Share your thoughts on design options for the playground, splash pad and basketball court improvements in an online survey by August 3, and stop by a pop-up event on July 24 from 4 to 6:30 p.m. at McNicoll Park.
The City is improving McNicoll Park with proposed upgrades to the playground, splash pad and basketball court. The playground improvements are 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.
Get Involved
The project team will be collecting community feedback to develop the final playground, splash pad and basketball court design. The feedback will be shared on this page.
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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 obtain and consider the community’s feedback and preferences to inform the final playground, splash pad and basketball design.
Playground & Splash Pad Improvements
The existing playground and splash pad are being improved, with the designs shaped by community feedback.
Project Timeline
Spring to Summer 2025: Hire a design team
Summer 2025: Community Engagement Phase 1
Summer 2026: Community Engagement Phase 2
Fall 2026: Detailed design development
Winter 2027: Hire a construction team
Summer 2027: Construction starts, playground and splash pad close
Early 2028: Construction complete, playground and splash pad reopen
The timeline is subject to change.
Project Updates
June 2025
Online Survey
From June 16 to June 29, feedback on playground equipment preferences were collected in an online survey as part of Community Engagement Phase 1. 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 266 responses.
The design team will use this feedback to develop playground design options for further community feedback in late summer 2026.
Feedback Summary
When asked to select their favourite play features, the top five features selected were:
Belt swings
Climbers
Bucket swings
Imaginative play
Disc swing
The preferred playground structure type was one main play structure with many features (64 per cent) over many individual play features and no main structure (29 per cent).
Respondents shared that the five most important play features to include in the new playground were:
Respondents shared that the five least important features to include in the new playground are:
Play panels
Group/accessible swing
Double slide
Stand alone toys
Straight slide
Respondents shared that the types of waterplay features they would prefer for the new splash pad are:
Mist tunnel
Overhead water spray
Overhead mist spray
Overhead multiple small jet spray
In ground nozzle with multiple jets
When asked to rank their preferred themes for the playground and splash pad design, the top three themes were:
Nature
Astronomy (outer space)
Transportation
For seating around the playground and splash pad:
89 per cent of respondents like shaded umbrella tables
80 per cent of respondents like benches
72 per cent of respondents like picnic tables
The preferred colour scheme for the new playground was bright colours, like yellow, orange and purple (66 per cent) over earthy colours like green, brown and grey (16 per cent) or neutral colours with an accent colour (11 per cent).
Classroom Workshop
On June 11, 155 students from grades one to five at Hillmount Public School participated in a workshop to share ideas for the new playground as part of Community Engagement Phase 1. After a short presentation, students took part in an interactive activity where they built their own bingo cards using tiles that represented different playground features. The tiles chosen for their bingo cards represented the features they most wanted to see in the new playground. The number of tiles selected for each feature will help inform the future playground design.
Feedback Summary
Nature and planting:
Coniferous trees (168) and deciduous trees (173) were among the top elements selected by students, showing strong interest in shade and greenery.
Pollinator plants (122) and rock boulders (112) were also valued.
Popular play features:
Group spinners (134)
Tunnels (130)
Viewing tower (129)
Cozy dome (129)
Sand play (128)
Seesaw (128)
Additional play feature preferences:
Swing sets (117) were preferred over saucer swings (108).
Curved slides (110) were preferred over straight slides (98).
Among climbing elements, climbing nets (126) were highly rated, followed by curved bars (117) and monkey bars (114).
The senior play structure for ages five to 12 (117) was slightly more popular than the junior structure for ages two to five (111).
Other well-liked features included play panels (119), spring toys (116) and balancing steps (112).
Amenities and site features:
Benches (168) and picnic tables (129) were highly rated.
Basketball Court Improvements
The basketball court, located on the west side of the park, north of the tennis courts, is being improved. It has reached the end of its service life cycle and requires resurfacing and upgrades to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) and meet International Basketball Federation (FIBA) standards.
The City will present two basketball court design options to the community for feedback through an online survey and an in-person pop-up event.
Project Timeline
Spring 2026: Hire a design and construction team
Summer 2026: Community Engagement
Fall 2026: Detailed design
Spring 2027: Construction starts, basketball court closes
Summer 2027: Construction complete, basketball court reopens
The timeline is subject to change.
Project site map of McNicoll Park and the surrounding area. The playground, splash pad and basketball court areas are outlined as part of the park improvement project.
