College Park and its entire open space are undergoing a major revitalization. The aim is to re-establish College Park as a beautiful, vital, safe and sustainable public open space. The park design process is part of a place-making initiative that will involve adjacent businesses, residents and other stakeholders.

The existing park (approximately 0.75 hectares) was originally constructed on top of a parking garage in the mid-1980s. Features include an artificial ice rink/reflecting pool, washroom building and green landscaped areas. Surrounding the park are office towers, retail stores and residential condominiums, including townhouses that front directly onto the park.

Proposed Timeline

Summer 2012: Placemaking process with stakeholders/adjacent landowners
Fall/Winter 2012-2013: Landscape design
Spring/Summer 2013: Final park design announced
Summer 2013: Construction contract tendered
Fall 2013: Construction contract awarded & construction initiated
Summer 2014 - Fall 2015: Construction
Winter 2015: Construction complete

Project Overview

College Park is situated at the heart of the city block surrounded by College St. to the north, Gerrard St. to the south, Bay St. to the west and Yonge St. to the east. Since, constructed high-density residential and commercial development has surrounded the park on all four sides, all but cutting it off from the major streets that surround it. This project seeks to reinforce the park's connections to the surrounding city and to renew its presence in the neighbourhood.

The Planning, Design and Development section of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division is leading a revitalization initiative for College Park. The goals of the revitalization are to:

• Make College Park a welcoming, healthy, beautiful and safe environment
• Improve the spatial design of the park to accommodate changing patterns of use and accommodate a higher number of park users
• Improve the visibility of the park from outside the city block
• Create a park that is more environmentally sustainable and easier to maintain
• Stimulate community stewardship and partnerships with adjacent businesses, residents, community groups and other stakeholders

Background

Canderel Stoneridge, the company responsible for the Aura development at Gerrard and Yonge Sts., has entered into Section 37 and 45(9) agreements with the City of Toronto. They have agreed to provide approximately $3M of major improvements to College Park, including public consultation, design services and construction. The project will be implemented by Canderel Stoneridge on behalf of, and under the supervision of Parks, Forestry & Recreation (PFR) Division.

Concept & Design

The College Park site is complex and needs a collaborative approach to improve both private and public open space. PFR's Landscape Architecture Unit in Planning, Design and Development Section of PFR is supervising the revitalization, which includes planning and design work from the MBTW Group/Watchorn Architect and Project for Public Spaces.

Get Involved

Placemaking

The first phase of the project brought together the residents, landowners and property managers directly adjacent to the park. Together they formed a collective vision for the development of the park. This vision will form the future of open space planning and management at College Park. Project for Public Spaces, acting as a sub-consultant to MBTW, produced a Placemaking Plan for College Park. This plan includes recommendations for the types of activities and features that could be included in the design and ongoing operations of College Park. Due to Hurricane Sandy, the final Placemaking plan will be delayed. It will be posted as soon as it is finalized.

Landscape Design

Using the goals, features and activities identified in the Placemaking Plan, MBTW and Parks, Forestry and Recreation will lead a design process that will include a design charette and a public meeting to discuss different conceptual proposals for the park design.

A meeting to review two concept plans was held on November 22, 2012:

• Powerpoint Presentation (pdf)
• Feedback Summary (pdf)

The first design meeting for this project was held on October 17, 2012:

• Meeting agenda (pdf)
• Powerpoint Presentation (pdf)
• Feedback Summary (pdf)

We Would Like To Hear From You

Public engagement is an important part of this project. You are invited to learn more and to share your insights and opinions at any time. For more information, please contact:

Netami Stuart
Parks, Forestry & Recreation
City of Toronto
Metro Hall, 24th Floor
55 John Street
Toronto, ON M5V 3C6

Tel: 416-392-3390
Email: nstuart@toronto.ca