Item - 2025.MM34.9

Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, seconded by Councillor Alejandra Bravo, recommends that:

1. City Council amend Economic Development and Culture’s 2025-2034 Capital Budget and Plan to create a new capital project known as the Amsterdam Bridge Rehabilitation, with a total project cost and cash flow of $640,000.00 gross and $0 debt in 2025, funded through:

a. $350,000.00 from Section 37 community benefits obtained from the development at 335, 355 King Street West and 119 Blue Jays Way (Source Account: XR3026-3701332),

b. $200,000.00 from the Waterfront Revitalization Initiative’s 2025 Capital Budget (WBS: CWR003-39) to be transferred to Economic Development and Culture,

c. $90,000.00 from Economic Development and Culture’s 2025 Capital Budget (WBS: CAC134-05 and CAC144-06).
 

2. City Council authorize the General Manager, Economic Development and Culture, to negotiate, enter into, and execute a Delivery Agreement with CreateTO's managed corporation, Toronto Port Lands Company, for the project management, design, build and commissioning on the City's behalf of the Amsterdam Bridge Rehabilitation Project; with the Delivery Agreement on terms and conditions acceptable to the General Manager and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

3. City Council direct that funding be provided to CreateTO's managed corporation, Toronto Port Lands Company, for the delivery of the project management, design, construction and commissioning on the City's behalf of the Amsterdam Bridge Rehabilitation Project from the Economic Development and Culture Capital Budget, with a total City funding contribution of $640,000.00.

4. City Council direct that the release of funding be conditional upon execution of a signed acknowledgement by Harbourfront Centre that such repairs do not impact its ongoing obligations pursuant to the lease with respect to the maintenance of Amsterdam Bridge, waiving any right to claim the City has further obligations with respect to maintenance as a result of such work, and granting such rights of access as are required by the City, Toronto Port Lands Company or such other parties as determined appropriate to implement the work.

5. City Council authorize the Director, Real Estate Services to negotiate and execute on behalf of the City any agreements required with Harbourfront Centre to implement City Council’s direction in Recommendation 4 on the terms noted therein, together with such other terms as may be considered appropriate by the Director, Real Estate Services and in a form satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The Amsterdam Bridge – located in the heart of our revitalized central waterfront and a prominent feature of Harbourfront Centre’s 10-acre campus - is a steel cable footbridge that was gifted to the City of Toronto by the Mayor of Amsterdam to mark the 1974 recognition of Toronto and Amsterdam as twin cities.

This iconic place-making feature and important connection point has regrettably been closed since early 2021 due to disrepair.

As the result of a partnership effort between the City of Toronto, Harbourfront Centre, and CreateTO, a condition assessment has been completed, and a work plan developed to rehabilitate the bridge so that it may safely re-open in time for guests from around the world to enjoy it during FIFA Men’s World Cup celebrations taking place on our waterfront in 2026, and for residents and visitors to continue using the bridge to help connect them to the many restaurants, activities and waterfront open spaces Harbourfront Centre has to offer.

This motion requests authorization to release $350,000.00 in Section 37 funding to the Economic Development and Culture Division towards the bridge rehabilitation project. The remainder of the project cost will be covered by a contribution of $150,000.00 from Harbourfront Centre, and $290,000.00 from the approved capital budgets of Economic Development and Culture and the Waterfront Revitalization Initiative, for a total project cost of $790,000.00. This motion also requests authority for Economic Development and Culture to enter into a delivery agreement with CreateTO to manage the rehabilitation of the bridge.

Upon completion of the rehabilitation, Harbourfront Centre will retain ongoing responsibility for the maintenance of the bridge, in keeping with the terms of their lease.