Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park & Playground Improvements
The City is updating Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park and playground to improve the space for playground and park users.
Project Timeline
2020 to Winter 2021: Design Development and Community Consultation
Summer to Fall 2021: Construction
This timeline is subject to change.
About the Project
The redesigned park and playground will include:
A new park layout
A new playground and play elements
Improved accessible pathways
Improved seating
Updated plantings
Updated amenities (e.g. water fountain)
The park and playground design will be developed through consultation with the community.
Project Updates
December 2020
Community Engagement Phase 3
Phase 3 of the community engagement (final phase) included an online survey.
Online Survey
This survey introduced the proposed park and playground design and asked respondents to share final suggestions or feedback. The survey was available to complete online from November 16 to December 6, 2020. The survey received a total of 100 survey responses which included feedback from 206 people.
Play structures with engineered wood fibre surface (similar to wood chips) and accessible ramps so those with mobility devices can enter and use the playground.
Grassy areas that provide shady places for socializing and play. Some areas are flat, while others have a gentle hill.
Asphalt pathways that provide connections through the park.
Picnic tables and benches that can be accessed by people who use mobility devices.
New trees.
Perennial planting beds that include pollinator plants with an armourstone barrier (a stone wall that people can sit on). This provides separation from nearby uses.
A sand area that includes logs, boulders, and buried dinosaur bones to discover.
Seatwall that offers seating on both sides and stamped impressions of fossils.
Bottle filling station and fountain.
Playground Design
The playground design includes:
A large, 10-foot swing set with two belt swings and two infant swings
A Junior and Senior play structure
Multiple slides
A separate climbing structure
One accessible swing
A separate play structure for toddlers, which includes a slide
A large sandplay area with buried dinosaur bones
September to October 2020
Community Engagement Phase 2
Phase 2 of the community engagement included an online survey.
Online Survey
The online survey was live from September 16 to October 4, 2020. In total, 116 survey responses were received.
Three park design options were presented. Each of the three options builds off of design options from Phase 1 of the community engagement, based on the feedback received through the online survey and through emails.
Park Option 1
Design Option 1 is based on Programmatic Plan Option 1, which was presented in the last public survey.
Programmatic Option 1, from the last public survey.
This design option responds to the following survey feedback:
More trees and native plantings
Improved, accessible pathways
More seating and seating choices
Less isolation between different spaces of the park
Provide a working water fountain
Have a dinosaur theme
A non-sand playground surface
Proposed Design Option 1.
Option 1 elements include:
Play structures with engineered wood fibre surface, accessible ramp and safety surface.
Flat lawn and bermed lawn Grassy areas provide shady places for casual socializing and play.
Connective asphalt pathways. Improved connectivity with wide gently sloped pathways ensuring accessibility from multiple directions and ease of use.
Picnic tables and benches. Accessible layout and design.
New trees. Additional trees can be planted to supplement the existing canopy around the playground.
Perennial planting buffer. Provides a sense of separation from the adjacent uses with tough perennials with year-round interest including pollinator plants.
Armour stone sandpit with dinosaur bones. A life-size Alleosaurus skeleton hides beneath the sand waiting to be discovered.
Stamped or embedded concrete with prehistoric fossils or footprints.
Bottle filling station and fountain.
Park Option 2
Design Option 2 is also based on Programmatic Plan Option 1, which was presented in the last public survey.
Proposed Design Option 2.
Option 2 elements are the same as those in Park Option 1.
Park Option 3
Programmatic Option 2, from the last public survey.
This design option responds to the following survey feedback:
More trees and native plantings
Improved, accessible pathways
More seating and seating choices
Less isolation between different spaces of the park
Provide a working water fountain
Open sight-lines to the streets on each side of the park
Reduced fencing/fencing only at the playground
A non-sand playground surface.
Proposed Design Option 3.
Option 3 elements include:
Play structures with engineered wood fibre surface: Accessible ramp and safety surface.
Flat lawn and bermed lawn: Grassy areas provide shady places for casual socializing and play.
Connective asphalt pathways: Improved connectivity with wide gently sloped pathways ensuring accessibility from multiple directions and ease of use.
Picnic tables and benches: Accessible layout and design.
New trees: Additional trees can be planted to supplement the existing canopy around the playground.
Perennial planting buffer: Provides a sense of separation from the adjacent uses with tough perennials with year-round interest including pollinator plants.
Sandbox: A flush concrete curb encloses a sandbox with a possible water tap.
Seatwall: Long concrete seatwall offers seating on both sides and stamped impressions of fossils to discover.
Bottle filling station and fountain.
Playground Options
Four playground design options were presented. Each of the four options builds off of design options from Phase 1 of the community engagement, based on the feedback received through the online survey and through emails.
Playground Option 1
Playground Option 1 includes:
Shaded rope climbers
Structures for separate age groups
One senior structure
One junior structure
Swings
One accessible swing
One junior swing
Two senior swings
Playground Option 2
Playground Option 2 includes:
Traditional style and a rope climber
Structures for mixed age groups
One senior and junior structure (combined)
Rope climber
Balance steps
Activity panels
Swings
One accessible swing
One junior swing
Two senior swings
Playground Option 3
Playground Option 3 includes:
Modern Style
Structures for separate age groups
One senior structure
One junior structure
Swings
One accessible swing
One junior swing
Two senior swings
Exercise bars
Seesaw and spring toy
Playground Option 4
Playground Option 4 includes:
A rope climber and rope spinner
Structures for mixed age groups
A pyramid rope climber with slide
A small spinning rope climber
Swings
Two saucer swings
January to July 2020
Phase 1 of the community engagement included two online surveys (A and B).
Online Survey B
The survey was available to complete online from July 11 to July 27, 2020. In total, the survey received 31 responses.
A design team has been hired to lead the design development and consultation process. They developed a site analysis report. Based on this report and the feedback from the January 2020 online survey, they produced three high-level preliminary layout options for the park. These contain different ideas for play and passive recreation areas, pathways and buffer zones.
Online Survey A
To begin the community engagement process for this project, in January 2020 an online survey was completed by 32 residents. Participants shared what they liked, disliked, and wanted to see changed in Joseph Burr Tyrrell Park. The results of this survey are summarised below:
Most respondents would prefer a rubberized play surface, to improve playground accessibility.
Most respondents would like park entrance fencing removed and softer landscaping at park entrances (e.g. grass and greenery instead of pavement).
Most respondents would like the swings to remain and be improved.
Most respondents would like the tether-ball pole to be removed for other play options.
Most respondents would like to see more shade in the park, through the planting of trees.
Most respondents would like a water fountain and bottle fill station.
Many respondents said that adding a large or small sandbox would balance the removal of sand as a play surface.
Many respondents would like to see improved park lighting, as long as the lights were not disruptive to neighbouring homes.
Respondents were fairly split on whether to keep or remove the existing play structures, though slightly more preferred to keep the play structures.
Respondents were split on whether to include a water feature or a splash pad in the park.
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