The stairs located at York Boulevard, at the McQuesten High Level Bridge, that lead pedestrians from the York Boulevard multi-use path to the Waterfront Trail at the Desjardins Canal, are required to be closed.
Through regular maintenance inspections, it has been discovered that a retaining wall, which is part of the structure on which the stairs are constructed, has loose stones and is showing signs of failure. The steel stair structure itself is not failing; rather, the wall upon which some of the stair footings are located is the concern.
This is anticipated to be a long-term closure, as the retaining wall needs to be more thoroughly inspected and design work completed to determine what a permanent fix might be. As this is anticipated to require significant remediation, staff predict that a capital budget request will be included in the 2026 capital budget for consideration.
The Waterfront Trail from Princess Point to Bayfront Park will remain open during the closure, and residents will be redirected to either Bayfront Park or Princess Point for access.
Staff understand that this is an important recreational link that is well used by residents. They will work as quickly as possible while still ensuring that all proper due diligence is considered when repairing the retaining wall.