Canoe Landing Park, despite looking very inviting and ready to open, is stuck in limbo while the City and the Developer deal with legal matters. The eight-hectare park was built by Concord Adex as part of their City Place residential development. The park was designed by landscape architects Phillips Farevaag Smallenberg in partnership with landscape architects, The Planning Partnership and Douglas Coupland. The park's ribbon cutting ceremony was on September 9, 2009 and yet it still remains closed.
The problem lies essentially with the roads surrounding the site: they are still in the hands of Concord Adex, and unassumed by the city. Until those roads are in the City's hands, liability issues would arise should anyone visiting the park require emergency services. The City therefore is unable to assume the liability until they have ownership of the access roads.
Concord Adex has initiated the process to make the transfer, and local Councillor Adam Vaughan's office is working with them to facilitate a fast transfer. The process normally takes two months or more, but everyone involved would like to see it complete in as few a six weeks... but we're talking procedural red tape here, so no-one knows for sure exactly how long this process will take, no matter how greased the wheels are. Urban Toronto will keep you posted on details of the progress when they become available. In the meanwhile you can enjoy the park through the photos of Urban Toronto forum member wyliepoon.