Highland Heights Park Playground Improvements

Review feedback from the online survey in the Project Updates section.

The City is improving the playground in Highland Heights Park as part of an ongoing program to enhance playgrounds and play spaces across the city so that everyone can experience the joys and benefits of play for years to come.

  • Fall 2024: Design development
  • January 2025: Community engagement (online survey)
  • Winter to Spring 2025: Detailed design and hire a construction team
  • Summer/Fall 2025: Construction starts, playground closes
  • Winter 2025: Construction complete, playground reopens

The timeline is subject to change.

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February 2025

Online Survey

From January 6 to February 3, feedback on multiple playground design options was collected in an online survey. The survey was promoted through paid social media ads, outreach to nearby schools, the local Councillor’s office, on-site signage and on this page. The survey received a total of 92 responses.

The design team will use this feedback to refine the final playground design. The final design will be available on this page in Winter 2025.

Key Feedback Highlights
  • When asked to rank their playground design preference, respondents ranked Playground Design C highest (41 per cent), followed by Playground Design A (39 per cent) and Playground Design B (20 per cent).
  • Respondents shared that the three most important features to include in the new playground are:
    • Senior play structure for ages five to 12
    • Climbing structures
    • Belt swings
  • Respondents shared that the three least important features to include in the new playground are:
    • Play panels
    • Stand-alone toys (e.g. see-saw, teeter totter, spring toy, circular ladder, spiral puzzle)
    • Spinner toys
  • If budget permits, the three features respondents would like more of in the improved playground are:
    • Climbing structures
    • Belt swings
    • Senior play structure for ages five to 12
  • For seating around the playground:
    • 76 per cent of respondents like benches
    • 66 per cent of respondents like picnic tables
  • The preferred colour scheme for the new playground was bright colours, like yellow, orange and purple (63 per cent) over earthy colours like green, brown and grey (22 per cent).
Playground Options

All three designs are Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) compliant, have the same amount of play features and cost the same amount.

Playground Design A

An aerial view of Playground Design A looking to the west from the east. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a senior play structure with overhead bars for active play, a spinner toy, and a junior play structure.

Design A includes:

  • A swing set with:
    • Two belt swings
    • Two toddler swings
    • One accessible swing
  • A junior play structure for ages 18 months to five years old with:
    • One double slide
    • One climbing option
  • A senior play structure for ages five to 12 with:
    • Two curved slides
    • Four climbing options
    • One stepping bridge
    • Multiple play panels
  • One stand-up spinner toy
Playground Design B

An aerial view of Playground Design B looking to the southwest from the northeast. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a senior play structure with climbing nets for active play, a spinner toy, a junior play structure and a swing set.

Design B includes:

  • A swing set with:
    • Two belt swings
    • Two toddler swings
    • One accessible swing
  • A junior play structure for ages two to five with:
    • One set of monkey bars
    • One double slide
    • One honeycomb climber
    • One telescope and steering wheel
    • One wheel panel
  • A senior play structure for ages five to 12 with:
    • One double slide with waves
    • One six-foot slide
    • One wave climber
    • One climbing net
    • One loop ladder
    • One curved net bridge
    • One overhead ladder
    • One spiral stepping stone
  • Two spring toys
Playground Design C

An aerial view of Playground Design C looking to the southwest from the northeast. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a senior play structure, a play panel, spinner toys, a junior play structure, and a swing set.

Design C includes:

  • A swing set with:
    • Two belt swings
    • One toddler swing
    • One accessible swing
  • A junior play structure for ages two to five with:
    • One double slide
    • One wheel panel
  • A senior play structure for ages five to 12 with:
    • One straight slide
    • One spiral slide
    • Two climbing options
    • One set of monkey bars
    • Multiple play panels
  • Four spring toys
  • One play panel

Highland Heights Park Playground is located along the west side of Castle Hill Drive.

The playground currently includes:

  • two swing sets with:
    • four swings for ages two to five
    • four swings for ages five and up
  • monkey bars
  • one dome climber
  • one medium slide
  • one teeter-totter
  • sand under all play areas
  • one bench

The playground will be redesigned using community feedback and is proposed to include:

  • playground equipment for ages two to 12
  • additional seating
  • engineered wood fibre surfacing
  • an accessible pathway to the playground area

The play equipment and pathway connecting to the playground area will comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Learn more about how playgrounds are made accessible.

Improvements will only be made in the general playground area and will not include any new water or lighting features or improvements to other areas of the park.