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Q&A with Gardiner patron Judy Matthews

Gardiner Expressway down to 1 lane between Spadina and Dufferin overnight

Toronto’s Gardiner Expressway has been controversial nearly as long as the elevated highway has been a feature of the city’s waterfront.

But Project: Under Gardiner, a new public works project funded by local philanthropists Judy and Wil Matthews, aims to turn the Gardiner into a point of civic pride — much the way the High Line project in New York transformed an unused rail line into an internationally celebrated park.

The couple is contributing $25 million, to be managed by Waterfront Toronto, to help create a linear public park running underneath the western end of the Gardiner. (That’s in addition to approximately $150 million the city has allocated to revamp the Gardiner itself.) The catch, if you could call it that: it has to be done expediently, with a goal of completion of the initial phase by Canada’s 150th birthday in July 2017. To that end, the couple plans to be highly involved along the way, and the hope the 70,000 Torontonians living the seven downtown neighbourhoods they say the park will link will be too.

When they were announced earlier this month, the plans to build features like a skating rink, markets and parks on about 4 hectares of under-highway land were met with national and international praise and some concerns about the ambitious timeline for its construction.

Judy Matthews spoke to Yahoo Canada News about her hopes for the Gardiner project’s connective power, and other favourite public spaces in Toronto, from Toronto.

Q. The Gardiner Expressway has been a polarizing structure for many Torontonians, for many years. What led to your interest in spearheading a project to revamp the space underneath it?

My husband and I were looking for a meaningful project for the last few years and we really hadn’t seen anything. And we were kind of looking for a neglected, vacant space that nobody was looking at, but still a space that had the power to be transformed into a vibrant, new kind of place. Ken Greenberg, who’s a renowned urban designer, talked to us and said, “You should come down and look at the Gardiner.” We went down and we were just blown away. We saw in a minute how special it was — the scale of it, the modernity. It was like a cathedral, but it was a linear no-man’s land. But we did see the potential.

Q: When you look at the space underneath the Gardiner now what do you envision it becoming down the road with this donation?

We envision it being a warm, welcoming place for all the communities around it. And we envision it as a place that will connect all the nearby parks. There’s a number of parks all around it, and this linear pathway will connect all the parks. The whole will be much bigger than all the small pieces. These parks are small and more isolated, and if we can connect them it’ll be huge.

And also it’ll connect a whole network of trails down there. Its function as a connection for people, nature, parks, and trails is very important. As well, it’s going to be a place in its own right, where all sorts of activities are going to happen.

Q: Is your vision for the Gardiner inspired by public works projects in other cities?

Yes. I’ve been to Paris and seen the Jardin de Plantes, which is beautiful. It’s very different, but it’s a long, linear, green connection. My husband and I were in New York and saw their amazing projects like the Brooklyn Bridge Park, the Battery Park that connects to the East River, the Hudson River Valley Greenway. These are large connectors that go for miles. New York is way ahead of us — I’d say 15, 20 years — but it’s certainly something to be inspired by or aspire to.

Q: You studied urban planning, and your great-grandfather designed Casa Loma and Old City Hall. What is your favourite Toronto building or public space, and how does it inspire you?

I can’t say I have a favourite Toronto building. I don’t really have one that in particular stands out. When I’m thinking of public spaces I’m quite taken by the small sort of pocket neighbourhood parks. I love seeing those parks and seeing the parents and the children and older people all coming out and connecting and meeting in their local park. I find that very heartwarming and it’s something I’d certainly like to see with the Gardiner linear connection, with all the people from all the neighbourhoods who are living in vertical communities and quite isolated being able to come and meet a friend, see a performance, hear music, eat from the street vendors. Just a place to gather and meet, just like a neighbourhood park.

Q: You and your husband have contributed to a variety of projects across the city. Is there one that’s particularly dear to you?

I think the music garden’s quite special. It offers a tranquility and a beauty along with a cultural piece. So it’s art in a beautiful landscaped environment. I love going down there and listening to the concerts. It’s a park for everyone. No tickets required. I hope the space under the Gardiner — I envision that too being sort of common ground, public space that we all share. It’s a place for all Torontonians.

Q: If you had to single out one goal you hold for the Gardiner project, what would it be?

I think the success of it is going to come from listening to the surrounding community. They are the crucial ingredient, and we really need to hear — and want to hear — what they have to say because only they are going to know how they want to use it. That’s what I’m hoping for, that we can really engage the community to find out what they want. And when it’s finished I hope they can come down and visit it.

This interview has been edited and condensed.