Playground construction is currently underway! The playground will reopen in fall 2023.

The City is improving the playground in Tom Riley Park in order to better serve the community’s needs while also preserving the natural character and history of the surrounding park.

  • August 2020 to July 2021: Community engagement and design development
  • August to December 2021: Detailed design development
  • January to April 2022: Hire a construction team
  • Spring 2023: Construction starts
  • Fall 2023: Construction complete

The timeline is subject to change.

May 2023

The playground is closed to the public for construction and is anticipated to reopen in fall 2023.

During construction, the main park pathway connecting the parking lot from Bloor Street West to Dundas Street West may be temporarily obstructed as equipment and materials are being delivered to the playground area.

The closest playgrounds are:

January 2022

Final Playground Design

The final playground design and layout are finalized using feedback from the community and can be reviewed in the Design section of this web page.

July 2021

Online Survey

From July 6 to July 23, 2021, feedback on the final design for the playground which was informed by previous stakeholder and community engagement, was collected in an online survey. The survey received a total of 411 responses, which included feedback from 944 individuals of various ages. 49% of respondents were very satisfied with the design

Download the survey summary report.

November to December 2020

Online Survey

An online survey presented a final design theme and collected community input to inform the development of the final playground design. The survey received a total of 334 responses.

Download the survey summary report.

Virtual Public Meeting

The online public meeting took place on November 24, 2020. At the meeting, the project team presented a final design theme and collected community input to inform the development of the final playground design.

Download the:

September to October 2020

Online Survey

Feedback on the playground themes and play elements was collected in an online survey from September 29 to October 18, 2020. The survey received a total of 266 responses.

Download the survey summary report.

Online Public Meeting

The online public meeting took place on September 29, 2020. Multiple design options for the playground improvements were presented and a question and answer session followed.

Download the:

August 2020

Online Survey

The phase 1 online survey was live from August 3 to 30, 2020. Over 430 responses were received.

Download the survey summary report.

The new playground will be accessible and will include the following features:

A view from the south west of the final design for the new Tom Riley Park Playground, which has been refined based on community feedback. It will be beaver themed and include the play features listed below.
An artist’s rendering of the final design.
  • Beaver themed play structure with slide, bridge, climbing net
  • Play hill with a slide
  • Accessible group spinner
  • Swing sets with two baby, four belt and one group swing
  • Rope climber
  • Log jam climber
  • Bamboo jungle play feature

Playground Layout

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 Erika Richmond at 416-394-5770.

A aerial overview of the new playground layout for Tom Riley Park, with numbered labels showing the location of the features and amenities. The shape of the playground area is round and connects to the existing paths in the park.

  1. Tree planting
  2. Coloured concrete pathway
  3. Accessible picnic table on a concrete slab
  4. Accessible group spinner
  5. Rope climber
  6. Hill slide
  7. Beaver play sculpture
  8. Log jam climber
  9. Bamboo jungle
  10. Swing set
  11. Basket swing
  12. Playground safety surface
  13. Play hill
  14. Stone retaining wall
  15. Fiber weave cedar safety surfacing
  16. Sand play area with log sandbox edge, accessible entrances and accessible sand play table
  17. Shade structure
  18. Seat wall bench
  19. Granite boulder
  20. Asphalt path
  21. Accessible park bench on concrete slab

Tom Riley Park is a 14.8-hectare park at Dundas Street West and Islington Avenue that follows Mimico Creek to Bloor Street West. The park is rich in natural heritage as it is under the jurisdiction of the Toronto Regional Conservation Authority, and City of Toronto’s Ravine and Natural Feature Protection (RNFP) By-Law and has archaeological potential. Mimico Creek runs naturally through the park, just east of the playground area. The playground in the park will be enhanced as part of a state-of-good-repair project to upgrade the existing equipment.

The project site is located in the central area of the park in the area of the existing playground equipment. The existing playground is in need of replacement. The scope of the playground improvement will include this general area. The playground will be designed for accessibility and include an accessible pathway connection to the new playground area.

The playground design will be developed through consultation with the community.

The new playground is proposed to include:

  • a central landmark playground structure
  • additional junior and senior playground equipment areas and swings
  • a coloured rubber safety surface
  • a sandbox
  • ample seating
  • a shade canopy
  • a generous, accessible path to the playground

The improvements will only include the general playground area. The scope will not include any new water or lighting features.