Cornell Park Improvements

• Summer 2025: Hire a design team
• Winter 2026: Community engagement and design development
• Spring 2026: Detailed design
• Summer to Fall 2026: Hire a construction team
• Spring 2027: Construction starts
• Fall 2027: Construction complete

The timeline is subject to change.

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Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as a Consult project based on the International Association of Public Participation Spectrum. This means we collect and consider public feedback on proposed design options to inform the development of a final design for the park improvements.

September 2026

Final Design

1. Proposed asphalt pathway
2. Proposed splash pad
3. Proposed shade structure with accessible picnic tables
4. Proposed bottle filling station
5. Existing playground with new curb and wood chip safety surfacing
6. Proposed sand play area
7. Proposed basketball court improvements
8. Proposed multi-use court
9. Proposed multi-functional sunken green space
10. Proposed hockey rink improvements
11. Proposed benches
12. Removal of existing volleyball court
13. Transplanted trees

The final design for the park improvements was developed using community feedback from the public and key stakeholders. The proposed improvements focus on renewing and expanding the park’s recreational and community amenities. The overall intention is to create a more accessible, comfortable and diverse neighbourhood park that better serves users of different ages and abilities.

Spring 2026

Stakeholder Meetings

The project team met with stakeholders and community groups, including Cornell Junior Public School and Friends of Cornell Park, to refine the design for the park improvements.

January 2026

Online Survey

From December 8 to January 11, an online survey in English and Gujarati collected feedback from 236 respondents on proposed options for the splash pad design and enhancements to the volleyball court. The survey was promoted through social media, on-site signage, the project mailing list, outreach to nearby schools and community centres, the local Councillor’s office and this page.

The project team will use this feedback to develop the final design.

Feedback Summary

Overall, 80 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the splash pad design options, 13 per cent were neutral and seven per cent were dissatisfied.

Respondents were asked which design option they liked best:

• 59 per cent preferred Design Option B
• 26 per cent preferred Design Option A
• 14 per cent had no preference
• one per cent did not know

In Design Option B, the water play features respondents liked most are:

• water dumping bucket (72 per cent)
• mountain sprayer (34 per cent)
• spray loop (32 per cent)

In Design Option B, the water play features respondents liked least are:

• none (43 per cent)
• ring sprayer (20 per cent)
• rooster tail sprayer (16 per cent)

In Design Option A, the water play features respondents liked most are:

• flower sprayer (28 per cent)
• leaf sprayer (28 per cent)
• seaweed sprayer (28 per cent)

In Design Option A, the water play features respondents liked least are:

• none (34 per cent)
• waterbug sprayer (20 per cent)
• geyser sprayer (20 per cent)

Respondents were asked which option for improving the volleyball court they preferred:

• 59 per cent preferred repurposing the volleyball court into a multi-use court with painted lines for badminton, volleyball and pickleball (if budget allows)
• 20 per cent preferred resurfacing the volleyball court from sand to turf and replacing the existing posts and nets
• 10 per cent preferred upgrading the volleyball court with new sand surfacing and curbs, along with replacing the existing posts and nets
• six per cent had no preference
• five per cent did not know

66 respondents provided additional feedback on how to make the park improvements more welcoming and accessible to all community members, some of which was outside the project scope.  Common themes included:

• adding more seating (14 comments)
• resurfacing the existing ball hockey pad (11 comments)
• adding more shaded areas (seven comments)
• installing a second ball hockey pad (five comments)
• requests for washrooms (four comments)
• changing the surfacing of the existing playground to rubber (four comments)

December 2025

Splash Pad Design Options

The new splash pad will be located next to the existing playground in the northern area of the park.

1. New accessible asphalt pathway
2. New splash pad on slip-resistant concrete surfacing
3. New shade structure with accessible picnic tables on concrete paving
4. Existing playground to be updated with a new curb and wood chip safety surfacing
5. New benches on concrete paving
6. Existing underground utility services

Two design options for the splash pad were presented to the community for feedback, which will inform the development of a final design.

Both designs comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act and include about the same number of water play features.

Design Option A: Nature Theme

Design Option A includes:

• Two push-button water activators
• One waterbug sprayer
• Two tall grass sprayers
• One seaweed sprayer
• Two in-ground rooster tail sprayers
• One pine tree sprayer
• One flower sprayer
• One leaf sprayer
• Two in-ground jet stream sprayers
• One in-ground geyser sprayer
• One in-ground fountain sprayer
• One bobble sprayer

Design Option B: Modern Theme

Design Option B includes:

• Two push-button water activators
• One water dumping bucket
• Two tube sprayers
• Two spray loops
• Two curved sprayers
• One in-ground rooster tail sprayer
• Two in-ground jet stream sprayers
• One twisting sprayer
• One in-ground fountain sprayer
• One ring sprayer
• One mountain sprayer