The Depanneur + The Bentway present: Communal Picnic
Following up on our successful 2019 Communal Table dinner series, The Depanneur & The Bentway have teamed up again to offer a new kind of shared culinary experience within the challenges we all face amidst COVID-19. Our new Communal Picnic is designed as a collective experience, including weekly surprise activities, that can be enjoyed safely and responsibly and take advantage of the unique opportunity The Bentway site affords.
On Sundays in August & September, The Depanneur will curate a selection of six different meals prepared by a diverse group of local chefs, packaged for contactless pickup. The Bentway offers a spacious, family-friendly outdoor environment that spans several square kilometres of urban space where these meals can be enjoyed.
Meals are pre-ordered online (see listings below) for pickup at The Bentway between 6-7pm on Sunday evenings. You are encouraged to bring your own cutlery, plates & beverages, and are invited to take your meals to any of the nearby tables, to enjoy them as a picnic on the abundant adjacent greenspace, or to take them home.
To help foster a spirit of inclusion and accessibility, Pay It Forward meals are also available. The Depanneur and The Bentway will work together to match Pay It Forward donations in order to provide meals to shelters and respite centres in the community.
Communal Picnic At A Glance
- Communal Picnic dinners will be held each Sunday from Aug 9-Sep 13.
- Menus will be announced and available for purchase 2 weeks prior to each event are available until they sell out, or up to 48 hrs prior to pick up.
- Meals must be purchased in advance online (see event listings below).
- 3-course dinners are $59 for 2 people, $109 for 4, and $159 for 6 (+HST). To minimize packaging & waste, single meals are not available.
- Meat and vegetarian options are available for each meal, but no substitutions or other customizations can be accommodated.
- Meals are pre-packaged and available for contactless pickup at The Bentway on Sunday evenings between 6-7pm.
- Bentway washrooms and site furniture will be available for use until 8pm
- Pick up is rain or shine; no refunds for uncollected meals.
- To dine onsite at The Bentway, you must bring your own cutlery, plates and beverages.
- Disposable cutlery is NOT included, and there will NOT be dishwashing facilities available on site, so please plan accordingly — you may wish to bring an extra bag to take your dishes home.
- No beverages will be available for purchase on site.
- Guests are asked to wear masks when picking up their meals or to access the on-site washrooms, and respectfully maintain social distance while waiting.
- Sanitized seating (4 chairs per table) will be provided for a maximum of 40 people until 8pm (located near the Skate trail) on a “first come first served” basis.
- Picnic tables will be available near the west end of the site, but please note that these furnishings cannot be sanitized.
- Guests are free to use the tables available on site, but please do not move tables or chairs, or seat more than 4 people per sanitized table, or 6 people per picnic table.
- Guests are also encouraged to bring a picnic blanket and find a spot to relax on the grass, in the event that all tables are occupied.
- Please help us keep the space clean and safe for everyone by using the garbage and recycling bins available on site.
Upcoming Communal Picnics
Pay It Forward
At check out, you will be given the opportunity to either purchase a Pay It Forward meal, or make a donation (in $10 increments). For every Pay It Forward meal purchased, The Depanneur and The Bentway will work together to provide a second meal to double the impact of your generosity. All Pay it Forward meals and donated funds will be used to support a dedicated Communal Picnic for The Bentway’s neighbouring shelters and respite centres, scheduled to take place in September 2020.
The Bentway
The Bentway is located under the Gardiner Expressway on the lands of Fort York National Historic Site, running just east of the Fort York Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Blvd.) to Bastion Street. Visit The Bentway website for more information about this unique venue.
While You’re In The Area…
In addition to The Bentway itself, there are many interesting urban spaces in the vicinity that would make a fine spot for a picnic, stroll or adventure!
Garrison Crossing Bridge • Garrison Common • Waterfront Wave Deck • Coronation Park • Trillium Park
FAQs
Where is The Bentway and how do I get there?
The Bentway is located under the Gardiner Expressway on the lands of Fort York National Historic Site, running just east of the Fort York Visitor Centre (250 Fort York Blvd) to Bastion Street. > Google Map
Take the TTC:
- 511 Bathurst (note: Buses are currently operating on a revised route due to construction) )
- 509 Harbourfront (at at Fort York Blvd.)
- 121 Fort York-Esplanade at Gzowski Blvd (westbound) or Bastion St (eastbound)
Bike to The Bentway!
Use Bike Share Toronto’s System Map, or download CycleFinder or Transit app to locate stations and plan your route with real-time bike and station availability. The closest stations to The Bentway are Fort York Blvd/Garrison Rd, Strachan Ave/Princes’ Blvd, and Fort York Blvd/Bathurst St.
Parking:
Paid parking is available at 800 Fleet Street, as well as in the Fort York Visitor Centre parking lot.
What if it rains?
Meal pickup will take place rain or shine; no refunds will be issued for meals not picked up.
Are there washrooms at The Bentway?
The Bentway provides accessible public washrooms, located in the middle of the site just west of the skate trail. Please note: Due to COVID-19, a limited number of stalls are available and masks are required to access these facilities. Please practice safe physical distancing protocols while visiting. Washrooms and site furniture are available for people to use until 8pm only.
Can I BYOB?
There will not be any beverages included in the meals, nor will any be available for purchase on site, though there are water fountains on The Bentway property. You are encouraged to bring a beverage of your choice, but be aware that City of Toronto by-laws prohibit the consumption of alcohol in public.
Can you accommodate special dietary restrictions?
As meals are prepared and pre-packaged off site, and the menus being prepared are for this event only, we are not able to accommodate specific dietary restrictions beyond the meat and vegetarian options that are available. The Depanneur will try and clarify any potential allergens in the event description. If you have specific questions about ingredients, please contact The Depanneur directly.
Why is it more expensive than last year?
As a result of the many challenges presented by COVID-19, we had to adapt in order to find a way to make Communal Table possible. This year, Communal Picnic pricing has been adjusted to support (the recovery of) local chefs and restaurants facing unprecedented times. Nevertheless, accessibility and affordability remain vitally important and we have done our best to ensure that we can provide Communal Picnic at the lowest possible cost.