Biggest new Toronto park in a generation will be home to famous artist’s largest work to date

The news in the world is seldom good, but despite the barrage of global setbacks and crises, it appears that a pocket of Toronto–one with major potential–is seeing its share of wins. 

A day after the federal, provincial and municipal governments pledged $3 billion to support the creation of a new transit line that will connect east end residents along the waterfront with the downtown core, the National Gallery of Canada announced that a new waterfront park, the largest in a generation, will house a particularly unique piece of art. 

This week, the NGC announced it has commissioned a new sculpture by internationally acclaimed artist Alicja Kwade, which will debut on the Lassonde Art Trail in 2027.

The LAT, set to open this summer, is part of Biidaasige Park, a massive (and growing) waterfront park in the Cherry Street and Commissioners Street area. 

The first portion of the park, which features a massive owl, two ziplines, a raccoon climbing structure, a Badlands-style playground (complete with multiple water features) and brand new hiking and biking trails, opened to significant fanfare in 2025. 

The LAT will be a significant new addition to the park, which has quickly become a popular recreational destination and the first public space to open on Ookwemin Minising.

Ookwemin Minising (formerly known as Villiers Island) is a new island in the Port Lands–located where the Don River meets the lake–created by ongoing flood protection and river restoration projects in the area. The Port Lands Flood Protection project aims not only to protect existing communities but also to create a new one by building a new river valley through the Port Lands and renaturing the river’s mouth.

Once complete, the 98-acre island will boast 50 acres of parks and 80 acres of parks and green space (including the river).

The LAT, which will span over four kilometres, is part of the substantial $1.4 billion project and will be free to visit. Billed as an “open-air cultural experience,” the trail will feature 15 interconnected public art sites throughout Biidaasige Park. 

Once open, the trail will include renowned Canadian artist Kent Monkman’s first permanent public sculpture, Monira Al Qadiri’s monumental work First Sun (direct from NYC in partnership with Public Art Fund), and a sculpture by Tracey Emin on loan from the National Gallery of Canada.

In a news release, the NGC said the commissioning of Kwade’s art is part of the organization’s goal to better connect the public with art across Canada. 

The Polish-born, Berlin-based artist has earned accolades for sculptures and installations that make creative use of simple materials. The NGC points out that, tn recent years, Kwade has become known for her outdoor public artworks, including her 2019 rooftop installation at the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York. 

Alicja Kwade, photo by Doro Zinn

The news release says Kwade’s new sculpture will include locally sourced granite from the Canadian Shield, with some fabrication taking place in the Greater Toronto Area. 

“Toronto was the first major city on the continent I experienced and it left a lasting impression on me. I perceive it as a city with a strong proximity to nature, to water and to green spaces, while at the same time being clearly constructed, conceived and rising vertically,” Kwade said in a statement. 

“I find it essential that art in public space is truly accessible to everyone, that people can encounter it unexpectedly, even stumble upon it, and are invited to engage with it. This work has been a long‑held wish for many years and I am incredibly happy to see it materialize in dialogue with this public space.” 

The NGC said its work with Kwade reflects its “commitment to supporting women artists, including artists from Eastern Europe, and to making its collection and contemporary art more accessible in new and dynamic ways,” pointing to projects with Sylvie Tourangeau at La Manif d’art in Quebec City, Joan Jonas in Cape Breton, Ilya and Emilia Kabakov in Oakville, and Ai Weiwei at The Forks in Winnipeg. 

Late last year, Chloë Catán, executive director at the LAT, told INsauga.com that the goal from the beginning has been to bring “amazing and, let’s just say, world-class art or a really exciting art layer to [the LAT].” 

Rendering of complete Biidaasige Park, courtesy of Waterfront Toronto

The LAT website said that in 2022, philanthropist Pierre Lassonde was invited to view progress on the site and committed a $25 million gift to realize the organization’s vision. The funding includes $10 million for two permanent destination artworks that will be gifted to the city’s Public Art and Monuments Collection and $15 million to sustain programming over the long term.

November Paynter, artistic director and chief curator with the LAT, previously told INsauga.com that the organization is looking 20 years into the future. 

“We’ve been working on not just the opening program, but thinking about going forward because a number of the works are temporary. So actually, we’re looking at a 20-year-plus program,” she said during a December 2025 interview. 

Paynter, who has previously held curator roles at the Museum of Contemporary Art in Toronto, the Queensland Art Gallery in Australia, the Philadelphia Museum of Art and the Tate institution in London, England, says the LAT is commissioning local and international artists to make new works for the trail. 

Canoe Cove at Biidaasige Park, courtesy of Waterfront Toronto

“We’re loaning works from major museum collections, such as the National Gallery and we’re also commissioning a number of projects with other organizations, including the Public Art Fund in New York. We’re really thinking about a number of different approaches to make sure it’s a really varied program.” 

While Monkman and Kwade’s pieces are highlights of the LAT, the trail will also feature works by artists from Canada and abroad, including Alexa Kumiko Hatanaka, Alexandre Arrechea, Caroline Monnet, Dean Baldwin Lew, Hank Willis Thomas, Kara Hamilton, Lisa Hirmer, Monira Al Qadiri, Nadia Belerique, Tony Romano, Oluseye and Ryan Gander.

“This project embodies our mission to share art widely and meaningfully across the country, including beyond our institutional walls,” said Jean-François Bélisle, director and CEO of the NGC, in a statment. 

“Alicja Kwade’s monumental sculpture highlights what can be achieved when institutions collaborate to expand access to art. We are proud to play a role in shaping a public space that will welcome millions of Canadians and visitors each year.”