Parks - new & revitalized

[DSCToronto]

Toronto's first multi-court Pickle Ball space is coming to the east end.

‘Pretty exciting’: City’s first multi-court pickleball facility coming to east end waterfront park

The new outdoor courts are set to be constructed this summer and ready for gameplay in the fall

www.torontotoday.ca

I see from the map in the article that it is conveniently located near the "Main Sewage Treatment Playground" - which should certainly attract customers :-> (Is that REALLY its name??)

 

[christiesplits]

City council to vote on redesigning Olive Square Park and creating a memorial to the Yonge Street van attack.

City eyes redesign of North York park as permanent memorial for victims of Yonge Street van attack

City council will consider a motion next week to move forward with plans to redesign Olive Square Park to honour the 11 people killed in the 2018 tragedy.

www.thestar.com

I would love to hear suggestions from @Northern Light for improvements.

 

[Johnny Au]

City council to vote on redesigning Olive Square Park and creating a memorial to the Yonge Street van attack.

City eyes redesign of North York park as permanent memorial for victims of Yonge Street van attack

City council will consider a motion next week to move forward with plans to redesign Olive Square Park to honour the 11 people killed in the 2018 tragedy.

www.thestar.com

I would love to hear suggestions from @Northern Light for improvements.

The memorial needs to condemn right-wing terrorism in all forms as the van attacker's motive was misogyny to prevent incels from appropriating the memorial.

 

[DSCToronto]

The memorial needs to condemn right-wing terrorism in all forms as the van attacker's motive was misogyny to prevent incels from appropriating the memorial.

I think the purpose of a memorial is to memorialise the victims, not to give any visibility to the person responsible for their death.

 

[Northern Light]

Lots of relatively small but good Parks projects in the Member Motions going to next week's Council meeting.

This first one secures $190,000 in improvements baseball diamond number 2 at Christie Pits:

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.3

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.3

secure.toronto.ca

@DSCToronto also noted this one over in the Cycling thread:

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.9

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.9

secure.toronto.ca

Then there's this for the Vale of Avoca, which has the rich folks committing to raise 35-40M for a massive restoration of that ravine system.

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.15

Agenda Item History 2025.MM32.15

secure.toronto.ca

This one is big (lots of text) so I won't copy it all, here are the recs:

There's also a couple of large'ish donation related to tennis courts.

 

[Towered]

Speaking of public tennis courts, can we get some more built? I don't think any new ones have been built since at least the 80's, and there are plenty of large areas in existing parks that could offer the space for them. Is there a way to lobby for this???

And stop painting ******* pickleball lines on existing ones!!!!!

 

[Northern Light]

Speaking of public tennis courts, can we get some more built? I don't think any new ones have been built since at least the 80's, and there are plenty of large areas in existing parks that could offer the space for them. Is there a way to lobby for this???

And stop painting ******* pickleball lines on existing ones!!!!

Capital Budget for Tennis Courts (and parking lots and pickleball, LOL, don't ask, I didn't organize the money:

There appears to be money for two new sets of courts next year where the location wasn't identified at the time of budget.

I believe Muirlands is new. So is George Ben Park.

If you want something in your area, best to ask the Councillor. Yeah, I know..... Might want to do that though before you run to unseat him next year.

If you have a park in mind, I can tell you it ifs likely feasible.

****

The other thing to do is involve yourself whenever a new park of any size comes up for development.

There are always surveys. Though better to email before that stage to make sure it will be in the survey as an option.

 

[Towered]

Capital Budget for Tennis Courts (and parking lots and pickleball, LOL, don't ask, I didn't organize the money:

View attachment 666947


There appears to be money for two new sets of courts next year where the location wasn't identified at the time of budget.

I believe Muirlands is new. So is George Ben Park.

If you want something in your area, best to ask the Councillor. Yeah, I know..... Might want to do that though before you run to unseat him next year.

If you have a park in mind, I can tell you it ifs likely feasible.

****

The other thing to do is involve yourself whenever a new park of any size comes up for development.

There are always surveys. Though better to email before that stage to make sure it will be in the survey as an option.

Thank you, this is very helpful information! Haven't heard of those two parks you mentioned, but good to know there is a path, if muddy, to lobby for this...

