CIBC SQUARE Community Open House Recap
 
On Wednesday, April 5^th CIBC SQUARE hosted a virtual open house to update our neighbours on the operations of 81 Bay Street, and progress on 141 Bay Street construction. 

The CIBC SQUARE masterplan & associated public realm improvements include a 1-acre over build park connecting Phase I (81 Bay Street) and Phase II (141 Bay Street) at the fourth level, programmed year-round and overlooking an active rail corridor, four PATH connections via the Union Station Bridge, the Backstage Bridge, the Scotiabank Arena Bridge and the future 1 Yonge Street Bridge, a fully-renovated Bay Street Teamway, a fully-renovated pedestrian laneway connecting Bay Street to Yonge Street, food and beverage offerings across both phases, significant investment in public art for the complex, as well as a Union Station Bus Terminal at 81 Bay Street.

81 Bay Street (Phase I of CIBC SQUARE) was substantially complete and operational since April 2021, and 141 Bay Street (Phase II of CIBC SQUARE) commenced construction in March 2021 and is now 25 months into its construction timeline.
 
Operational Updates

• Bus Terminal operations commenced at 81 Bay Street in December 2020, while tower occupancy was achieved in April 2021. Today, the building is fully operational.
• The overbuild Park (Southern Portion) was completed and opened in Spring 2022, and we’re pleased to share the 2023/24 programming will include activities like live music, yoga, art installations and holiday markets, and will be available to the public.

Construction Updates

• At 141 Bay Street, the concrete core is currently between L8-L9, and structural steel erection on the east, west, and south sides of the core has commenced.  When it comes to the building podium, the slabs from P5-P3 are complete, and the P2 slab is ongoing. Work on the parking levels from P3-P1 is also ongoing
• The Union Station Bridge is also under construction.  Pedestrian traffic diversions will continue to be in-place to/from the west Teamway along Union Station during column foundation for the safety of pedestrians, and workers.    Bridge structure installation is estimated to start in Q3/4 2023, with lane closures to occur simultaneous to bridge installation – we will share more as soon as these plans are finalized.  
• Demolition of Yonge Street Viaduct was completed in Q4 2022 to prepare for the Backstage bridge, and the start of the bridge structure installation is estimated for Q4 2023. Similar to the Union Station bridge, lane closures to occur throughout construction of bridge – we will share more as soon as these plans are finalized.  

Looking Ahead

• Work on the overbuild park continues to take place overnight, as for safety workers are not permitted to be in the rail corridor when trains are active during the day.
• As construction continues, our contracting team continues to seek opportunities to reduce noise and neighbourhood impact.  Specific measures include:
  • Deliveries will be delivered to the site via Bay Street and exit via Yonge Street. We know truck engines and backup alarms make up much of the anticipated daytime noise, and have therefore undertaken efforts to retrofit trucks with lower pitch backup alarms wherever possible to mitigate noise impacts.
  • In addition, formwork activities related to rebar cages are being pre-fabricated off-site where possible to lower the impact of nailing and stripping. 
  • We expect some noise associated with hammering of steel sections into place and the placement of steel decking as we complete the building and park.  To help mitigate noise, modified connection design is being utilized to reduce the need to fit the steel with pins and hammers.
  • We’ve proactively selected electric tone guns for torqueing the bolts into steel– quieter than the typical air impact guns.
  • Our team is coordinating with Metrolinx to deliver as many materials as possible during the day to minimize noise at night and maximize productivity in the short night shift.

FAQs

• Will the overbuild park be publicly accessible?
  • Yes, it is publicly accessible. Please note, the north portion of the park remains closed while 141 Bay Street is under construction; that portion of the park will open upon completion of the building.
• Is the park programming available to the public? If so, where is it posted?
  • Public programming will be published on the CIBC SQUARE website – we’re finalizing the calendar and will share once available.
• How do I access the park?
  • There are signs near the stairs, as well as an elevator to the 4^th floor entrance of the park from inside the CIBC SQUARE lobby.  The park is open 7 days a week, with seasonal hours.
• Is there public bike parking?
  • Yes, there is a public bike parking area.  It is located on P1 of the parking garage.
• Will there be a designated streetcar stop?
  • No, but the streetcar is accessible though Union Station.
• Will security be patrolling the park?
  • Yes, CIBC SQUARE has security on the park for the safety of visitors.  The park is fully lit and there are also safety call stations located throughout.

 For more information about CIBC SQUARE, please visit www.cibcsquare.com, or reach out to us with questions at community@CIBCSQUARE.com.