Three planned parks, including two new parks and one park expansion, are coming to the Taxiway West District, adding 1.43 hectares (about the size of two soccer fields) of new parkland. A new 6,000 m2 park – roughly the size of a soccer field – will be located at the south end of the district. Another new park, 5,300 m2 in size – about the size of a baseball diamond and four basketball courts – will be centrally located. Additionally, Robert Leek Memorial Park will be expanded by 2,984 m2, creating a direct connection to Ancaster Road and Powell Road.
Community engagement for the park at Garratt Boulevard and Gilley Road will launch in summer 2025, with engagement for the other parks to follow at a later date.
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 Leigh Lichtenberg at 437-235-7022.
The timeline is subject to change.
Take the survey to share your vision for the new park at Garratt Boulevard and Gilley Road.
Sign up for or unsubscribe from updates related to the New Parks in Taxiway West District.
This project has been classified as a Consult project based on the International Association of Public Participation Spectrum. This means we invite ideas and aspirations for the park’s character, design and features and obtain public feedback on design options.
In this phase, the City will work with the community to develop a vision statement and guiding principles for the new park at Garratt Boulevard and Gilley Road. This process will build on the Facilities Plan, the Downsview Community Development Plan, and the district’s focus on sustainability and green infrastructure. The outcomes will help inform the development of design options in Community Engagement Phase 2.
The anticipated community engagement activities in this phase include:
The vision is co-created with the community to describe the ideal future park. It is a big-picture statement that should inspire everyone toward a common understanding of the project’s overall goals and objectives.
The guiding principles are high-level directions that reflect the community’s most important values and ideas for how the park should look and feel. They help to clarify the vision statement and guide how the park should be designed by describing the desired outcomes.
In this phase, the City and its design consultant will work off the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1 to develop two design options for the new park. These designs will be presented to the community for feedback and will be used to develop a preferred design.
The community engagement events anticipated in this phase include:
In this phase, the City will share the preferred design on this page and with the subscribers on the project mailing list. The project will then move into the detailed design phase, where the design team will finalize the design by working through the technical details and developing detailed plans and drawings for the construction contractor.
The anticipated outcome of this phase is a refined preferred design for the park.
The Taxiway West District is a 40.7-hectare (101-acre) area bordered by the GO Train railway line to the west, adjacent to the future Taxiway East District. The district has a rich aviation history and currently includes former Bombardier hangar buildings, a section of the former airport taxiway, office buildings and a large parking lot.
The vision for Taxiway West focuses on job creation, new housing, a walkable and connected public realm, vibrant public spaces, and sustainability. As part of the Downsview Secondary Plan, the district will integrate green infrastructure and nature-based solutions to manage stormwater. This approach will enhance climate resilience and support a sustainable, long-term future for the community.
New development in Downsview will feature an innovative, decentralized stormwater management system. This system uses nature-based solutions to temporarily hold rainwater, filter it through the soil and reduce how much enters the sewer system. This helps manage water that would otherwise flow directly into storm pipes and downstream, where it could lead to flooding and damage.
Part of this system will be in the new park at Garratt Boulevard and Gilley Road. This area will include floodable recreational features and green infrastructure, such as a basketball court and a rain garden, that are designed to safely flood and drain following major rainstorms.
The stormwater management system in the district is interconnected.