A new 2,200m2 park (about the size of five NBA basketball courts) is coming to 200 Sterling Rd, at the corner of Sterling Road and Perth Avenue, just south of Bloor. The new park is located in the South Junction Triangle neighbourhood, an area with an industrial past that later attracted an arts community. Former factories and warehouses were converted into art spaces, shaping the character of the neighbourhood today. The area is now undergoing mixed-use redevelopment.
The site is currently open to the public as a base park with grass while planning and preparations for the future park are underway. The park design and amenities will be shaped through community engagement.
The timeline is subject to change.
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This project has been classified as a Collaborate project based on the International Association of Public Participation Spectrum. This means we aim to partner with the public and stakeholders in each aspect of the design process for the new park, including the development of design options and the identification of a preferred design.
This project has a Community Working Group (CWG) made up of 17 local residents and five local stakeholder group representatives. The CWG will offer feedback and guidance to the project team at key points during the community engagement process, meeting one to two times per phase. They have an advisory role and do not make decisions or represent the whole community.
Local residents on the CWG were selected through a civic lottery, a democratic best practice used in Canada and internationally to create advisory groups that reflect the communities they serve.
I am a longtime resident living nearby the project site. I have a background in urban planning and computer programming. A family man, I think park spaces are important to our children.
I moved into the Sterling Studio Lofts over 10 years ago, in a period of quiet, and before the boon of gentrification arrived in the area. Watching the landscape change in the neighborhood makes it very clear how important our park spaces are for present and future residents and businesses.
Hi, I’m Beatrice (Bea). I moved to the Junction nearly a year ago and have fallen in love with the vibrancy of the community, the walkable streets and the diverse inclusive spaces. I hope to make it my long-term home so I’m really excited to be a part of the Community Working Group to help conceptualize more space for gathering and play that I and my family can enjoy in the future.
My name is Cristina – I’ve lived in the community for 10 years with my partner and three children. I am passionate about supporting the responsible development of this community for current and future generations
Hi! My name is Dani Saldo, I’ve moved to the area from Guelph, and grew up with a park that aged with me and shifted meanings being a central spot through the years. I was involved in a car accident in 2020, and am now a wheelchair user, and have had a hard time finding spaces where my wheelchair and I can comfortably be in – especially outside. I joined the Community Working Group to contribute to disabled joy, and wanting to create a space where you can be at all stages of life and mobility.
Hello! I’ve lived and worked in Roncesvalles/Bloordale for the past five years. I joined the CWG to contribute in creating a park that will represent the cultural and historical significance of the neighbourhood. Together, we can create an inclusive, safe and peaceful space that can be enjoyed for generations to come.
I’ve lived on Sterling Road for about 22 years. I love our unique little island of life between two sets of railroad tracks. I joined the Community Working Group with the hope that we can bring nature to the forefront of the park design. I hope our group can counter the construction sites and development threats with more trees, gardens, shade, accessible space for the diversity of people who live in this area. As a long-time community organizer, I hope to help our neighbours engage in the design process.
I’m Kristen, Gallery Manager at Gallery 1888. Located just steps from the Museum of Contemporary Art, Gallery 1888 features a curated selection of emerging and established artists from both local and international scenes. I joined the Community Working Group because the gallery is near the park and we would like to be involved in the community.
My name is Mandy. I have lived in the area for a few years now, and love to walk and explore. I joined the working group in part because I am a forester for a different municipality, so I am keenly interested in the development of new green spaces including those which I might heavily frequent in the future. I joined to contribute my knowledge and to have a hand in shaping what I hope will be a park that is well loved and utilized by the community.
Hi, I’m Melanie, and I’ve lived in this neighbourhood for almost nine years. As someone who freelances from home and enjoys long walks, for years I have loved walking along the rail path and have often thought that the stretch between Bloor-Dundas is sorely missing a green space where people can rest, recharge and just enjoy a bit of nature. I’m very pleased to have a voice with the CWG, meet some of my neighbours, and to seeing what the new park will be.
Hey I’m Mikaal. I’ve lived in High Park North for the last 10 years. I joined the Community Working Group to help bring the perspective of my community into park design and see how these processes shape our city’s development.
Hi I’m Mitch! I’ve been living in the Bloordale neighbourhood for the past 2.5 years. I’m grateful for this opportunity to advocate for local residents during the development of this new green space. I love where I live and I’m excited to play a small part in making it even better.
