An east-end Toronto park that some may have turned their noses up at due to its sewage treatment plant namesake has been renamed Council voted last week to rebrand the “Main Sewage Treatment Playground,” which is located at the corner of Emdaabiimok Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard, as the “Ashbridge’s Bay Sports Hub.” The 11.2-hectare park is a stone’s throw away from the Ashbridges Bay Treatment Plant, formerly the Main Sewage Treatment Plant, which processes the wastewater of 1.4 million people in the city. The park features a baseball diamond, rugby field, two basketball courts, and, most recently, 11 dedicated pickleball courts, which opened last month—one of the biggest spaces dedicated to the growing sport in the city. Although some have been calling for the city to rename the park for years, the opening of the 25,000-square-foot space in a park named after a wastewater treatment plant just doesn’t pass the sniff test, according to Coun. Paula Fletcher. “This well-used park is located on land owned by Toronto Water and serves as an important community space, especially in the summer months. The new name should be reflective of the area and the great wide-range facilities available,” the Toronto-Danforth wrote in the “urgent” motion, which was seconded by Mayor Olivia Chow. Moreover, Fletcher said that the park’s current name is unfamiliar to most residents and creates confusion for those arriving there for planned events and tournaments at the new pickleball courts. The motion carried, and now city staff will be tasked with undertaking any associated administrative and operational actions to implement the name change. CTV News Toronto has reached out to the city to understand what costs may be associated with the move.
