Yonge-Dundas Square View point

Yonge-Dundas Square View point

Yonge-Dundas Square is a unique focal point of the downtown Toronto community. Yonge-Dundas Square is a unique focal point of the downtown Toronto community. The Square is designated for use as a public open space and as an event venue that can accommodate events of various sizes. You’ll discover a wide range of activities on the Square: community celebrations, theatrical events, concerts, receptions, promotions – events that appeal to residents and tourists alike and provide a showcase for local businesses.

The mission of the Yonge-Dundas Square Board of Management is to responsibly manage Yonge-Dundas Square and enhance the vitality of downtown; to launch, promote, and operate Yonge-Dundas Square as an exciting commercial space born from the passion of its community and the energy of commercial participation, so as to develop a positive perception by way of its activities, security, and cleanliness.

The City of Toronto’s Official Plan sets out the vision for a vibrant, competitive, safe and livable downtown. In 1996, the Yonge Street Regeneration Project was initiated by a partnership between the Yonge Street Business and Residents Association and the City of Toronto. At the heart of the city, the area surrounding Yonge and Dundas was targeted for significant improvements. The objectives of the Yonge Street Regeneration Project were to create a renewed sense of place, attract additional retail and entertainment development to the area and to improve its appearance and safety. The center-piece of the Regeneration Project was the creation of a new public space at the southeast corner of Yonge and Dundas Streets. In 1998, the City of Toronto launched a competition to design Yonge-Dundas Square and the Toronto firm Brown + Storey Architects was selected to design the new public space.

The digital signage capabilities of Yonge-Dundas Square are of great benefit to the downtown community, visitors to the Square, and event attendees. Having permanent digital screens dedicated to events allows for affordable use of this technology by all Yonge-Dundas Square clients, elevating the standards and possibilities of all events and activations. These screens are also be essential to Yonge-Dundas Square when events are not being staged, allowing for the display of visitor information, public art, video projects, collaborations with other city organizations and acknowledgment of Yonge-Dundas Square sponsors. In keeping with the Square’s focus on the community, advertising is not sold for display on these screens. All digital content must adhere to the YDS Display Policy.

For information on how to use the YDS digital screens for your event, please contact your event coordinator. For information on how to book space on the digital screens managed by Outfront Media, please contact them directly.

City Council decided to install a Board of Management to operate Yonge-Dundas Square as a business venture. The first Board of Management for the Square was appointed in 2001. Yonge-Dundas Square was opened to the public in November 2002 with a sneak preview of one of the Square’s key design elements in motion. Twenty fountains, a spectacle of water and light, set the stage at Yonge-Dundas Square. The preview was the first opportunity for the public to see the Square come alive before its official opening in 2003. In 2017, Yonge-Dundas Square embarked on a new partnership with OUTFRONT Media to provide new permanent digital signage and technologies on the Square. This marked the first major capital investment in the space since it’s construction, and the first public-private partnership of its kind in Canada.

B C G Toronto Guide © Simon Newbound