Front Street (Toronto)

Front Street is an east-west road in downtown Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The street marks the rough outline of the shoreline of Lake Ontario as it existed during the original English settlement of York, then called Palace Street. The current shoreline is about 800m south as much of the inner harbour was filled in the late 19th and early 20th century for industrial development.

Famous sites that are located on Front Street include the CN Tower, Fairmont Royal York and Union Station. Metro Toronto Convention Centre is located at 255 Front Street West. 151 Front Street West [ [http://www.151frontstreet.com/ 151 Front Street West] (retrieved on 2008-07-13)] is a carrier hotel that houses more than 100 telecommunications companies, as well as the Toronto Internet Exchange.

Originally beginning at the foot of the Bayview extension, construction in the west donlands has cut the street back to Cherry Street in the east and ends at Bathurst Street in the west.

Front Street extension

A proposal to extend Front Street was made in 1999 as part of the Waterfront Regeneration plan. The plan would extend the road west to Dufferin Street, adding connections to the Gardiner Expressway. The proposed extension is supported by local councillor Joe Pantalone but is opposed by local residents who fear an influx of traffic into the Parkdale area.

Two local entrepreneurs Fred Dominelli and Dale Martin purchased some land on the extension's route for $280,000 and stand to make a profit of nearly $7 million which is now the cost required to expropriate the land. The entire cost of the extension, once estimated at $120 million, has now grown to $245 million.

On May 30, 2008, Toronto Mayor David Miller announced that the Front Street extension project would be cancelled as part of a waterfront development plan.

Crossroad connections

* Bayview Avenue
* Parliament Street
* Sherbourne Street
* Jarvis Street
* Yonge Street
* Bay Street
* York Street
* Spadina Avenue
* Bathurst Street

Notes and references

External links

* [http://www.toronto.ca/waterfront/front_extension.htm City of Toronto's Front Street Extension web page]