After investigating four potential sites, the City will be installing a new dogs off-leash area (OLA) in the western portion of Underpass Park which is bounded by St. Lawrence Street, Eastern Avenue and the Eastern Avenue Diversion.

 

The City is adding a dogs off-leash area (OLA) in the Corktown Common neighbourhood. This project is a result of significant demand from local residents and the displacement of an existing OLA that was located at the northeast section of Corktown Common.

  • March 2022 to May 2023: Design development
  • June 2023 to August 2023: Project approvals
  • November 2023 to January 2024: Hire a construction team for Phase 1 work
  • April 2024: Phase 1 construction starts
  • September 2024: Phase 1 construction complete
  • 2026 to 2028: Phase 2 construction

The timeline is subject to change.

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While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact Bob Duguid at 416-392-1925.

March 2022

Off-leash Area (OLA) Location Determined

The new OLA will be installed in the western portion of Underpass Park (away from the underpass). The OLA will be delivered in two phases in response to the City’s Transportation Services and Engineering and Construction Services overpass rehabilitation program.

Phase 1 will include the installation of the fence and gates, new artificial turf, drainage improvements and signage, south of the Adelaide Street East overhead ramp. This phase will start in 2023.

Phase 2 will include an expansion of the OLA and a new fence, gates, artificial turf, water bottle filler, drainage improvements and signage under the Adelaide Street East overhead ramp. This phase will start after the overpass rehabilitation program is complete, sometime in 2024 to 2026.

January 2022

Virtual Public Meeting

On January 27, 2022, a public meeting took place to review and discuss location options for the OLA. The City investigated four candidate sites in the Corktown Common neighbourhood and recommended the future OLA be located in the western portion of Underpass Park. There was some community support for an OLA in this location, while other community members suggested Corktown Common East Berm as a potential location for an unfenced OLA. The Corktown Common East Berm site is infeasible due to significant technical requirements that would be needed for Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) approval and significant site maintenance requirements.

Download the meeting presentation.

May 2021

Online Survey

From April 27 to May 16, 2021, feedback on a proposed OLA in Lawren Harris Square was collected in an online survey. Lawren Harris Square was proposed as a potential location because:

  • The square is located close to a large population of dog owners.
  • The square is not heavily used by local residents, with most choosing to spend their time at the nearby Corktown Commons.

The survey received 1,191 responses. While a majority of participants were in favour of an OLA in Lawren Harris Square, the 460 survey comments from both dog owners and non-dog owners alike, strongly indicated that the proposed location would create additional community conflict. Based on these results, the City began to review and assess other potential OLA locations in the neighbourhood to identify a site that would result in less community conflict.

Download the full survey summary report for more information.

Based on significant demand from local residents, the City is considering the installation of a new dogs off-leash area (OLA) in the Corktown Common neighbourhood. The proposed OLA will be fenced with gated entry.

A dedicated OLA is needed in the community because:

  • There is a high concentration of dog owners in the neighbourhood causing a significant demand from residents for an OLA.
  • Conflicts occur often between Corktown Common park users and dog owners who unleash their dogs in the Common. Providing a dedicated space for an OLA can help reduce these conflicts.
  • An OLA was previously located in the neighbourhood at Corktown Common and was removed by Enbridge when major work was undertaken in the area. Enbridge is funding the replacement of the OLA.

While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content on this site. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our maps, drawings, or any other content, please contact Bob Duguid at 416-392-1925.
An aerial map showing Underpass Park in red and the area surrounding the park. The park borders Eastern Avenue and is located below an underpass (Adelaide Street East).