The Bentway Toronto: Skate Trail and Public Art, All Year

Toronto looked at the space under an expressway and decided to skate on it.

That is the Bentway’s pitch, and it works: a figure-eight skating trail in winter and public art beneath the Gardiner.

What is The Bentway?

The Bentway is a not-for-profit civic organization, powered by partnerships with the City of Toronto, residents, supporters, artists and city-builders. It works to ignite the urban imagination, using the city as site, subject and canvas. Bentway 1.0 opened in 2018 and serves as a demonstration of what is possible under the Gardiner.

The location has history. Bentway 1.0, between Strachan Avenue and Bathurst Street, is on lands that are part of Fort York National Historic Site, recognized by the Government of Canada as being of national significance. The Bentway describes itself as an independent, not-for-profit organization and registered charity. It is active at multiple sites under and near the Gardiner Expressway, starting with the Skate Trail.

Where is the Skate Trail and how do you get there?

The Skate Trail is at 250 Fort York Blvd, under the Gardiner. It sits on the lands of Fort York National Historic Site, running from just east of the Fort York Visitors Centre to Bastion St. The Bentway lists TTC access by the 511 Bathurst (at Fort York Blvd) and the 509 Harbourfront (at Fleet St). It also says the space is fully accessible to mobility devices, with flat paved and wooden decked surfaces.

What is on the Skate Trail this winter?

The Bentway selected artist and designer Odudu Umoessien to lead the return of Transform the Trail for the 2026-27 winter season. Transform the Trail supports a new temporary commission that transforms the figure-eight skating trail and the surrounding landscape beneath the Gardiner, and each year it invites artists to create a new work of public art that celebrates the creative potential of winter.

This winter, Umoessien presents Àdìrẹ on Ice, an installation inspired by the Yoruba textile tradition. It was created in collaboration with artist Chukwudubem Ukaigwe and turns the Skate Trail into an immersive landscape that invites participation and celebrates movement. It launches in December 2026, as the Bentway welcomes skaters back for its ninth winter season, when visitors can once again cruise the 220-metre figure-eight trail.

The Bentway says that, from December through February, the trail becomes a cold-weather destination featuring a natural ice-skating rink. Last winter, the Bentway extended the season through Sunday, March 8. Opening dates, hours and skate rentals for the new season can change, so check the Bentway’s own site before you go.

Our pick: go on a clear weeknight in December and stay for the art.

What public art can you see under the Gardiner?

Petal and Stone is a 10,000 square-foot mural that inaugurates the Gardiner Wallworks series, inspired by the architecture and ecological communities bridging the Bentway and Exhibition Place. It was designed by Canadian artist Rebecca Munce, her first large-scale public art project and the inaugural commission for the Gardiner Wallworks rotating series. The wall is at the northern edge of the Exhibition Place campus, in an enclosed area under the Gardiner known as the Cubicles. The Bentway’s home page lists Petal and Stone for October 2025 through to 2027.

Waterfront ReConnect re-imagines the street-level experience of two under-Gardiner intersections, at York Street and Simcoe Street, through lighting, color and storytelling. For more Toronto wall art, see our Toronto murals list.

What else happens year-round?

The Bentway offers a year-round program of recreational activities, from lacing up skates to community gatherings. It is also joining a national network. In an October 13, 2026 release, the Bentway said it will officially join the Trans Canada Trail this fall, with its Phase 1 site becoming a registered loop on the trail. The release calls the Trans Canada Trail the longest multi-use trail in the world, a continuous network of land and water routes through every province and territory, spanning 30,000 kilometres.

Planning a winter of skating? Our guide to Toronto skating trails and the free outdoor skating rinks list cover the other options, and the parks in Toronto guide puts the Bentway in the wider picture.

Send this to the friend you would bring skating under the Gardiner.