support - The Bentway

The Bentway is run by a charitable organization that relies on the support of park-lovers like you! Let’s find new possibilities for our city together – please consider donating today.

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our context

The Gardiner Expressway is an elevated mega-highway built in the 1950’s, running for 6.5km through Toronto’s downtown core, just steps from Lake Ontario. Singular in its intent and objective – to bypass the city itself in service of mobility – the Gardiner is a physical embodiment of mid-century ideals.

But Toronto has changed. Though convenient for cars above, the Gardiner acts as an obstacle at street-level below. Our waterfront, formerly a major industrial corridor, is now a thriving a site for recreation, tourism, and culture. The city continues to bloom upwards – today more than 200,000 people live next door to the Gardiner, mostly in tight high-rise communities.

But what if the Gardiner could do more for the city? What it we could unlock its opportunities for our community?

our impact

The Bentway leads a creative movement “to ignite the urban imagination”, working together to find new possibilities for the Under-Gardiner Corridor.

See our impact in action:

Taking on the street
STREET, Summer 2022

Concrete meets current
Confluence, Fall 2022

Playing together in new ways
Playing In Public, Summer 2021

A great first year
The Bentway 2018 highlights reel

We’re a new type of civic organization in Toronto: an independent not-for-profit and registered charity fueled by a unique partnership with the city.

Our impact began in 2018 with the opening of Bentway 1.0, a 170,000 sq. ft site that quickly became a beloved backyard park for local families and a growing platform for artists working in the public realm. Since then, our sites and programming has drawn over 940,000 visitors.

Now, our work continues, with pop-up and roaming programming throughout our neighbourhood; research and advocacy to unlock the Gardiner’s potential from end to end; and a steadfast commitment to radical accessibility and co-creation throughout all our work. The Bentway’s programming is accessible and participatory, exploring the site’s unique histories, features and possibilities.