R.C. Harris Water Treatment Plant

This place is really relaxing, perfect for enjoying the breeze and the famous views of Lake Ontario. It’s also great for taking photos and social media posts. There’s also a small beach nearby, which is nice for taking photos. The area isn’t very big, and there’s no dedicated parking lot, so you’ll need to find street parking, which can be limited. On the day we visited, we couldn’t go indoors, and there weren’t any restrooms nearby. It’s a good idea to use the restroom before you arrive.

I think the Scarborough area is a very good option in complete serenity. It is a very enjoyable option for the view and peace. You can lie down on the grass and enjoy the tranquility. I did not see a coffee shop nearby, so it may be a good option to bring your drink with you.

We came here on Sunday. It was difficult to find parking in this area. The parking inside of the plant was not opened and one side of the driveway along Nursewood Road next to the plant was fully parked by cars. As some cars were parked on another side which blocked the entrance/driveway of the houses there, the residents called the parking enforcement to come. Only the outdoor area of the plant is open for the pubic. It was nice to have a walk here in the summer. I am interested to visit the plant and would like to come back during the Doors Open!

The RC Harris WTP is a nice place to bike to and the beach is a nice place to sit, have a picnic, and skip rocks. It is close to all the other beaches towards Ashbridges Bay. It is fairly accessible by car and TTC as well. The facility itself looks nice from the outside (I have yet to tour it), but it’s a nice place to bike to or visit by car.

My one of, if not the most, favorite places in Toronto. We first visited here years ago as Doors Open event and loved everything about this Art Deco building. Very gorgeous, classic and romantic. This building is one of the reasons that we moved to the Beaches area.

A chill place to be with your friends or partner. Peaceful and beautiful place to be to clear your mind. Wonderful view and nice spot for a day out

Little area with rocks 🪨, lookouts Beach and water treatment plants are all great places for a visit and see the morning sun 🌄 rise.

Such a beautiful location I was lucky to capture a beautiful proposal at Harris water plant And could be happier how pictures turned out. I suggest to go the for a sunset for getting the best experience.

This place is really relaxing, perfect for enjoying the breeze and the famous views of Lake Ontario. It’s also great for taking photos and social media posts. There’s also a small beach nearby, which is nice for taking photos. The area isn’t very big, and there’s no dedicated parking lot, so you’ll need to find street parking, which can be limited. On the day we visited, we couldn’t go indoors, and there weren’t any restrooms nearby. It’s a good idea to use the restroom before you arrive.

I think the Scarborough area is a very good option in complete serenity. It is a very enjoyable option for the view and peace. You can lie down on the grass and enjoy the tranquility. I did not see a coffee shop nearby, so it may be a good option to bring your drink with you.

We came here on Sunday. It was difficult to find parking in this area. The parking inside of the plant was not opened and one side of the driveway along Nursewood Road next to the plant was fully parked by cars. As some cars were parked on another side which blocked the entrance/driveway of the houses there, the residents called the parking enforcement to come. Only the outdoor area of the plant is open for the pubic. It was nice to have a walk here in the summer. I am interested to visit the plant and would like to come back during the Doors Open!

The RC Harris WTP is a nice place to bike to and the beach is a nice place to sit, have a picnic, and skip rocks. It is close to all the other beaches towards Ashbridges Bay. It is fairly accessible by car and TTC as well. The facility itself looks nice from the outside (I have yet to tour it), but it’s a nice place to bike to or visit by car.

My one of, if not the most, favorite places in Toronto. We first visited here years ago as Doors Open event and loved everything about this Art Deco building. Very gorgeous, classic and romantic. This building is one of the reasons that we moved to the Beaches area.

A chill place to be with your friends or partner. Peaceful and beautiful place to be to clear your mind. Wonderful view and nice spot for a day out

Little area with rocks 🪨, lookouts Beach and water treatment plants are all great places for a visit and see the morning sun 🌄 rise.

Such a beautiful location I was lucky to capture a beautiful proposal at Harris water plant And could be happier how pictures turned out. I suggest to go the for a sunset for getting the best experience.

Going to a water treatment plant probably sounds very weird but it's actually a very pretty place! We missed the time to go inside the building, but even just walking around the outside is enjoyable. The view of the lake is excellent. Finding parking is a bit tricky on the open door day. Probably not as hard on a regular weekend.

