Waterfront has new Island-Ookwemin Minising

Toronto has a new island where the Don River meets Lake Ontario. Surrounded by a winding river and overlooking the downtown skyline, Toronto’s new island is a place like no other. 
Ookwemin Minising (formerly known as Villiers Island) is a new island born from one of the world’s most ambitious flood protection and river restoration projects: Port Lands Flood Protection. Ookwemin Minising (pronounced Oh-kway-min Min-nih-sing) as the island’s name meaning “place of the black cherry trees” in Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwemowin.  

The island is ringed with wetlands surrounding a new park, named Biidaasige Park (pronounced Bee-daw-sih-geh) meaning “sunlight shining towards us” in Anishinaabemowin/Ojibwemowin.  

A historic gathering place, the Don River will be at the heart of a new community home to more than 15,000 people and a destination for all to visit and explore.