Tommy Thompson Park, a wilderness area on a constructed landform along Toronto’s central waterfront in Lake Ontario, includes three confined disposal facilities (CDFs). Two CDFs reached capacity by the late 1990s and were subsequently capped to physically and biologically isolate contaminated material, with coastal wetlands established on the cap surfaces. The Cell 2 CDF was capped and restored to a wetland between 2015 and 2016, using beneficially reused clean dredged material to enhance soil quality and plant survival. Restoration incorporated diverse habitat features, including rocky substrates and spawning shoals, as well as the reuse of logs and root wads to create aquatic and terrestrial habitat. Native vegetation—emergent aquatics, wet meadow forbs, shrubs, and trees—was extensively planted. A decade post-construction, the Cell 2 wetland supports high biodiversity and provides essential wildlife habitat. Ongoing challenges include invasive species management, addressed through an integrated approach. Annual monitoring tracks physical and ecological conditions, while continued planting supports the gradual establishment of a hemi-marsh community.
