A City Council Candidate Wants To Build A Bridge To The Toronto Islands & It'd Be Free

Think the 6ix couldn't get any more New York? Well, someone just proposed building a giant bridge to the Toronto Islands. Lakeshore joggers might already be drooling.

On Sunday, April Engelberg, a city council candidate for Spadina-Fort York, began advocating for a pedestrian lift bridge to physically connect the city to the iconic summer hangout spot (and, perhaps more importantly, Ontario's only nude beach).

"94% of Spadina-Fort York residents don't have a backyard and our ward is the fastest growing in Toronto," Engelberg tweeted on Tuesday. "We must make our largest public park free for everyone to access."

According to Engelberg, the lift bridge would span the 250-metre Eastern Channel and connect the Port Lands, near Cherry Beach, to Ward's Island, at the eastern end of the islands.

The bridge's mobility is crucial as it would allow large cargo ships and boats with high masts to still travel through.

"Our ferry system is slow, expensive and outdated. We could bike to the Island in less time than it takes to wait for a ferry!" she added.

The candidate also appeared to take shots at some of the city's other discussed projects, including its up-in-the-air Rail Deck Park.

"It's time to focus on the best and most equitable use of green space that Toronto actually owns, given that the city does not own the majority of the land at Ontario Place and the proposed Rail Deck Park site."

The ambitious proposal isn't likely to get the go-ahead without lengthy consideration. However, there's no denying the completed project would change the city's landscape forever.

Engelberg was beaten by a landslide in the 2018 municipal election, placing second behind Joe Cressy with just under 12% of the vote. However, as Cressy resigned from the post back in April, she won't have him to contend with in this year's October 24 election.