The City is upgrading R.V. Burgess Park and playground to increase accessibility and improve the space for park users. The improvements will include a new playground, additional seating, a new shade shelter, a community message board, and an updated drainage system throughout the park.
The timeline is subject to change.
R.V. Burgess Park is a 1.5-hectare park near Don Mills Road and Overlea Boulevard that features a community garden, a splash pad and a children’s playground.
The City of Toronto has undertaken a public consultation process with the support of the Councillor’s Office to determine the needs and recreational priorities of R.V. Burgess park users. A Working Group was formed in late 2019 to bring the various voices of Thorncliffe Park together to guide the park design process.
The new park design is focused on play, families, community and accessibility.
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The park will be enhanced with the addition of new amenities like:
The existing playground in the park will remain and a new playground will be installed under tree canopy. The play surface material at the existing swing set and play structure will also be upgraded with cedar based engineer wood fiber and drainage. The new play area will include:
A construction contract has been awarded to a successful bidder. Construction is anticipated to start in Spring 2021.
The Design Team presented the final design concept with a number of refinements and details seeking additional input. The Working Group expressed support for the final design and gave the green light to proceed to the next phase.
The Design Team presented a third iteration of the concept plan. The Working Group gave their support to the revised plan with minor edits. The Working Group expressed interest in seeing additional details and design refinements prior to the finalization of the plan.
A Working Group was assembled to represent the various stakeholders in Thorncliffe Park. The Design Team presented a revised concept with the current playground footprint redesigned to maximize the play equipment layout. The Working Group felt that the revised concept plan addressed some of the feedback received to-date however further work is required.
The Design Team met with community members in RV Burgess Park. The intent of the pop-up event was to inform the community of the project and gather feedback on some preliminary design ideas. This was also an opportunity to engage with children directly to gather feedback on new play equipment options.
The team presented playground equipment options and gathered input on the preferred equipment design. The community asked that the City consider making a new playground area in addition to the existing playground areas. The community selected the preferred equipment design.
City Staff were in attendance to answer questions regarding the project during an Open House event hosted by the Councillor’s Office.
The Design Team presented a preliminary concept plan. The community reviewed the concept and provided feedback. The community advised the Design Team that the concept does not reflect all park users’ needs and priorities and asked to revisit the design plan. Key design moves should focus on families, children and seniors by maximizing the playground footprint, adding seating (benches and picnic tables), and preserving as much of the green space as possible.
An introduction to the project, a discussion on community needs, priorities, and available project funding.