Pricefield Road Playground Park Improvements

The City is improving Pricefield Road Playground, located near Yonge Street and Summerhill Avenue, and engaging the community in the park design. Proposed improvements include new pathways, seating, signage, lighting, an upgraded basketball court, a water feature, plantings and opportunities for Indigenous and ecological stewardship.

    • Fall 2023: Hire a design team and Community Engagement Phases 1 and 2
    • Spring 2025: Community Engagement Phase 3
    • Fall 2025: Detailed design
    • Spring 2026: Hire a construction team
    • Summer 2026: Construction starts
    • Fall 2027: Construction complete

    The timeline is subject to change.

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    Level of Engagement

    This project has been classified as a Consult project based on the International Association for Public Participation Spectrum. This means the City will obtain public feedback on the preferred option for the park improvements while keeping the community informed, listening to concerns, acknowledging aspirations and sharing how input influences decisions. This classification was assigned during Community Engagement Phase 3.

    This phase started in September 2023. In this phase, students from Toronto Metropolitan University worked with residents and stakeholders to define a renewed overall vision for the park and a series of guiding principles which will inform the development of design options in Community Engagement Phase 2.

    Vision Statement

    The following vision was developed to describe the ideal future park:

    Pricefield Road Playground will function as a community hub that enhances public life by fostering social connections. It will serve all community members’ recreational needs and desires as the neighbourhood grows over time. The park will maintain its existing natural beauty while acting as a gateway into the City’s wider ravine and trail system to strengthen visitors’ connections to the natural landscapes of Toronto.

    Guiding Principles

    The following guiding principles were developed to guide the park improvements:

    • Improving accessibility
    • Opportunities for girls and adolescents
    • Restoring connections to natural and Indigenous heritage

    Community Engagement Meetings and Events

    September 2023

    Online Survey

    From September 28 to November 12, an online survey gathered feedback from 22 community members. The survey asked participants how they use the park, what changes they would like to see and what features they would like to see retained.

    October 2023
    Virtual Town Hall Meeting

    On October 12, the town hall introduced the 20 attendees to the student-led project team and the planning process. Key discussion topics included specific park areas for improvement, seasonal changes, desired amenities and community activities. Participants were encouraged to complete the online survey and attend future events.

    In-Person Pop-up Events

    October 22 and October 24, pop-up events took place. Six members of the student-led project team were present to provide information, answer questions and guide participants through feedback activities using a map of the existing park. Approximately 20 community members participated in the first event and 14 participated in the second event.

    Feedback Summary

    Through Community Engagement Phase 1 and their own research, the student-led team identified the following areas for improvement, opportunities and diverging opinions related to the park improvements.

    Areas for improvement include:

    • Recreation opportunities for a broader range of age groups
    • Improving sightlines and lighting
    • Additional seating
    • Improve wayfinding and connectivity to the surrounding neighbourhood context
    • Improve existing amenities in the park (such as playground facilities)

    Opportunities include:

    • The additional capacity to facilitate social interaction
    • Increased opportunities for circulation and walking paths in the park
    • The ability to incorporate Indigenous and ecological stewardship into park design
    • Increase signage and wayfinding
    • The ability to increase safety and visibility through lighting and adaptive maintenance
    • Increase in accessibility by increasing amenities that include all residents

    Diverging opinions:

    • The incorporation of an off-leash or unfenced dog area within the park
    • The current or future state of facility maintenance, particularly in reference to snow removal and winter maintenance
    • Improved connections to Toronto’s Core Circle and Ravine System
    • How to address community safety and ways to mitigate interference with the existing sense of safety in the neighbourhood

    In this phase, a student-led team and the design consultant worked off the outcomes of Phase 1 to develop two design options for the park improvements. These were presented to the community for feedback, with the input collected used to develop a preferred design for the park.

    Design Options

    Option 1: The Web

    Plan view of the park improvements proposed in design option 1, divided into various zones, each labeled with its function and approximate area in square meters. The park is bordered by the CN Railway to the north, Thornwood II Condominium to the west, and Toronto Lawn Tennis Club to the south, with Mathersfield Drive running along the east side.

    The park includes the following sections:

    • A garden area (approximately 850m2) in the northwest, shown in green.
    • A dog area (approximately 800m2) in the north, shown in blue.
    • A multi-use play area (approximately 500m2) in the northeast, shown in orange.
    • An open green space (approximately 1000m2) in the central-west, shown in light green.
    • A picnic area (approximately 800m2) in the southwest, shown in pink.
    • A plaza at the centre, shown in yellow.
    • A playground area (approximately 650m2) along the east side near Mathersfield Drive, shown in gray.
    • A play space (approximately 750m2) in the south. shown in light purple.
    • A seating area (approximately 400m2) in the south, near the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, shown in yellow.

    The plan also includes walking paths, trees and seating areas throughout the park, with the different zones separated by dashed black lines.

