Silverview Park Improvements

The City is undertaking a study to help determine improvements at Silverview Park. The outcomes of the study will help determine the project scope, budget and next steps. Community input collected will inform development of the design for the park improvements.

  • Summer to Fall 2023: Community Engagement Phase 1, Towards a Vision
  • Winter to Spring 2024: Hire a design team
  • Summer to Fall 2024: Community Engagement Phase 2, Exploring Design Options
  • Fall 2024 to Winter 2025: Detailed design
  • Winter to Spring 2025: Hire a construction team
  • Summer 2025: Construction starts

The timeline is subject to change.

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Level of Engagement

This project has been classified as an Involve project based on the International Association of Public Participation Public Participation Spectrum. This means we work directly with the public, stakeholders and rightsholders throughout the design process to ensure that ideas and aspirations are understood and considered in the design process.

In this phase, the project team gathered community feedback to develop a vision, guiding principles and key features and amenities for the park improvements.

Vision Statement

The new park will be a safe, inclusive, family-friendly green space for the community to gather. The park will contribute to supporting a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages and abilities.

Guiding Principles

  1. Keep the park natural and green: protect, enhance and improve green space and plantings.
  2. Welcome all people: support community safety, comfort and accessibility for all ages and abilities as a top priority.
  3. Support a healthy and active lifestyle for all ages: include sport, play and recreation amenities.
  4. Balance space for socializing and relaxation: enhance amenity options while balancing space for socializing and relaxation.

Community Engagement Meetings and Events

October 2023

Online Survey

From October 2 to October 30, an online survey collected feedback from over 143 community members on the proposed features and amenities for the park improvements. The survey was available in English, Korean, Farsi and Chinese (simplified and traditional).

Key Feedback

When asked what respondents liked about the current park:

  • 85 per cent liked the open green space
  • 45 per cent liked the sightlines and visibility from the street
  • 32 per cent liked the location of the playground
  • 31 per cent liked the baseball diamond
  • 30 per cent liked the playground

Ten per cent did not like any of the above. Twelve per cent provided other comments, with the most common being that the park is quiet and peaceful.

When asked what respondents disliked about the current park:

  • 24 per cent disliked the playground
  • 18 per cent disliked the location of the playground
  • 17 per cent disliked the baseball diamond
  • 10 per cent disliked the sightlines and visibility from the street
  • six per cent disliked the open green space
  • 33 per cent selected none of the options listed
  • 25 per cent provided other comments, with the most common being concerns with noise and safety at night, lack of maintenance (old playground, garbage, broken water fountain, dog waste), lack of useful or accessible features, lack of seating and problems with off-leash dogs

Seventy-nine per cent of respondents liked the draft vision statement and guiding principles proposed in the survey.

Over 85 per cent of respondents felt that each of the proposed guiding principles reflected what is most important.

Over 75 per cent of respondents felt the following features are priorities for the park:

  • Open green spaces
  • Children’s play area
  • Accessible paths and walkways
  • Lighting
  • Places to sit or eat

Other suggestions included water fountains/bottle filling stations, an off-leash area and recreation/fitness features. Some suggested replacing the baseball diamond with sport courts (suggestions included basketball, tennis, ping pong, handball, volleyball and an outdoor track).

Respondents were divided on the theme of the new playground with 34 per cent preferring natural, 27 per cent geometric, 22 per cent traditional and 17 per cent having no preference.

The most popular play features were climbing structures, play structures suitable for both younger and older children, a spiral slide and various types of swings.

September 2023

Community Pop-Up Event

On September 16, the local Councillor hosted an event at the park with approximately 60 community members where the project team collected ideas for the improved park design. Community members provided feedback on six themes that emerged from the thought exchange activity in August.

  1. Family and child-friendly
  2. Ample green space
  3. Safety
  4. Promote active and healthy living
  5. Gathering space for the community
  6. Accessible and inclusive

Ideas on these themes included:

  • Focus on creating a safe environment for residents by including more lighting at night, a separate space for pets or signage prohibiting dog training
  • Create a park with ample green spaces and pollinator-friendly spaces
  • Incorporate land acknowledgement and a plaque detailing Indigenous connection

Key feedback about the most important features for the park included:

  • Children’s play area
  • Places to sit/eat
  • Ample green spaces
  • Ample lighting for evening use

When asked about preferred playground theme and equipment, a majority of participants expressed preference for a geometric playground theme and:

  • Senior play structure
  • Climbing structure
  • Accessible swings
  • Play panels

Other ideas suggested by participants included:

  • Picnic table and group seating with shade, closer to the play area
  • Maintenance during winter months to ensure park usage all year round
  • An accessible multi-use pathway circling the park, which can be used for walking, running, strollers and easy access to the play area
  • Include more sports and games for children and space for fitness activities

August 2023

Online Thought Exchange Activity

From July 17 to August 13, 2023, feedback on preferred park amenities was collected from the community through an online thought exchange activity. The thought exchange received a total of 110 responses, 114 ideas and, over 3,000 idea ratings.

Review a full summary of the results in an interactive report.

The most popular park uses included:

  • Relax in open green spaces (66 per cent)
  • Exercise using outdoor fitness equipment (52 per cent)
  • A children’s play area (46 per cent) and gathering with family and friends (46 per cent)
  • Sit and/or eat (45 per cent)
  • A children’s play area (46 per cent)
  • Play with game tables (38 per cent)
  • Enjoy and observe planting areas (34 per cent)

The most popular park amenities were a shade structure (70 per cent) and fitness equipment (50 per cent). Other feedback included a need for more sports fields (for cricket, tennis, basketball and softball), more lighting and a community garden.

  • Preferred seating in the park included:
    • Benches (66 per cent)
    • Picnic tables (62 per cent)
  • Build a park that encourages community building and allows residents to socialize and relax
  • A mixture of youth-friendly and adult fitness equipment would be inviting
  • Incorporate lots of open greenspace, plantings and trees to create a lush and relaxing space
  • Inclusive features and spaces that appeal to children, teens, adults and older adults
  • Ensure the park is accessible to people of all abilities (including those with mobility devices, sensory and other needs)
  • Provide a variety of seating options, with a preference for picnic tables and benches
  • Provide natural shade throughout the park
  • Upgrade the playground and existing ball diamond
  • Ensure safety by including:
    • Lighting to allow for more evening uses
    • Active edge, especially for playgrounds and sport fields
    • Wide pathways
    • Buffers from adjacent roadways
  • Keep the park clean and well maintained with proper drainage
  • Include fitness and entertainment features that are not available at nearby parks Consider including activities like exercise/fitness equipment and basketball
  • Include exciting playground features for all ages and abilities
  • Build a park that is family-friendly, social and encourages community gathering

In this phase, draft park designs will be presented to the community for feedback and revision. The design options will be based on the outcomes of Community Engagement Phase 1.

Anticipated community engagement activities in this phase include:

  • Park pop-up event
  • Online survey

In this phase, the final design for the park improvements will be shared with the community on this page and with those subscribed to the project mailing list. The project will then move into the detail design phase, where the design team will work through the technical details and developing detailed plans and drawings to be used by the construction contractor.