A new 4,900 m2 park – a bit larger than Liberty Village Park – is coming to 34 Hanna Ave., at the southwest corner of Hanna Avenue and Liberty Street. The site is currently a Toronto Parking Authority parking lot.
Before full construction begins, a portion of the site is open to the public as a Park in Progress – a park space that will open for public use while planning and preparations for the permanent park continue. The permanent park’s design, amenities and features will be determined through a design competition and community engagement process.
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Fall 2024
June 2025
Design Competition Stage 1 (October 2025 to March 2026)
Design Competition Stage 2 (May to December 2026)
Spring 2027
Spring to Winter 2027
Spring 2028
Fall 2028
Fall 2030
The timeline is subject to change.
Drop by anytime to view the shortlisted teams’ design proposals, meet the project team and learn more about the park design process. The winning team will be selected by a jury of design experts later this year.
The room can be accessed by stairs or elevator. Stairs are available at the Hanna Avenue entrance, next to Local, with the room located near the top of the stairs.
An elevator is available at the East Liberty Street entrance, next to BMO, with the room located about 100 metres from the elevator. Chairs will be positioned along the way as possible rest stops.
This project has been classified as a Collaborate project based on the International Association of Public Participation Spectrum. This means we aim to partner with the public, stakeholders and rightsholders in each aspect of the design process for the new park, including the development of design options and the identification of a preferred design.
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This project has a Community Advisory Committee (CAC) comprised of 26 members, including local residents and stakeholder groups. The CAC offers feedback, guidance and advice to the project team at key points during the community engagement process. They have an advisory role and do not make decisions or represent the whole community.
21 local residents on the CAC were selected through a civic lottery, a democratic best practice used in Canada and internationally to create advisory groups that reflect the communities they serve.
Five CAC members are representatives of the following local groups:
In October 2025, the City launched a two-stage international design competition, inviting design teams from around the world to reimagine the site at 34 Hanna Ave. as a new park.
In Stage One, design teams submitted their qualifications, and up to five were shortlisted. In Stage Two, these teams create and present their park designs to a jury and the community. Feedback from experts and residents will help the jury choose the winning design team.
Stage One of the Design Competition (RFSQ) closed on December 9, 2025. Twenty‑six exceptional responses were received as part of the call, including submissions from design firms across Canada and around the world.
All 26 submissions were evaluated by a team of five professionals, including one professional advisor and four City staff with expertise in landscape architecture, urban design and public art.
The evaluation team assessed the submissions using pre‑determined, weighted criteria. Based on the results, we are pleased to share the shortlist of the five design teams that have qualified as the suppliers who submitted the highest‑scoring compliant bids:
The five shortlisted teams will proceed to Stage Two.
In this stage, the shortlisted applicants submitted conceptual designs for the new park. The applicants received a competition brief in the form of a Request for Proposals (RFP) which outlined the submission requirements and provided additional material required to develop the designs. This stage included an orientation session and a site tour.
The design proposals will be shared with the community and presented to the Design Jury. They will also be shared on this page and at an open house. A Professional Advisor will collect and summarize feedback on the design ideas from the Community Advisory Committee, which will provide a community perspective, and from City technical advisory reviewers. The Design Jury will use this feedback to help inform their recommendation for one design team.
The community will be invited to provide further feedback on the winning design during Community Engagement Phase 3.
The design competition will be judged by a jury of experts in landscape architecture, architecture, urban design, art, curation, climate resilience and Indigenous design. Deliberations will take place in November 2026.
The Jury members are:
Jury members are participating in an independent capacity and do not represent or act on behalf of their employer.
In this phase, the vision statement and guiding principles were developed with the community and the Community Advisory Committee.
The vision is co-created with the community to describe the ideal future park. It is a big-picture statement that should inspire everyone toward a common understanding of the project’s overall goals and objectives.
