Grand Avenue Park is growing! The existing Grand Avenue Park is a 2.5 hectare parcel of green space on the east side of Grand Avenue and north of the Metrolinx Lakeshore Rail corridor. The City has acquired additional land next to Grand Avenue Park to create a new, approximately five-hectare (12 acres) park!

  • 2016 to 2019: Community consultation and design development
  • March 2020: Phase 1 construction starts
  • August 2021: Phase 1 construction complete
  • Summer 2024: Phase 2 construction starts
  • Fall 2025: Phase 2 construction complete

This timeline is subject to change.

Past Consultations

Local residents, recreation clubs, and park user groups had opportunities to review and provide comment as the Grand Park design evolved.

Park Design

The technical details of this image can be described by contacting the project coordinator listed on this page
The location of the park and the proposed expansion.

The new park design is an ideal opportunity to provide a creative vision for a major park and was created in consultation with the local community and general public (see Consultation section below).

The new park design:

  • Integrates city and community recreation and leisure needs
  • Addresses community-based issues
  • Reflects sustainable and environmentally sound landscape design and management

Master Plan

Construction

The park will be constructed in 2 phases:

Diagram and information about phase 1 construction of Grand Avenue Park
Phase 1 construction diagram of Grand Avenue Park
Diagram and information about phase 1 construction of Grand Avenue Park
Phase 2 construction diagram of Grand Avenue Park

 

  • Phase 1 will include extensive site remediation (see details below), site grading, and construction of the multi-use sports field, splash pad/water play facility, temporary dogs’ off-leash area, parking lot, walkways, lighting, turf and tree planting.
  • Phase 2 will include the construction of the new washroom building and shade structure, playground play court, tree plantings, benches and picnic tables.

Site Remediation

The north area of the new park includes the former Metro Incinerator/Waste Treatment Site and the former Algoma Street road allowance. These areas are being converted into parkland in the first phase of work.

The City has completed an extensive environmental assessment process with the Ministry of Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to identify the nature and extent of soil contamination due to the formal industrial uses of the site, and outline steps for site clean-up to ensure the grounds are completely safe for use by people and pets.

As part of this process, a soil management plan was prepared based on MECP regulations. The soil management plan includes:

  • Demolition of existing pavement structures
  • Removal of all trees on site
  • Removal of existing topsoil
  • Installing new clean soil to a minimum depth of 1.0 meter

A qualified environmental engineering firm was hired by the City to lead the reporting process with MECP and to ensure that the soil management plan and its implementation complies with MECP regulations.

Tree Removal

Unfortunately, the existing trees cannot survive the extent and depth of soil removal required to make the grounds safe for park use. However, the new park design will include new tree plantings and the creation of natural wooded areas.