This collection of park reviews is the third and final instalment of the 2023 series and contains ten park reviews, with more gradings to come this summer. 

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Continuing from the August & September editions we review area parks and assign a letter grade. Park amenities, tree coverage, seating and waste management all go into the evaluations each year.

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To build and improve upon this project, the city’s parks department wants to make five more washrooms operational and increase the number of park pathways and trails that get ploughed following a snowfall. High traffic areas and pathways that link parks and community centres to major roadways and TTC stations will be prioritized by this plan.

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The improving pandemic situation has led to some of the parks that were locked up last year to be set free again. Huron Washington Parkette and Margaret Fairley Park have been restored to their former glory. But, neglect and lack of resources have persisted in others like Sally Bird Park and Euclid Avenue Parkette.

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Yoga in the park was put on hold in April due to a province-wide lockdown, but as of June, it’s in its third summer. Teachers Montana Skurka and Michelle Karunaratne have seen their small group classes grow exponentially since leading their first park yoga sessions in 2019.

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The Annex has just three designated off-leash dog park areas: Bickford Park, Ramsden Park, and Vermont Square Park. A 2018 motion to add a fourth off-leash area (OLA) in the neighbourhood is now underway at Huron Street Playground. Located just northwest of Bloor Street West and St. George Street, the park currently has a few […]

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In this year’s installment of evaluating park spaces within the Gleaner’s catchment area, our observers noted the impressive revival of Queen’s Park North showing what a great city can do when it focuses its imagination and resources. The neglected Euclid Avenue Park, near Koreatown, shows what happens when these resources are withheld. Compiled by Mary An, Tanya Ielyseieva, and Nicole Stoffman.

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Lots of places for ambling with a dog, playing sports, or watching the world go by This is our first set of park reviews for 2019. The Annex and its surroundings are blessed with a rich array of green space — much of it under the umbrella of city parks. We grade them here, every year […]

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By Brian Burchell This female Eastern White Wild Turkey, dubbed “Rose” by neighbours, seems to enjoy her mini-range consisting of Christie Pits, Bickford, and Art Eggleton parks. Though the species is more often than not shy of humans, Rose seems to like children but can be very defensive with dogs that charge her. About the […]

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Annual review highlights spots for a picnic, spots for strolling, spots for playing Our annual review of the green spaces in the Annex is one of our most popular features. This year’s inspection reveals that a local focus on green spaces has yielded parks that, for the most part, are cleaner and better maintained. There’s […]

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Large fenced off-leash area for dogs By Mike Layton Bickford Park has something for everyone. It is highly programmed with many residents competing for space for youth baseball, adult softball, pick-up soccer, off-leash dogs, tobogganing, and simply enjoying the natural beauty of the park. Despite its natural beauty and heavy use, Bickford Park has been […]

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Lots of places for ambling with a dog, playing sports, or watching the world go by Where are the best bathrooms, the best spots to laze away a day, or the best place to run a dog? It’s all here in the second instalment of our annual parks review. We’ll run the third and final […]

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