Rowena Park Playground Improvements & New Basketball Court

Review feedback from the online survey in the Project Updates section.

 

The City is improving the playground at Rowena Park and adding a new basketball court. The playground upgrades are part of an ongoing program to enhance play spaces across the city.

The new court is planned for the park’s northeast area and responds to Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan, which identified a gap in access to basketball courts in Ward 16. Rowena Park was selected as an ideal location due to its transit accessibility, proximity to a high school and location within an area of higher equity needs and planned future growth.

  • Summer 2025: Hire a design team
  • Fall 2025: Concept design
  • Winter 2026: Community engagement
  • Spring to Summer 2026: Detailed design and hire a construction team
  • Fall 2026: Construction starts, playground closes
  • Winter 2026: Construction complete, playground reopens

The timeline is subject to change.

Sign Up for Updates

Sign Up Now

Sign up for or unsubscribe from updates to Rowena Park Playground Improvements and New Basketball Court.

Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as a Consult project based on the International Association for Public Participation Spectrum. This means we collect and consider public feedback on proposed design options to inform the development of a final playground design.

February 2026

Online Survey

From February 2 to February 23, feedback on the new playground and basketball courts layout options and multiple playground design options was collected in an online survey. 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 128 responses.

The design team will use this feedback to refine the final playground design. The final design will be available on this page in Summer 2026.

Key Feedback Highlights
  • When asked about their preference between the two playground and basketball court layout options, respondents preferred Layout Option B (48 per cent) over Layout Option A (43 per cent) with 10 per cent having no preference.
  • When asked to rank their playground design preference, respondents ranked Playground Design B highest (55 per cent) followed by Playground Design C (34 per cent) and Playground Design A (10 per cent).
  • Respondents shared that the three most important features to include in the new playground are:
    • senior play structure for ages five to 12
    • climbing structures
    • junior play structure for ages two to five
  • Respondents shared that the three least important features to include in the new playground are:
    • stand-alone toys
    • play panels
    • stand-up spinner toys
  • If budget permits, the three features respondents would like more of in the improved playground are:
    • climbing structures
    • group/accessible swing
    • senior play structure for ages five to 12
  • For seating around the playground:
    • 82 per cent of respondents like benches
    • 70 per cent of respondents like picnic tables
    • 23 per cent of respondents like armour stones
  • The preferred colour scheme for the new playground was vibrant cool colours, like blue, turquoise and purple, etc. (30 per cent) over a mix of bright warm colours and vibrant cool colours. (41 per cent).
  • Participants also provided comments, including maintaining the green field as a multipurpose sports field, more picnic tables and shaded seating, improving safety for playground users near the basketball area, incorporating more accessible and sensory play features and additional swings.

Other out-of-scope comments were also recorded, such as adding a new splash pad, new fenced dog park, new tennis courts, washroom facility and more.

In-Person Pop-Up Event

On February 9, the project team collected community feedback on multiple design options for the playground improvements at a pop-up event in Broadlands Community Center. Approximately 30 community members attended the event. Participants shared their preferences with sticky dots and comments on sticky notes. Two members of the project team provided information, answered questions and captured additional comments.

The design team will use this feedback to refine the final playground design.

Key Feedback Highlights
  • Participants preferred Layout Option A (six dots) over Layout Option B (one dot).
  • Participants preferred Playground Design B (13 dots) followed by Playground Design C (five dots) and Playground Design A (one dot).
  • For seating around the playground:
    • four participants liked umbrella tables
    • three participants liked benches
    • three participants liked armour stones
  • The preferred colour scheme for the new playground was earthy colours like green, brown, and grey (two dots).
Layout Options

The project team developed two playground and basketball court layout options for community input.

Layout Option A

Site plan of proposed playground area layout option A at Rowena Park, indicating the main play area, seating options, pathways and the proposed new basketball court located north of the playground.

