City Council today endorsed the most ambitious parks and recreation facility development program implementation strategy in Toronto’s history, representing a $2.223 billion investment in recreation facilities across the city over the next 20 years.
The Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan 2019-2038 (FMP) reinforces the City’s commitment to providing high quality parks and recreation facilities for all residents. The plan is informed by Toronto’s growing and changing population, and by the ongoing high demand for parks and recreation programs and services. Toronto City Council approved the FMP in 2017 and directed staff to report back on a detailed implementation strategy.
The strategy provides an evidence-based investment roadmap for when, how and where to enhance and revitalize the City’s current assets and where to build new and improved facilities. The strategy is a living document that can respond to opportunities and reflect changing local conditions such as unanticipated growth or land becoming available.
Increasing demand for parks and recreation services across the city is fueled by Toronto’s unprecedented and concentrated population growth. The FMP implementation strategy gives the City the tools to prioritize and build the right facilities, in the right places at the right time. If current funding levels are maintained, it’s estimated that there is sufficient funding based on the 2019-2028 Capital Budget and Plan for new and enhanced facilities.
Public engagement played an essential role in developing this plan and implementation strategy. Almost 6,000 individuals, groups and organizations participated in the process.
This plan responds to the high demand and changing demographics by recommending 45 new soccer/multi-use fields, 30 basketball courts and five cricket pitches. It also recommends adding new, state-of-the-art multi-pad arenas to replace existing older, single-pad arena facilities. This plan is committed to increasing the City’s ice pad supply by making the most of existing facilities and ensuring there is no net loss to Toronto’s ice pads. The plan invests in existing infrastructure by revitalizing community recreation centres and upgrading sport fields, rinks, pools and courts.
This strategy addresses long-standing service gaps by improving equity in recreation service in underserved communities, with nearly 90 per cent of recommended revitalizations and 75 per cent of planned new centres serving Neighbourhood Improvement Areas.
Staff will report back to Council on implementation progress every five years. More information about the master plan is available at http://app.toronto.ca/tmmis/viewAgendaItemHistory.do?item=2019.EX9.5
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“This is the most ambitious recreation facility development program in the City’s history, representing a $2.223 billion investment in parks and recreation facilities to serve our growing and changing population over the next 20 years. We’re taking action to ensure Toronto’s current and future residents have access to recreation services they need and want.”
– Mayor John Tory
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