Polson Pier, previously known as The Docks Waterfront Entertainment Complex (or simply The Docks), is a multi-purpose

entertainment Entertainment is a form of activity that holds the attention and Interest (emotion), interest of an audience or gives pleasure and delight. It can be an idea or a task, but it is more likely to be one of the activities or events that have deve ...

complex in

Toronto Toronto ( , locally pronounced or ) is the List of the largest municipalities in Canada by population, most populous city in Canada. It is the capital city of the Provinces and territories of Canada, Canadian province of Ontario. With a p ...

, Ontario, Canada. It is located in the largely industrial Port Lands area of the city along the waterfront of Toronto Harbour. The site is also home to an amusement area, with facilities for

swimming Swimming is the self-propulsion of a person through water, such as saltwater or freshwater environments, usually for recreation, sport, exercise, or survival. Swimmers achieve locomotion by coordinating limb and body movements to achieve hydrody ...

beach volleyball Beach volleyball is a team sport played by two teams of two to four players each on a sand court divided by a net. Similar to indoor volleyball, the objective of the game is to send the ball over the net and to ground it on the opponent's side o ...

, and a driving range. Until 2019, the site was also the only place in downtown Toronto to have go-karts, which has since closed permanently after failing to renew its contract from the landlord and Polson Pier. Polson Pier is also home of the Rebel (formerly Sound Academy), a

concert hall A concert hall is a cultural building with a stage (theatre), stage that serves as a performance venue and an auditorium filled with seats. This list does not include other venues such as sports stadia, dramatic theatres or convention ...

nightclub A nightclub or dance club is a club that is open at night, usually for drinking, dancing and other entertainment. Nightclubs often have a Bar (establishment), bar and discotheque (usually simply known as disco) with a dance floor, laser lighti ...

. From 1999 to 2017 the site was converted into a

drive-in theater A drive-in theater/theatre or drive-in cinema is a form of movie theater, cinema structure consisting of a large outdoor movie screen, a projection booth, a concession stand, and a large parking area for automobiles. Within this enclosed area, c ...

at sunset. It was the only drive-in movie theatre in downtown Toronto. Open on summer weekends, the drive-in could accommodate up to 1200 people and 500 vehicles. The drive-in closed in 2017, with their final showing occurring on September 3. In 2020, during the COVID-19 pandemic in Canada, the parking lot of Rebel was converted back into a drive-in theatre, used as a venue for both music concerts and film screenings. It was one of the venues for the

2020 Toronto International Film Festival The 2020 Toronto International Film Festival, the 45th event in the Toronto International Film Festival series, was held from September 10 to 21, 2020. Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Toronto, the festival took place primarily on an online stream ...

. In 1999 there was discussion that ferries from the Toronto Ferry Services should depart from a landing at the Docks. On July 24, 2006, the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario revoked the Docks' liquor licence. This was the culmination of a 10-year-long dispute with the

Toronto Islands The Toronto Islands are a chain of 15 small islands in Lake Ontario, south of mainland Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Comprising the only group of islands in the western part of Lake Ontario, the Toronto Islands are located just offshore from the ...

' residents regarding excessive noise. On July 28, 2006, the

Court of Appeal for Ontario The Court of Appeal for Ontario (frequently mistakenly referred to as the Ontario Court of Appeal) (ONCA is the abbreviation for its neutral citation) is the appellate court for the province of Ontario, Canada. The seat of the court is Osgoode Ha ...

judge granted a stay, pending an appeal heard January 2007. By the summer of 2008, the complex had been sold to new owners who took measures to appease its neighbours, including ending all-night parties and soundproofing its indoor venue. The complex lies between the Polson Slip to the north and the channel to Toronto's turning basin to the south.

References

External links

Official site

Rebel
Buildings and structures in Toronto Music venues in Toronto Nightclubs in Toronto Drive-in theatres in Canada {{music-venue-stub

See also

References

External links