I can't believe I have never visited this historical site near the waterfront! Constructed in the 1930's, it is also known as "The Palace of Purification." It still produces approximately 30% of Toronto's drinking water, and is capable of doing so at almost 950 million litres a day! The Romanesque architecture is stunning, and a photographer's dream! This inside is not open to the public (except for Doors Open Toronto), but the location and surrounding areas have been used for many films and TV series. I timed my visit to watch the sunset, and was amazed at how quiet and peaceful the area is. I felt transported to a vacation destination in Europe! The sunset wasn't as vivid as I hoped, but the evening skies were unbelievably blue. I think the sunset views are best seen closer to Toronto Island. We found complimentary residential street parking just a few minutes away, but the moment we entered the grounds, there were TONS of mosquitoes (this was in the summertime)! Make sure you use bug repellent. Strangely enough, we didn't get bitten! I think it was due to the sunscreen we still had on! We're definitely returning to see how this looks in the wintertime! Note: There are no washrooms facilities available

Peaceful and beautiful place to get a nice lake view. It's easy to achieve by street car.

If I told you that when I want some alone time, I go to a water filtration plant and plomp down on a patch of grass, what would you think? Stop looking at me that way! Where are you going?!? Okay, context. The R.C. Harris Water Filtration Plant is, to my eyes, one of the most beautiful spots in Toronto. On a nice day, there's no better place to sit on the green, grassy slope tucked behind one of my favourite examples of Art Deco giving life to what might otherwise be a building as appropriately boring as the idea of a water filtration plant. There's a reason it's been immortalized by Micheal Ondaatje - one of Canada's most celebrated authors - in his book In the Skin of a Lion. For the philistines among us (me), it also made an appearance in Robocop! All with good reason. That slope tucked behind the awe-inspiring building? It looks over Lake Ontario, which, if you're not paying attention, can easily be mistaken for an ocean. It has gotten busier over the years, so here's a tip. If you want to experience it in all its glory, go when the weather is a little bit cooler, say in the fall. You'll get all the impact and feeling of the place, and also get to enjoy a bit of peace and quiet. Pro-tip: this is the perfect date destination for a romantic walk/picnic. Let the cool wind blow your hair back while you realize you might've over-salted those cucumber sandwiches.

Is it a palace, fortress, maximum security prison or could it be an insane asylum? Even though the imposing structure has been portrayed in movies as all of the above, this striking facility is actually the RC Harris Filtration Plant. This plant has been filtering water from Lake Ontario and converting it to clean water for the residents of Toronto and North York for over 70 years. It is Toronto's largest water treatment plant and operates 24/7 to process 113,450 million litres of water a year. It is not only functional but also beautiful. Located in the picturesque Beaches neighborhood, it is surrounded by large areas of well trimmed grass, multiple lookout points, and a a small secluded beach with a tiny pier. Built in the "Art Deco style with Romanesque Revival and Modern classical elements": it's constructed out of "stone, brick and metal and limestone carvings, with marble and bronze on the interior" - urbantoronto.ca The grounds are open to the public and are a perfect place to find some solitude: feel the cool breeze from the lake, take off your shoes and walk in the grass or the sand, hold hands with your loved ones and gaze out onto Ontario Lake. With this magnificent edifice as your backdop, you know it's time for a selfie.

Interesting spot that marks the western end of the Beaches on Queen Street. Gorgeous property, although it is being worked on now so lots of it in not accessible. Some cool stairs along the south west corner of the lot. Great for run if you want to work up a sweat. Place opens up during Doors Open Toronto most years..apparently the decor inside is tremendous! Also, a great place to park beside (along Neville Pk S) when the baby is asleep and you want some shade

my 300th review :) i was fortunate to be one of the first people on the grounds for the doors open last year to see this beautiful facility, suppling 47% of toronto's drinking water, this facility has been dubbed "the palace of purification" and is a huge marvel to see. this bi-level facility features quite alot of details towards it, encompassing an edge of the city feel, the lowest level of buildings holds the massive pumps that bring in the water from lake ontario and pumps it up the hill to the "holding tanks" with the capacity to do a daily average of 406 million litres. this facility was completed at the end of 1941 and increased capacity in 1955 to a holding capacity of 910 million litres. in 1992 it was deemed a national historic civil engineering site. to see the actual process of the purification of water is amazing to see on such a live scale. was an absolute blast to visit this facility and see how it works. an absolute field day for a photographer. check out my photos