Aquarius at Waterpark City, 219 Fort York Blvd: Club Oasis and the Facts

Aquarius is one of those buildings where the listing sheet and the building’s own records do not tell the same story. Before I talk about the pool or the prices, I want you to know exactly what you are buying into, because at 219 Fort York Boulevard that takes a little untangling. I’m Jatin Dua, RE/MAX Quantum Realty.

What Aquarius actually is

Waterpark City is Lanterra’s four-building community on Fort York Boulevard: Aquarius, Atlantis, Neptune and Neptune 2, with close to 1,930 suites in total, according to Wikipedia’s summary. Page + Steele was the architect. UrbanToronto’s project database also lists IBI Group as an architect and names Lifetime Developments as developer, so the credits vary by source.

Here is the part that matters. Listing data treats 219 Fort York Boulevard as a 38-storey, 490-suite building. DASH Property Management, which lists the building on its site, describes Aquarius as a 12-storey building next to the base of the Atlantis tower at 231 Fort York Boulevard, holding some of the larger suites, and puts both under the same corporation, TSCC-1754. UrbanToronto also describes Aquarius as a 12-storey phase.

My reading is that TSCC-1754 covers Atlantis and Aquarius together, and that the 38-storey, 490-suite figure describes the corporation rather than the low building alone. I cannot confirm that from public records, so before you make an offer, ask for the declaration and confirm which building your suite is in and how many units share the corporation.

Club Oasis

Waterpark City was built with two amenity clubs, Club Oasis and Club Odyssey, in connected towers. Aquarius belongs to Club Oasis, which DASH describes as including a large indoor pool, saunas, an exercise room and aerobics space, a billiard room, a party room, guest suites, a landscaped courtyard and a rooftop garden with a hot tub. One agent site puts the club at about 38,000 sq ft.

For daily life that is a full fitness and swim package without a gym membership, and the rooftop garden is a real outdoor space in a part of the city that is mostly hard surfaces. The cost of a club this size is shared, so look at how it is funded in the budget and the reserve fund study.

A detail worth noting: the community was built with public art by Vito Acconci, according to UrbanToronto. It is a small thing, but it is part of why Waterpark City reads as a planned community rather than a row of towers, and it is something to look for when you visit the grounds.

Small suites, and what that means

Suites run from about 375 sq ft to roughly 1,439 sq ft, but the active market here is almost entirely one-bedrooms. All seven current listings are one-bedrooms or one-bedroom-plus-dens under 700 sq ft. That makes the building an investor and first-buyer market, with plenty of comparables and a steady supply of tenants.

If DASH is right that the low Aquarius building holds some of the larger suites, then the bigger plans are the rarer, more owner-occupied part of the corporation. Those trade less often, so expect fewer comparables and price them carefully.

On ceiling heights, DASH says the lower half of the Atlantis tower has 8-foot ceilings and the upper half 9-foot ceilings. It does not give a figure for Aquarius, so measure or ask.

DASH also lists the original suite finishes as porcelain-tiled foyers, double-glazed windows, designer cabinetry and in-suite laundry. Those were standard for 2006. Twenty years on, kitchens and bathrooms in many suites will be original or due for work, so set a renovation budget into your offer rather than paying a renovated price for a dated suite.

The Fort York edge of downtown

When Waterpark City was built, UrbanToronto described it as helping establish the western edge of the Fort York district. Twenty years later, that edge is fully built out. Fort York National Historic Site, the Fort York library branch and the Bentway under the Gardiner are close by, and Coronation Park and the lake are to the south.

The trade-off is the Gardiner and the rail corridor. Depending on exposure and floor, noise and views vary a great deal, and new towers have filled many of the sightlines that were open in 2006. DASH notes the TTC runs past the front door. The data panel on this page covers transit, schools and walkability.

Prices and fees at 219 Fort York Boulevard

The building average is around $897 per square foot. That is high for a 2006 building, and it is mostly a result of the small suites, which always price higher per square foot than larger ones. Compare a one-bedroom here with one-bedrooms in nearby towers, not with the average.

Seven suites are listed for sale, asking between $419,000 and $649,000, all one-bedrooms or one-bedroom-plus-dens from under 500 to just under 700 sq ft. That cluster gives you a good set of comparables and some negotiating room.

Fees on current listings average about $0.97 per square foot. Listing data shows heat and water included, but DASH’s page says utilities are not included and that electricity is billed through Carma. Hydro is clearly on you; confirm heat in the status certificate. With parking not listed as a fee inclusion, ask what a spot costs if the suite has one.

Building specifications

Amenities at Aquarius at Waterpark City

Club Oasis gives a small one-bedroom owner a pool, sauna and rooftop hot tub that most new towers in this area do not offer. Ask how the club is shared and funded before you count it as free.

Jatin’s honest take on Aquarius at Waterpark City

Aquarius at Waterpark City — frequently asked questions

Looking at King West, Liberty Village and CityPlace more broadly? Start with my Toronto community guide — the neighbourhoods, what each pocket is like, and how they compare.