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City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release

October 18, 2024

City of Toronto kicks off public engagements for the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan and Parkland Strategy

This afternoon, Mayor Olivia Chow and Deputy Mayor McKelvie (Scarborough – Rouge Park) launched a comprehensive outreach campaign as part of the review and refresh of the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan and the Parkland Strategy.

These two key documents will guide decision-making around how and where the City of Toronto invests in new parkland and recreation facilities over the next 20 years.

Consultations will take place across all 25 wards and will prioritize engaging Indigenous communities alongside residents and other interested parties.

As Toronto continues to evolve and change, it is essential that the City’s guiding plans reflect the values, preferences and aspirations of its residents – that is why the review and refresh will reflect the city’s growing population, a renewed understanding of residents needs and priorities, and the changing provincial and municipal planning and financial landscape.

Community engagement opportunities 

Over the next six months, City staff will host engagement opportunities to listen and learn about what recreation needs and priorities are important to residents and their communities. The City wants to hear from all interested community members including Indigenous, Black and equity-deserving community members.  

Public and Indigenous engagement will help shape how the City invests in recreation facilities over the next decade. It will also help inform guiding principles, considerations for better parks and the strategic actions featured in the Parkland Strategy.  

The updated strategies will reflect the needs and priorities of Indigenous communities and ultimately lead to the creation of recreation facilities and parks that are inclusive and welcoming for members of Indigenous communities and supportive of Indigenous uses. 

All residents can share their opinions by participating in several in-person and online opportunities from Friday, October 18, to Wednesday, December 18. The survey will be available in six languages and can be found on the City’s website: https://cotsurvey.chkmkt.com/?e=416688&d=l&h=66D856CDC3F0CD6&l=en.

About the Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan 

The Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan has been instrumental in guiding the location, design and delivery of new buildings and outdoor recreational facilities at community centres, indoor pools and skate trails over the past five years. 

These new and redeveloped facilities provide modern, accessible space for residents, add capacity and reduce waitlists for recreation programming. They help resolve geographic gaps in service and help the city keep pace with demands coming from population growth.  

About the Parkland Strategy 

The City’s Parkland Strategy provides a long-term vision to guide decision making on where to add new parkland and how to improve existing parks to help ensure the city’s shared outdoor spaces are vibrant and welcoming. It does this by identifying areas that have insufficient parkland and prioritizing these areas for investment.

More information including opportunities to provide feedback is available on the City’s website: toronto.ca/ParksAndFacilitiesPlans

Quotes:

“We want to hear from our residents about their vision for our parks and recreation facilities. This is a unique opportunity for Torontonians to shape their community and to make our public spaces more accessible, imaginative, and ready for people to enjoy for generations to come. I look forward to seeing all their creative ideas come forward”

- Mayor Olivia Chow

“The Facilities Plan and the Parkland Strategy aim to create a vision for our public spaces and common grounds that prioritize sustainability, accessibility, and community well-being. Through gathering feedback from residents in all parts of the City, we can build beautiful public spaces that work for everyone.”

- Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie (Scarborough – Rouge Park)

Toronto is home to more than three million people whose diversity and experiences make this great city Canada’s leading economic engine and one of the world’s most diverse and livable cities. As the fourth largest city in North America, Toronto is a global leader in technology, finance, film, music, culture, innovation and climate action, and consistently places at the top of international rankings due to investments championed by its government, residents, and businesses. For more information visit www.toronto.ca or follow us on X at www.x.com/CityofToronto, on Instagram at www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at www.facebook.com/cityofto

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Media contact: Media Relations, media@toronto.ca

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