The park at 34 Hanna St. will be an immersive space where the energy of Liberty Village meets the tranquillity of nature. Transforming a former parking lot into a thriving green oasis, the park will prioritize flexible spaces for gathering, events, and relaxation. Tactile and colourful design elements will come together to create a landscape that sparks curiosity and joy, encouraging playful exploration through thoughtful details that invite imagination and wonder.
While honouring the area’s industrial character, the park will be a haven for relaxation, connection, and urban life, featuring spaces for markets, music events, and outdoor movies. Whether strolling through its pathways, gathering with friends, or simply pausing to take in the sights and sounds, the park will reflect the spirit of Liberty Village—a place alive with creativity and community.
The guiding principles are high-level directions that reflect the community’s most important values and ideas for how the park should look and feel. They help to clarify the vision statement and guide how the park should be designed by describing the desired outcomes.
Replace hard surfaces with eco-friendly materials, native vegetation and permeable landscaping to create a vibrant, natural refuge that supports biodiversity, mitigates climate impacts, improves air quality, supports pollinators and manages stormwater, ensuring the park thrives for future generations.
Design the park to be welcoming and functional for everyone, with barrier-free pathways, diverse seating options, and spaces that accommodate all ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds.
Provide versatile gathering spaces that encourage community-building, including areas for picnics, casual meetups and programmed events like markets or performances.
Include zones for both quiet relaxation and lively activity, ensuring the park serves a wide range of needs and preferences.
Reflect the area’s industrial spirit through materials, art and design elements, while incorporating innovative features that speak to its evolving identity.
Add imaginative and interactive elements (such as art installations, water features or sensory play features) that inspire curiosity and engage people of all ages.
On December 5, the Community Advisory Committee met in person for the second time at the Liberty Village Market Building. This meeting focused on developing a vision for the new park and participants engaged in hands-on visioning exercises and discussions.
Download the December 2024 Community Advisory Committee meeting summary.
On October 29, the Community Advisory Committee met virtually for an orientation meeting to learn more about the project, their role and the community engagement process for the new park.
From September 19 to October 10, community members could apply to be part of the Community Advisory Committee. This Advisory Committee will provide feedback, guidance and advice to the project team at key decision points during the community engagement process.
From September 19 to October 10, 397 community members participated in an online thought exchange activity where they provided 330 ideas and 8,616 idea ratings to help inform the park’s vision, character, amenities and features.
Download the October 2024 online thought exchange activity summary.
In this phase, the City will gather feedback from the community on the five design proposals from the shortlisted teams in the design competition. This feedback will be provided to the Design Jury for consideration, alongside other criteria when choosing the winning design team. The City will also share the five design proposals with the wider community on this webpage.
The community engagement activities anticipated in this phase include:
The anticipated outcome of this phase is a summary of community feedback on the shortlisted designs for the Design Jury.
In this phase, the City will share the preferred design with the community for a final round of feedback and revisions. The project will then move into the detailed design phase, where the design team will work through technical details and plans for the construction contractor.
The community engagement activities anticipated in this phase include:
The anticipated outcome of this phase is a refined preferred design.
The City of Toronto is building a new gateway park at 34 Hanna Ave, an existing Toronto Parking Authority lot in Liberty Village. The project site is 4,900 square metres and will be transferred to the City of Toronto by the Toronto Parking Authority. The park design will be developed through a two–stage design competition and input from the community.
In June 2025, a Park in Progress was created on a 720 m2 area of the existing parking lot to provide early access for community use while planning and preparations for the future permanent park are underway. The Park in Progress is expected to close alongside the parking lot when construction for the full park begins in 2027.
Environmental work on the park will be done at the same time as the park construction.
We understand concerns about losing parking. A study for the Liberty Village Public Realm Strategy found that only 57 per cent of spaces in the neighbourhood are currently used at peak times, with surface lots more popular than underground ones. It concluded that future parking needs should be met but drivers could face challenges with location and cost. To help manage this, the study suggests promoting walking, biking, public transit and carsharing.
More details are available on page 18 of the staff report to City Council.
