Green Machine

摘要

What does a city do with a roughly 32 ha former industrial site that is partially bordered by el- evated railroad tracks and once was home to a cement plant, a foundry, a hog-processing facility, and other land-polluting operations? Oh, and the site also happens to be located along a river and is prone to flooding serious enough to make redevelopment difficult if not impossible. If the city is Toronto, it works on the problem for more than two decades but ultimately comes up with an innovative and beautiful solution: construct a massive flood barrier along the side facing the river and then build an extensive urban park with walking paths, an elevated boardwalk, and sand and water play areas, along with other amenities, on top of the barrier. The solution also features a series of underground pipes, pumps, storage cells, and water treatment equipment, as well as carefully contoured land masses that channel rainfall and the water from the play areas across the site to an artificial marsh that functions as part of a storm-water control system for the park and helps to recycle water for irrigating the park's many plants and trees.