Toronto's newest elevated public park — a landscaped terrace atop the CIBC Square development at 81 Bay Street with skyline views, native plantings, and integrated seating. A rare green space in the Financial District that hovers above street level, offering a perspective most downtown visitors never discover.
Neighbourhood: Financial District · Address: 81 Bay St, Toronto, ON · Hours: Daily 6am–11pm · Phone: (416) 392-7288
Why Visit
Discover Toronto's newest elevated park — a free, public green terrace floating above the Financial District with skyline views, native plantings, and architectural framing you won't find anywhere else downtown.
What Makes It Unique
Very few Toronto parks are elevated above street level, and none offer this specific vantage point across the Financial District toward the Royal York and the lake. The combination of modern architecture, native ecology, and genuine public accessibility in a commercial tower development is unique in the city.
CIBC Square Park is Toronto's most recent addition to the downtown public realm — a landscaped terrace built atop the podium of the CIBC Square commercial development at 81 Bay Street. Unlike traditional street-level parks, it occupies an elevated plane roughly one storey above grade, creating a vantage point that looks across the Financial District towers rather than up at them.
The design is deliberate and restrained. Native Ontario plantings — serviceberry, elderflower, prairie grasses, and seasonal wildflowers — dominate the planting beds, creating habitat for pollinators in a part of the city where green space is scarce. The hardscaping is pale limestone and concrete, chosen to reflect rather than absorb summer heat. Integrated bench seating is recessed into planted berms, creating semi-private nooks that feel surprisingly sheltered given the location.
The terrace is publicly accessible during building hours and connects to the PATH system via an interior stair, making it a genuine through-space rather than a dead-end amenity. For office workers, it's a lunch break destination; for visitors, it's a free architectural viewpoint that most tourist guides haven't caught up with yet.
The best perspective is the western edge, where the Fairmont Royal York's green copper roof and clock tower frame between new glass towers — a composition that only works from this specific elevation. The southern edge looks toward the lake across the rail corridor, and on clear days the Toronto Islands are visible in the distance. The eastern and northern edges are more enclosed by surrounding towers but offer close-up views of the new CIBC Square architecture, including the building's distinctive diagonal bracing.
The park opened in phases through 2025–2026 and is still settling in — some planting beds are young, and the trees are not yet at full canopy. But the framework is excellent, and as the landscape matures it will become one of the Financial District's essential public spaces. For now, it retains the pleasant feeling of a place that hasn't yet been fully discovered.
Frequently Asked Questions
Where exactly is CIBC Square Park?
It's located atop the podium of the CIBC Square development at 81 Bay Street, in Toronto's Financial District. Access is via the building's main lobby or through the PATH connection from Union Station. Look for signage directing to the 'Outdoor Terrace' or 'Public Park.'
Is CIBC Square Park really free?
Yes — it is a fully public park open to everyone, not a private tenant amenity. There is no admission charge, no security check, and no requirement to visit any of the building's commercial tenants.
What is the best time to visit CIBC Square Park?
Golden hour in summer (roughly 6:00–7:30pm) provides the best light for photography and the most comfortable temperature for sitting outdoors. Midday is bright but offers the clearest lake views. The park is quietest on weekday mornings before the office lunch rush.
Can I bring food to CIBC Square Park?
Yes — it is a public park and picnicking is permitted, though there are no on-site food vendors. The surrounding CIBC Square building has food hall options, or you can bring your own. There are benches and ledge seating but no formal picnic tables.