About 15 local residents gathered at Community Centre 55 last month to share their preferences for ‘no name’ park, located north of Gerrard Street East, halfway between Main Street and Victoria Park Avenue.
Dan Connolly from Parks, Forestry and Recreation’s Capital department and landscape architect Jim Melvin from PMA Landscape Architects presented options to the group, including variations on potential picnic shelters and playground equipment.
Suggestions from those at the meeting included the possibility of coin-operated barbecues, which are common in Australia and New Zealand.
Melvin pointed out the gas lines required would add significant cost to the project. “It requires infrastructure that isn’t in this park,” he said.
Ward 32 Councillor Mary-Margaret McMahon suggested the possibility of a fire pit, such as the one at Orchard Park. She also mentioned the brick ovens implemented at Dufferin Grove Park, which are used to bake bread and for community pizza nights.
The lack of infrastructure would also preclude any wading pools or water features. Due to soil remediation, services can’t be installed more than a few feet below the topsoil, according to Connolly.
“Water is really expensive, and we’re not sure if we can do it in this park,” added McMahon.
The meeting concluded with residents marking down their preferences on the varied shelters, furniture and play equipment presented on a series of illustrations provided by Melvin.
Though the park has yet to be properly named, the plan is for a two-year phased installation, with a picnic pavilion, paving and furnishing to be built this year, and a playground set for 2015.
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