And ugh, Holyday is utterly useless. We all know his default setting is to mindlessly vote against anything that spends money. I need to drive this fool out somehow. Can you imagine a Towered-run little fiefdom in west Toronto? *eyes fill with sparkles*

 

[DSCToronto]

This probably fits here

 

[DSCToronto]

Passed at Council today...​

​

MM32.47 - 125 The Esplanade - Interim Park Implementation - by Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise​

Motion without Notice
Consideration Type: ACTIONWard: 10 - Spadina - Fort York
Attention
* This Motion has been deemed urgent by the Chair.
* This Motion is not subject to a vote to waive referral. This Motion has been added to the agenda and is before Council for debate.

Recommendations​

Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik, seconded by Councillor Chris Moise, recommends that:

1. City Council request the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, to implement interim park use and beautification at 125 The Esplanade, to be timed for implementation immediately following the removal of the temporary north market structure to ensure continuity of use.

2. City Council request the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to consult with current users, Old Town Business Improvement Area, St Lawrence Neighbourhood Association and relevant community stakeholders to ensure consideration of current uses.

Summary​

125 The Esplanade is designated as a future park. Since 2016, it has been the site of the temporary North St. Lawrence Market building, hosting the farmers’ market and other uses. In May 2025, the new North Market building was opened, and the temporary structure is planned to be decommissioned.

While planning for the future of this site continues, the site should continue to serve as a public space for the benefit of the St. Lawrence community. An interim park, as part of the St. Lawrence Market precinct, should be implemented and timed with the removal of the temporary structure, in advance of the FIFA World Cup 2026. These plans can come alongside the start of David Crombie Park revitalization beginning in 2025.

This motion is urgent because the temporary structure will be removed later this year so planning for interim use must begin immediately.

Background Information​

Member Motion MM32.47
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/mm/bgrd/backgroundfile-257655.pdf

 

[DSCToronto]

David Crombie Park is slated for an upgrade in 2019 and at that time or 2020 the current temporary North Market site will be turned into a park that will link David Crombie to Market Street. Then, as the new North Market ought to be finished, Market Lane Park will be refurbished and link St James Park to Market Street.

Parliament Square Park will be incorporated into the First Parliament site in some way. The City has a current tender out for the creation of Master Plan for that whole block. No dates on any actual work, except that the New St Lawrence District Library will go somewhere on that block (probably along Front Street) and the TPL hopes to start that in 2018 or 2019.

I posted the above in July 2017 - as we see (or do not see); the First Parliament site was taken by Metrolinx, Parks are still dithering about David Crombie though they keep saying work will start this year (I will believe it when I see a contractor hired and equipment on site) and the 125 The Esplanade site was park, was a future district library, might have been subsidised housing and is now to be a park again.

 

[Sauga89]

I was looking at the Mimico lakefront zoning plan, and I came across this proposed future park extension, southwest of the existing Mimico Waterfront Park in Etobicoke.

Does anyone know more about it? It seems to be tied to a possible future re-development of nearby walk-up apartments, but I don't see anything on the UT project map. The city's property map shows the waterfront yard of an apartment building, one lonely two-storey home and two vacant lots.

It would be great if the city could develop it (EDIT: as new park space, to be clear) as it seems a bit of wasted space.

 

[DSCToronto]

This probably fits here

View attachment 667797

Now they want them to be installed..

 

[DSCToronto]

DAVID CROMBIE PARK & MARKET LANE PARK: These two projects are a 'perfect' example of the problems with City contracts noted by @NorthernLight recently. The plans for both the David Crombie and the Market Lane Parks were prepared after much public input that went on for several years. By the time they were ready to go to tender, it was spring 2025 and purchasing was busy because, as noted by @NorthernLight , they issue a huge number of calls for bids when the annual budget is approved. It has taken until now to have the bids for these two projects evaluated so I will be amazed if either contract will start before April 2026.. I got this today from the PFR Project Manager, who is clearly as unhappy with the delays as some of us.

"We are working through the award process for both projects. It does take time for the many aspects of due diligence and procurement requirements to be met.

We anticipate Market Lane Park award being on the early September Bid Award Panel.

