Fountainhead Park New Skate Trail & Rink

The City is adding a new skate trail and rink to the southwest corner of Fountainhead Park as part of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan. The skate trail and rink design will be determined through community engagement and include seating, lighting and accessible pathways. Improvements will also be made to the existing clubhouse building, including new washrooms, a new change room and a redesigned tennis room.

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  • Summer 2024: Hire a design team
  • March 2025: Community engagement
  • Spring to Summer 2025: Detailed design
  • Fall to Winter 2025: Hire a construction team
  • March 2026: Construction starts, clubhouse closes
  • March 2027: Construction complete, clubhouse reopens

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 for Public Participation Spectrum. This means we collect and consider public feedback on proposed design options to inform the development of a final skate trail, rink and clubhouse design.

The proposed design for the skate trail and rink will be refined and finalized using community feedback.

Site Plan

Numbered site plan of the new skate trail and rink area in Fountainhead Park, bordered by Sentinel Road to the west and Finch Avenue West to the south. From top to bottom and left to right, the plan shows the parking lot, the rink and clubhouse directly below, and the Zamboni garage and skate trail located closest to Finch Avenue West. Pathways connect the facilities, and the tennis court is visible next to the parking lot in the background.

  1. New artificial ice rink
  2. New ice skating trail
  3. Existing clubhouse (to be improved)
  4. New Zamboni garage and mechanical facility
  5. Existing parking lot

Skate Trail

The skate trail will be 75 metres long and include:

  • a paved concrete loop with an ice surface
  • a central landscaped area with trees and spotlights
  • seating and light poles along the trail

Rink

The rink will be 56 metres long and 26 metres wide (slightly smaller than an NHL-sized rink) and include:

  • an ice surface with hockey line markings
  • team benches and penalty boxes
  • dasher boards, chain-link fencing and light poles surrounding the rink
  • a gated entrance for Zamboni access

Clubhouse Design Options

Design options for the clubhouse improvements will be developed into a final design using community feedback. There are two design options for both the change room and the tennis room, each sharing the same layout and features but differing in colour scheme.

Change Room Design A

A rendering of Change Room Design A, featuring light grey brick walls and a dark blue speckled rubber floor. The L-shaped room includes long wooden benches along two walls and a set of glass doors at one end that allow natural light in. To the right, a hallway painted in an orange hue leads to multiple doors with dark grey frames. The ceiling is painted white with overhead ducts in the same orange hue.

Design A includes:

  • long benches
  • light grey brick walls
  • dark grey door frames
  • dark blue speckled rubber flooring
  • orange accents on the hallway walls and ceiling ducts

Change Room Design B

A rendering of Change Room Design B, featuring light grey brick walls and a dark blue speckled rubber floor in the main changing area. The L-shaped room includes long wooden benches along two walls and a set of glass doors at one end that allow natural light in. To the right, a hallway with a light blue speckled rubber floor and painted in a light blue hue leads to multiple doors with dark grey frames. The ceiling is painted white with overhead ducts in the same light blue hue.

Design B includes:

  • long benches
  • light grey brick walls
  • dark grey door frames
  • dark blue speckled rubber flooring in the main changing area
  • light blue speckled rubber flooring in the hallway
  • light blue accents on the hallway walls and ceiling ducts

Tennis Room Design A

A rendering of Tennis Room Design A, featuring a kitchenette with light brown wooden cabinetry and beige surfacing. The floor is primarily beige with a rust-brown curved accent by the kitchenette. To the right, a low wooden ledge is mounted against the wall, and glass windows on one side fill the room with natural light.

Design A includes:

  • light grey brick walls
  • dark grey metal window frames
  • a wall ledge
  • a kitchenette with light brown cabinets and beige speckled surfacing
  • beige linoleum flooring with a brown accent by the kitchenette

Tennis Room Design B

A rendering of Tennis Room Design B, featuring a kitchenette with light blue cabinetry and surfacing. The floor is primarily beige with a blue curved accent by the kitchenette. To the right, a low wooden ledge is mounted against the wall, and glass windows on one side fill the room with natural light.

Design B includes:

  • light grey brick walls
  • dark grey metal window frames
  • a wall ledge
  • a kitchenette with light blue cabinets and surfacing
  • beige linoleum flooring with a blue accent by the kitchenette

March 2025

Online Survey

From March 17 to 31, an online survey collected 159 responses with feedback on the proposed skate trail and rink design, as well as design options for the clubhouse improvements. The survey was promoted through paid social media ads, outreach to nearby schools and community centres, the local Councillor’s office, on-site signage and this page.

