CAMH's redevelopment project is part of our master plan to bring together programs, services and research at our Queen Street site and create a place that is integrated with our community. The end goal is to have a safe, comfortable and welcoming environment where patients can recover with dignity that also serves to change social attitudes toward mental illness.
These buildings will transform the care and treatment we can provide for some of our most vulnerable patients and will further research and discoveries that will improve the lives of people living with mental illness. We're so excited to have kicked off the fourth and final phase of our historic redevelopment! It’s been a busy start to 2024 at our Queen Street site.
As part of this work, the City of Toronto instructed CAMH to conduct arborist reports to assess the health of trees bordering our property along the perimeter of our historical heritage wall (including on Shaw Street and in Joseph Workman Park). This is the brick wall that lines our campus. The assessment found that six of the large trees along Shaw Street were causing structural damage to the heritage wall and were removed.
In addition to this, CAMH has since been instructed by the City of Toronto to remove one tree in Joseph Workman Park that is causing structural damage to the heritage wall. This will take place on Monday, March 18, 2024. Only one tree needs to be removed and we will inform the community if any additional work is planned. The trees in Joseph Workman Park remain the property of the City. Any decision made regarding the trees lies with the City.
We understand that the removal of any trees can be upsetting and concerning. The number of trees that will be replanted on our site will exceed the number we unfortunately have to clear to proceed with construction. We are also proud to create a public community green space that will be available for all to use upon completion of this project. Our vision for our transformation includes accessible, usable, public green spaces blended together with our historical preservation.
We know construction can be loud, messy and inconvenient. Thank you for your support and flexibility as we kick off these exciting projects and work towards the completion of decades of transformation.
We will continue to provide regular updates on www.camh.ca/neighbours, and through our community mailing list. Questions? Email redevelopment.feedback@camh.ca.