    Option 2: Gathering Hub

    Plan view of the park improvements proposed in design option 2, showing various designated areas with their functions and approximate sizes in square meters. The park is bordered by the CN Railway to the north, Thornwood II Condominium to the west, and Toronto Lawn Tennis Club to the south, with Mathersfield Drive running along the east side.

    The park includes the following zones:

    • A garden area (approximately 700m2) in the northwest, shown in green.
    • A train viewing area (approximately 350m2) in the north, shown in blue.
    • A sports area (approximately 900m2) in the northeast, shown in orange.
    • An open green space (approximately 1300m2) in the west, shown in light green.
    • A picnic area (approximately 800m2) in the southwest, shown in pink.
    • A social buffer area (approximately 500m2) in the south, shown in gray.
    • A play space (approximately 900m2) in the south, shown in light purple.
    • A casual seating area (approximately 400m²) in the south near the Toronto Lawn Tennis Club, shown in yellow.
    • Bushes along the eastern edge of the park, near Mathersfield Drive, which provide a natural barrier.

    The plan features pathways, trees, and seating areas spread throughout the park. The different zones are outlined with dashed black lines for clarity.

    Community Engagement Meetings and Events

    November 2023

    In-Person Design Workshop

    Hosted at the Toronto Lawn and Tennis Club on November 6, 2023, the workshop presented the two design options and provided an open discussion format where 38 participants engaged with eight information stations. Participants could leave written comments and discuss the design options with members of the student-led project team and the City.

    Through Phase 2 of community engagement, the student-led team collected the following feedback on each design option and identified the following areas of agreement and disagreement related to the park improvements.

    Option 1 Feedback Summary

    Positive Feedback about Option 1:

    • Open architectural elements were well received
    • Support for a designated dog area
    • Interest in increased play spaces
    • Expanded and improved pathways welcomed

    Concerns and Suggested Improvements to Option 1:

    • Plaza design caused confusion and debate
    • Garden area safety concerns
    • Mixed opinions on dog area location as some suggested swapping with garden space
    Option 2 Feedback Summary

    Positive Feedback about Option 2:

    • Favourable response to ribbon-style seating
    • Improved pathway network appreciated
    • Retaining green space was widely supported
    • Larger sports/multi-use area welcomed

    Concerns and Suggested Improvements to Option 2:

    • Safety concerns about the train-viewing area
    • Suggestion to extend the garden into a dog-friendly space
    • Desire for colour use to blend with the natural environment
    • Unclear social buffer concept
    • Garden space still perceived as a risk for unwanted behavior
    • Concerns that the design was too isolating
    Areas of Agreement

    Green Spaces and Landscaping:

    • Strong support for tree retention and expansion
    • Interest in Indigenous plant species and a medicine garden
    • Calls for vegetation to serve as a sound barrier along the rail corridor
    • Landscaping changes needed to improve sightlines and safety

    Play and Recreation:

    • Retention of play equipment for young children was a priority
    • Seating and viewing areas near play spaces were emphasized
    • Concerns about noise and play surface materials, especially near basketball courts

    Seating and Gathering Spaces:

    • Increased seating needed throughout the park, especially near play areas
    • Support for seating designs that deter sleeping
    • More shaded and rest areas requested for older adults

    Wayfinding and Circulation:

    • More signage needed for navigation and to direct users to nearby destinations
    • Expanded and improved pathways supported, with rubberized surfaces preferred
    • Mixed opinions on increased pedestrian traffic
    • Concerns about safe cycling through the park

    Dog Off-Leash Area:

    • Strong support for a dedicated dog area to prevent encroachment on play spaces
    • Design considerations included requests for a dog drinking fountain, waste bins, and dog-friendly surface materials
    • Uncertainty about feasibility due to proximity to Ramsden Park’s off-leash area
    Areas of Disagreement
    • Green Space vs. Pathways: Some wanted more paved paths for accessibility, while others prioritized preserving open green areas.
    • Plaza Design: Some felt it was too elaborate for the park’s size, while others questioned its purpose.
    • Train Viewing Berm: Safety concerns versus enthusiasm for historical connection.
    • Cycling: Suggestions ranged from bicycle-friendly pathways to outright prohibiting cycling in the park.

    In this phase, the City will share the preferred design with the community. Once the preferred design is confirmed, it will be used to guide future park improvements.

    The community engagement activities anticipated in this phase include:

    • a virtual town hall
    • an online survey
    • an in-person workshop

    The anticipated outcome of this phase is the refined preferred design.

    In 2023, a student-led team from the School of Urban and Regional Planning at Toronto Metropolitan University engaged the community to explore improvements to Pricefield Road Playground. Supported by the Councillor’s office and City staff, and initiated by a resident-led steering committee, the team worked with a landscape architecture firm to develop design options based on community input and research.