Hello, my name is Nobi, an arts worker at the Museum of Contemporary Art (MOCA). MOCA is just a few steps away from the new park and I wanted to connect with the local community and work collectively on this exciting project to help shape the parks future. I grew up in the neighbourhood and have enjoyed green spaces across the city.
I’m Stuart and I’m a new resident of the Sterling Road area. I’m passionate about shared public spaces, and I look forward to helping shape the development of this new park that serves all members of our community.
Hello, my name is Will. I’ve lived in the area for around five years. I love gardening and the outdoors. I think it’s great that the city listens to communities through working groups like this.
Hi, I’m Zack. I’ve lived in the lower Junction Triangle neighbourhood for the past seven years and have enjoyed watching it evolve. With so much new growth planned, I joined the Community Working Group because I see this new park as an opportunity to help create a welcoming space that serves the needs of both current and future residents.
In this phase, the project team collected feedback from the community and Community Working Group to develop a vision statement, guiding principles and big moves that will guide the development of design options in Community Engagement Phase 2.
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 vision statement for the new park is:
The new park at 200 Sterling Rd. will be an artfully designed natural oasis that is biodiverse, green and peaceful. A calm and welcoming place for everyone to gather, connect and build community, it will feature abundant trees and native plantings that attract pollinators. Designed for year-round use, the park will be a flexible, inclusive and versatile multi-use space – equally social, ecological, cultural and functional – reflecting both the natural and human-made history of the area. It will be a nature-focused space that honours the community’s evolving identity and will inspire creativity into the future.
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. The guiding principles for the new park are:
Ensure the park is inclusive and welcoming for people of all ages and abilities. Incorporate universally accessible pathways, seating, warm lighting and barrier-free design elements that enable safe and enjoyable use for everyone.
Ensure the park functions as a versatile space that accommodates a wide range of uses. Design for everyday use, informal gathering, play, rest and community events across all seasons.
Incorporate open-ended, adaptable elements that encourage creativity, play and spontaneous use. Use artistic and thoughtful design to create a space that feels engaging, lively and responsive to evolving community needs.
Reflect and honour the area’s natural and cultural history. Incorporate design elements and materials that preserve and reflect the neighbourhood’s identity, telling its story while contributing to a meaningful sense of place.
Use high quality, resilient materials and design solutions that withstand weather, heavy use and play. Through thoughtful design, ensure the park remains safe, functional and well-maintained over time.
Prioritize sustainable and regenerative design practices. Use native plantings, recycled materials and sustainable stormwater management to support ecological health and responsible resource use.
Achieve a thoughtful balance between built and natural features in a way that supports biodiversity, social interaction and diverse experiences.
The big moves communicate the main priorities of both the community and the City for the design of the park. They are specific directions for how the physical design can achieve the vision and guiding principles. The big moves for the new park are:
On June 10, the Community Working Group met to draft a vision statement for the new park and develop initial draft guiding principles and big moves to inform the park design.
Download the combined Community Working Group Meeting 1 and 2 summary.
On April 19, the Community Working Group (CWG) met for an orientation to learn about the site, project timeline, and roles, and to review the terms of reference.
From March 23 to April 13, community members could apply to be a member of the Community Working Group (CWG). The CWG will work closely with the project team throughout the design process by sharing ideas and feedback that will inform the development of the park.
From March 23 to April 13, an online thought exchange activity gathered ideas for the new park to help inform the park’s vision, character, amenities and features. The activity received a total of 552 thoughts and 14,000 thought ratings from 596 participants.
Download the April 2026 thought exchange activity summary.
In this phase, the project team will work off the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1 to develop two or three design options for the new park. These will be presented to the community for feedback, which will be used to develop a preferred design for the new park.
The community engagement activities anticipated in this phase include:
The anticipated outcome of this phase is the selection of a preferred design.
On August 26, the Community Working Group participated in a design charette to workshop ideas for the park design.
Download the August 2026 Community Working Group Meeting 3 summary.
In this phase, the project team will share the preferred design with the community for a final round of feedback and revision. The project will then move into the detailed design phase, where the design team will work through the technical details and plans for the construction contractor.
The anticipated outcome of this phase is a refined preferred design.