  1. Existing pathway
  2. Existing trees
  3. Existing drinking fountain to remain
  4. Junior play structure
  5. Senior play structure
  6. Swings
  7. New basketball court
  8. Benches with backrest
  9. Benches without backrest
  10. Shade trees with seating
  11. Low berm
Layout Option B

Site plan of proposed playground area layout option B at Rowena Park, indicating the main play area, seating options, pathways and the proposed new basketball court located east of the playground.

  1. Existing pathway
  2. Existing trees
  3. Existing drinking fountain to remain
  4. Junior play structure
  5. Senior play structure
  6. Swings
  7. New basketball court
  8. Benches with backrest
  9. Shade trees with seating
  10. Low berm
Playground Options

All three designs are AODA compliant, have the same amount of play features and cost the same amount.

Playground Design A

An aerial view of Playground Design A looking to the east from the west. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a swing set, senior play equipment, and a junior play structure.

Design A includes:

  • a junior play structure with:
    • accessible transfer station
    • one mini summit climber
    • one double slide
    • two accessible play panel
  • a senior play structure with:
    • transfer station
    • kite and cloud decorative roofs
    • one slide
    • one belt bridge
    • six different climbers
    • one colour splash play panel
    • multiple belt hammocks
    • one accessible play panel
    • one set of wobble pods
  • a swing set with:
    • two belt swing
    • one toddler swing
    • one accessible swing
Playground Design B

An aerial view of Playground Design B looking to the south from the north. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a swing set, junior play equipment and senior play equipment.

Design B includes:

  • a junior play structure with:
    • accessible transfer station
    • one leaves steering wheel
    • one cozy seat
    • one double slide
    • one straight slide
    • two honeycomb climber
    • one spider web climber
    • one measurement play panel
    • decorative polygon roof
  • a senior play structure with:
    • accessible transfer station
    • one telescope play feature
    • one marbles play panel
    • one cozy seat
    • one tall curved slide
    • one wave climber
    • one climbing wall
    • one stone crossing
    • one vertical ladder climber
    • one curved overhead loop ladder
    • one balance bridge
    • one set of spiral stepping stone
  • standalone play features:
    • one spring rider
    • one standing spinner
    • one tic-tac-toe panel
    • one texture play panel
  • a swing set with:
    • two belt swing
    • one toddler swing
    • one accessible swing
Playground Design C

An aerial view of Playground Design C looking to the northwest from the southeast. From the lower left to the upper right, it includes a junior play structure. senior play structure, climber and swing set.

Design C includes:

  • a junior play structure with:
    • accessible transfer platform
    • one maze play panel
    • one ludo game panel
    • one optical illusion play panel
    • one play table with seats
    • two climbers
    • one straight slide
  • a senior play structure with:
    • accessible transfer platform
    • decorative angled hoop roof
    • one climbing bridge
    • one tall, curved slide
    • one three-way climbing tower
    • one net climber
    • three different climbers
    • one curved monkey bars
    • one set of balancing steps
  • standalone play features:
    • one duo spinner
    • one counter panel
    • one tic-tac-toe panel
    • one spring rider
  • a swing set with:
    • two belt swing
    • one toddler swing
    • one accessible swing

Rowena Park is located near the intersection of Ellesmere Road and Victoria Park Avenue. The playground is in the northwest area of the park and is divided into two sections by a pathway.

The playground currently includes:

  • two swing sets with:
    • two swings for ages two to five
    • two swings for ages five and up
  • one junior play structure with:
    • one double slide
    • two climbing options
    • one tunnel bridge
    • one playhouse
    • two play panels
  • one senior play structure with:
    • one curved slide
    • three overhead climbing options
    • four climbing options
    • one play panel
  • one seesaw
  • one talk tube set
  • sand under all play areas

The playground will be redesigned using community feedback and is proposed to include:

  • playground equipment for ages five to 12
  • additional seating
  • engineered wood fibre surfacing
  • an accessible pathway from the sidewalk to the playground area

The play equipment and pathway connecting to the playground area will comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA). Learn more about how playgrounds are made accessible.

Improvements will only be made in the general playground area and will not include any new water or lighting features or improvements to other areas of the park.