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

Skate Trail and Rink Feedback Summary

Respondents were asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about the proposed skate trail design:

  • 92 per cent agreed that they liked the different types of lighting (light poles and spotlights)
  • 90 per cent agreed that the lighting ensures a safe environment for skating at night
  • 89 per cent agreed that the proposed trees around the skate trail enhance the space’s natural beauty.
  • 89 per cent agreed that the skate trail’s design looks functional and easy to navigate
  • 87 per cent agreed that the central landscaped area adds visual interest, character and ecological value
  • 86 per cent agreed that they liked the placement of seating along the skate trail
  • 86 per cent agreed that the skate trail looks suitable for all ages and skating abilities
  • 81 per cent agreed that they liked the style of seating (long benches)

When respondents were asked what they wanted to do at the rink during the winter, the most popular activities were:

  • drop-in public skating (77 per cent)
  • recreation programs like Learn to Skate or Hockey Skills (66 per cent)
  • ice hockey (29 per cent)

When respondents were asked how they wanted to use the skate trail and rink during the spring and summer, the most popular activities were:

  • rollerblading (55 per cent)
  • basketball (34 per cent)
  • skateboarding (31 per cent)

Overall, 91 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the proposed skate trail and rink design, five per cent were neutral and four per cent were dissatisfied.

Clubhouse Improvements Feedback Summary

When respondents were asked which colour scheme they liked best for the clubhouse exterior,

  • 46 per cent preferred a grey wooden roof overhang and a brown brick wall with charcoal metal frames
  • 38 per cent preferred a brown wooden roof overhang and a white brick wall with charcoal metal frames
  • 15 per cent had no preference or did not know

When respondents were asked which change room design option they liked best,

  • 52 per cent preferred Change Room Design A
  • 40 per cent preferred Change Room Design B
  • eight per cent had no preference

When respondents were asked which tennis room design option they liked best,

  • 48 per cent preferred Tennis Room Design A
  • 39 per cent preferred Tennis Room Design B
  • 12 per cent had no preference

Overall, 95 per cent of respondents were satisfied with the design options for the clubhouse improvements, three per cent were neutral and two per cent were dissatisfied.

Additional Feedback

40 respondents shared suggestions for making the skate trail, rink and clubhouse more welcoming and accessible to community members. Common themes included:

  • ensuring there is enough seating and lighting around the skate trail, rink and clubhouse
  • creating accessible paths from the skate trail and rink to the clubhouse, as well as to other areas of the park
  • providing storage options for personal belongings in the change room

Additional suggestions outside the project scope included requests for skate and equipment rentals, free community programs and concession stands.

Open House

On March 18, the project team held an open house at James Cardinal McGuigan Catholic High School from 6 to 9 p.m. to present and collect feedback on the proposed skate trail and rink design, as well as design options for the clubhouse improvements. Fifteen community members participated in the event. The local Councillor was also in attendance.

Participants used dot stickers to vote for options and sticky notes to share additional ideas on display boards.

Feedback Summary

Participants were asked to indicate their level of agreement with descriptive statements about the proposed skate trail design. Out of 59 total votes,

  • nine agreed that the skate trail looks suitable for all ages and skating abilities
  • eight agreed that the central landscaped area adds visual interest, character and ecological value
  • seven agreed that the proposed trees around the skate trail enhance the space’s natural beauty
  • seven agreed that they liked the different types of lighting (light poles and spotlights)
  • seven agreed that they liked the style of seating (long benches)
  • six agreed that the skate trail’s design looks functional and easy to navigate
  • six agreed that the lighting ensures a safe environment for skating at night
  • five agreed that they liked the placement of seating along the skate trail

Participants were asked how they wanted to use the skate trail and rink during the spring and summer. Out of 20 total votes, the most popular activities were:

  • ball hockey (five votes)
  • rollerblading (four votes)
  • volleyball (four votes)

Of the participants who voted for their preferred design options for the clubhouse improvements,

  • three participants preferred a brown wooden roof overhang and a white brick wall with charcoal metal frames
  • four participants preferred Change Room Design B
  • six participants preferred Tennis Room Design A

Additional comments on sticky notes included suggestions to install speakers for music at the skate trail and to incorporate wood accents in both the change room and tennis room for a consistent look.