A new 4,900 m² park (about the size of a soccer field) is coming to 34 Hanna Ave. – currently a Toronto Parking Authority parking lot at the southeast corner of Hanna Avenue and Liberty Street. The park’s design, amenities, and features will be determined through a community engagement process.
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The timeline is subject to change.
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, stakeholders and rightsholders in each aspect of the design process, including the development of design options and the identification of a preferred design.
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This project has a Community Advisory Committee with 26 community members and four local stakeholder representatives. The Committee will offer feedback, guidance and advice to the project team at key points during the community engagement process, meeting at least once in each phase. They have an advisory role and do not make decisions or represent the whole community.
The Committee was formed through a modified civic lottery, a democratic best practice increasingly used in Canada and internationally to create representative advisory groups for government.
The City is selecting a design team for a new park through a two-stage process. In Stage One, design teams submit their qualifications, and the top five are shortlisted. In Stage Two, these teams create and present their park designs to a jury and the community. Feedback from experts and residents will help the jury choose the final design team.
In this stage, the City will collect applications from eligible design teams. The applicants will be evaluated based on their qualifications, work experience and approach to the park site.
Stage One RFSQ submissions will be reviewed by an Evaluation Committee made up of City staff and the Professional Advisor to the Design Competition. The five highest-rated teams will be shortlisted and invited to participate in Stage Two. Each shortlisted team will receive an honorarium.
In this stage, the shortlisted applicants will submit conceptual designs for the new park. The applicants will receive a competition brief in the form of a Request for Proposals (RFP) which will outline the submission requirements and provide additional material required to develop the designs. This stage will include an orientation session and a site tour.
The shortlisted applicants will present their design ideas to the Design Jury and the community. The design ideas will also be shared on this page. A Professional Advisor will collect and summarize feedback on the design ideas from the Community Advisory Committee, City technical advisory reviewers and the community. The Design Jury will use this feedback to help inform their recommendation for one design team.
The Design Jury will include respected landscape architects and professionals with a range of urban park and sustainable design expertise.
In this phase of the engagement process, the project team collected feedback to develop a draft vision statement and, guiding principles to guide the development of design options in Community Engagement Phase 2.
The vision statement, guiding principles and big moves were developed with the community and the Community Advisory Committee and are shared below.
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 park at 34 Hanna St. will be an immersive space where the energy of Liberty Village meets the tranquillity of nature. Transforming a former parking lot into a thriving green oasis, the park will prioritize flexible spaces for gathering, events, and relaxation. Tactile and colourful design elements will come together to create a landscape that sparks curiosity and joy, encouraging playful exploration through thoughtful details that invite imagination and wonder.
While honouring the area’s industrial character, the park will be a haven for relaxation, connection, and urban life, featuring spaces for markets, music events, and outdoor movies. Whether strolling through its pathways, gathering with friends, or simply pausing to take in the sights and sounds, the park will reflect the spirit of Liberty Village—a place alive with creativity and community.
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.
Replace hard surfaces with eco-friendly materials, native vegetation and permeable landscaping to create a vibrant, natural refuge that supports biodiversity, mitigates climate impacts, improves air quality, supports pollinators and manages stormwater, ensuring the park thrives for future generations.
Design the park to be welcoming and functional for everyone, with barrier-free pathways, diverse seating options, and spaces that accommodate all ages, abilities and cultural backgrounds.
Provide versatile gathering spaces that encourage community-building, including areas for picnics, casual meetups and programmed events like markets or performances.
Include zones for both quiet relaxation and lively activity, ensuring the park serves a wide range of needs and preferences.
Reflect the area’s industrial spirit through materials, art and design elements, while incorporating innovative features that speak to its evolving identity.
Add imaginative and interactive elements (such as art installations, water features or sensory play features) that inspire curiosity and engage people of all ages.
On December 5, the Community Advisory Committee met in person for the second time at the Liberty Village Market Building. This meeting focused on developing a vision for the new park and participants engaged in hands-on visioning exercises and discussions.
Download the December 2024 Community Advisory Committee meeting summary.
On October 29, the Community Advisory Committee met virtually for an orientation meeting to learn more about the project, their role and the community engagement process for the new park.
From September 19 to October 10, community members could apply to be part of the Community Advisory Committee. This Advisory Committee will provide feedback, guidance and advice to the project team at key decision points during the community engagement process.
From September 19 to October 10, 397 community members participated in an online thought exchange activity where they provided 330 ideas and 8,616 idea ratings to help inform the park’s vision, character, amenities and features.
Download the October 2024 online thought exchange activity summary.
In this phase of the community engagement process, the City will collect community feedback on the shortlisted designs from the two-phase design competition. At the end of this phase, the City will hire a design team.
The community engagement activities anticipated in this phase include:
The anticipated outcome of this phase is a summary of community feedback on the shortlisted designs for the Design Jury.
In this phase of the community engagement process, the City will share the preferred design with the community and the project will move into the detailed design phase. 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.
The new park at 34 Hanna Ave. is currently a Toronto Parking Authority Green P parking lot that will close for park construction beginning in winter 2027. The parking lot will also close for a short time in 2026 to provide parking for workers during the FIFA World Cup.
An interim park (approximately 720 m² in size) will be created in a small area of the existing parking lot for community use until full park construction starts. Consultation for this interim park’s features and activities is currently being done with the Liberty Village Business Improvement Area (BIA) and local resident associations. The interim park is expected to open in spring 2025.
Environmental work on the park will be done at the same time as the park construction.
We understand concerns about losing parking. A study for the Liberty Village Public Realm Strategy found that only 57 per cent of spaces in the neighbourhood are currently used at peak times, with surface lots more popular than underground ones. It concluded that future parking needs should be met but drivers could face challenges with location and cost. To help manage this, the study suggests promoting walking, biking, public transit and carsharing. More details are available on page 18 of the staff report to council.