David Crombie Park Improvements and The Esplanade-Mill St. Connection joint project is larger and must go to General Government Committee, which does not meet in August. We are on the Agenda for their September meeting.

Once the approvals are received at those committees, the contracts have to be executed, and purchase orders issued. Once the contractors have their contracts and purchase orders we will promptly develop a construction schedule with the contractors and update the websites.

The good news is that they are both moving forward, albeit not as fast as we might wish!"

 

[DSCToronto]

Parks 'stuff' tends to get scattered and I think this is 'new' but ..

IE26.15 - Weston Loop Master Plan​

SEE: https://secure.toronto.ca/council/agenda-item.do?item=2025.IE26.15

Origin​

(November 20, 2025) Letter from Councillor Frances Nunziata

Recommendations​

Councillor Frances Nunziata recommends that:

1. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in co-ordination with appropriate City Divisions, Agencies, the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, and intergovernmental / non-governmental partners, as required and as appropriate, to implement the Weston Loop Master Plan, contained in Attachment 4 to this letter, over the next 25 years as the general direction in for improvement for the following five parks:

- Crawford Jones Park
- Mallaby Park
- Cruickshank Park
- Little Avenue Memorial Park
- Weston Lions Park

2. City Council direct the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, the General Manager, Transportation Services, and the Chief Planner and Executive Director, City Planning to review the final recommendations of the Weston Loop Master Plan in Attachment 4 to this letter, and to pursue opportunities to address the Master Plan recommendations through ongoing studies, such as but not limited to the Parkland Strategy Plan, the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan, the Weston Cycling Connections Project, the Mid Humber Gap Trail Study and the Weston-in-Gear Study.

3. City Council directs the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with other City Divisions and agencies as needed to advance the implementation of priority projects identified in the Weston Loop Master Plan through the Parks and Recreation operating budget and 10-year capital plan and through the various studies, cost estimates, and / or detailed design exercises, as needed.

4. City Council authorize an exemption from section 414-25 A of Municipal Code Chapter 415-Article III Cash-in-lieu; allocation and direct that 100 per cent of the cash in lieu of parkland collected from the following projects be allocated to the Weston Loop Implementation through future budget processes when received, for consideration along with other City priorities:

- 1705 Weston Road
- 1736-1746 Weston Road
- 1798-1812 Weston Road
- 1821-1831 Weston Road
- 1830-1844 Weston Road
- 1871-1885 Weston Road
- 1956 Weston Road
- 13-21 John Street and 36-40 South Station Street
- 16 Wilby Crescent

5. City Council directs the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to work with the Friends of the Weston Loop, in consultation with the local Councillor, including participation in regularly scheduled meetings and support of annual reporting by the Friends of the Weston Loop.

6. City Council directs the General Manager, Parks and Recreation to work with the Weston Loop Consultant to make such stylistic and technical changes to the draft Master Plan as may be necessary to support implementation

Summary​

Last winter, Mayor Chow joined me to launch a community-led visioning process for the 74 acres of connected parkland spanning five parks along the Humber River in Weston. Using a design charrette for the first time, we initiated the development of what has become the Weston Loop Master Plan.

Over several months, an iterative engagement process was undertaken, including focus groups, in-person and one-on-one consultations, the establishment of a local stakeholder advisory group with regular meetings, engagement with treaty rights holders and numerous pop-up engagements at community events. Dedicated digital platforms - such as a project website, Frequently Asked Questions, and online postings - were also used to ensure broad participation and accessibility.

City staff, including, Parks and Recreation staff were fully integrated throughout the process, participating in community events, advisory meetings, and discussions to ensure alignment with City objectives and community priorities.

Background Information​

Letter from Councillor Frances Nunziata on Weston Loop Master Plan
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260360.pdf
Attachment 1 - Existing Park Conditions
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260361.pdf
Attachment 2 - Engagement Summary Report
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260362.pdf
Attachment 3 - Background Report
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260363.pdf
Attachment 4 - Weston Loop Master Plan - Part 1
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260364.pdf
Attachment 4 - Weston Loop Master Plan - Part 2
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2025/ie/bgrd/backgroundfile-260409.pdf