition Place reveal plans for 10,000 sq ft public art project by Canadian artist Rebecca Munce, transforming a new stretch of the Gardiner into an urban storyboard
The Bentway ‘takes to the water’ this September
August 7, 2025
Join the canoe procession: 500 Volunteers invited to bring an unprecedented artwork to life, and co-create with renowned artist Melissa McGill.
A Lake Story
Sep 27 & 28, 2025. Procession at 11am & 4pm
A procession of over one hundred canoes moves in unison across Toronto’s eastern Waterfront on September 27/28, each carrying colour field paintings made with pigments sourced from the lake/shoreline and activated by the wind. A Lake Story will articulate Lake Ontario’s colour story across the sky and water, amplifying the lake’s own voices of vibrancy, ecosystem, and community.
Roller Skate Lessons: September 5
September 5 6pm-7pm and 7pm-8pm
Learn how to roll with us! This summer, we’re offering weekly roller skate lessons for those who are looking to gain basic skills. Our expert instructors will help novice skaters build confidence on wheels and navigate our figure-eight trail.
A brighter future under the Gardiner Expressway
July 31, 2025
The Bentway is teaming up with Light Bureau (Norway), CityPlace and Fort York BIA, the Waterfront BIA and the City of Toronto to brighten intersections under the Gardiner Expressway, starting with a bold new lighting project coming soon to Dan Leckie Way at Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Cool Spots: Remapping a Hotter Toronto
Public submissions collected July to September, 2025
Discover and share the places that keep you cool in Toronto! From shaded underpasses to breezy green spaces, your submissions will help shape a growing community map of urban relief and resilience.