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.
In this phase of the engagement process, the project team will collect feedback to develop a draft vision statement for the park, a series of guiding principles and big moves which will guide the development of design options in Community Engagement Phase 2.
The community engagement activities in this phase include:
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 project team will work off the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1 to develop two 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 park.
The anticipated outcome of this phase is the selection of a preferred design.
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.
