Toronto Botanical Garden

The City project to resurface the parking lot with permeable, more environmentally-friendly material has begun. The intention of the permeable surface is to reduce rain water and grey water run off into the ravine system. Three new biofilters will run the length of the new parking area. These will all be planted with a carefully selected assortment of trees, shrubs and perennials that will be able to utilize any excess rain that will drain into the biofilter basins.

Alternate parking options to the TBG parking lot include street parking on Banbury Drive and Blaine Drive, which are directly opposite the TBG off Lawrence, and streets running off them. Heading east along Lawrence, the first street on the north side after Tim Horton’s is Tremont Crescent. It too is just a few minutes’ walk from the TBG.

Please note that although there are no posted signed restrictions on these streets (with the exception of Sundays from 12 noon to 6 p.m. on Banbury and Blaine), there is an implied three-hour parking limit. To avoid a ticket, park no longer than three hours in one spot. Additionally, Lawrence Avenue is a very busy thoroughfare. For your own safety, please do not jaywalk. Cross at the lights at Lawrence and Leslie.

After 5 p.m., you may also use the St. Bonaventure School and St. Bonaventure Church parking lots, located just south of us off Leslie.

For mobility impaired visitors there is parking in the lane between the café and the Garden Hall/Moriyama Wing. You must park on the east side of the laneway to maintain fire route access and you must display your handicap permit on your dashboard. Please call maintenance after hours to open up the gate and Garden Hall door at 416-830-1344. Note that the gate off Lawrence Ave. is only open from 7a.m. until 3p.m.

It is best to ask the taxi to drop you off at the delivery entrance or garage area of the TBG.

We encourage people to bring their bundle buggies and use them to transport items into the building. You may also call maintenance at 416-930-1344 and request help; for larger items, we have trolleys in the building that we can make available. You may also do any big drop-offs at the delivery entrance and then re-park your car.

We do not know at this time how long the construction will take, there are many factors to be considered.

Some of the trees were moved into other areas of the TBG and into Edwards and Sunnybrook Gardens. Branches and stumps from some felled trees have been carefully pruned and have been saved to repurpose in other areas. Diseased trees and those in decline that were removed have been ground up for use as mulch.

While our parking lot is under construction there are alternate parking options:

Banbury Drive, Blaine Drive and Larkfield Drive (three streets directly across from us off Lawrence). All these streets are very convenient to the TBG.

Heading east along Lawrence, the first street on the north side after Tim Horton’s is Tremont Crescent, and there are no parking restrictions posted on this street. It too is just a few minutes’ walk from the TBG.

After hours: St. Bonaventure School and St. Bonaventure Church parking lots on Leslie.

We encourage people to carpool or take the TTC, and to bring their bundle buggies if they have stuff to haul into the building.

For mobility impaired visitors there is parking in the lane between the café and the Garden Hall. Please call maintenance after hours to open up the gate and garden hall door. 416-830-1344.

SEPTEMBER 2011 UPDATE
After several years in the planning, the City's long-awaited parking lot improvement project is finally underway. This much-needed parking lot redevelopment work is being carried out by the City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, Capital Projects Section.

Improvements to Edwards Gardens Parking Lot will create an environmentally sensitive and aesthetically pleasing parking area. This new parking lot will utilize permeable paving and biofilter infiltration systems to reduce the impact to our environment. New trees will be planted within the islands of the parking lot to enhance the environment.

Car access will be limited to the Leslie Street entrance during the first phase of the project, and parking will be available only in the easterly section of the parking lot, adjacent to the Woodland Walk and Bird Habitat nearest to the Leslie Street/Lawrence intersection. Visitors to TBG will be able to stroll through the Garden Entry Walk to enter the building.

For those with special mobility needs, a limited amount of accessible parking will be available in the lane between TBG and the Café, at the west end of the Moriyama Wing of the TBG building; please call our Reception desk on arrival (416-397-1341), and we will make sure someone opens the Garden Hall door and directs you to the elevator.

During construction, parking spaces will be at a premium. If you are planning meetings with any large groups during the parking lot project, please encourage carpooling.