St. Andrew’s [Play]ground

Public Workshop #1

September 18, 2019

Community Engagement and Communication Plan

Project Overview

Timeline

Previous Engagement

Andrew’s Playground Park in the community:

o Andrew’s Playground Park serves as an oasis in the city. Participants value the park’s history as the City’s first publicly accessible playground for children.

Participants are concerned about:

o Protecting existing trees and vegetated areas throughout the park.

o Improving the Dogs Off-Leash Area to encourage its continued use.

o Improving safety through lighting, sightlines, ease of navigation through the park, and programming/activities that activate the park at different times and across all seasons.

o Pathways that provide direct but pleasant paths for people passing through the park.

o The current location of the playground, which separates children from the street edge.

o Providing flexible seating options to complement fixed seating

o Providing multi-use spaces that offer a variety of programming options while simultaneously working to preserve the distinction between active and passive spaces.

Participants generally dislike and/or are concerned about:

o The small size of the Dogs Off-Leash Area and playground, which they feel results in underutilization of both spaces.

o Impact of the new Market Hall facing the north side of the park, including potential competition with existing park programming and increasing maintenance costs.

o Poor drainage leading to large puddles of water in various areas of the park. This reduces useable park space.

Previous Engagement

Existing Site Conditions

Context Analysis

Context AnalysisDowntown Parks and Public Realm Plan- 2018

Context AnalysisScale Comparison

Context AnalysisExisting and proposed development

Context AnalysisWaterworks Food Hall

It is anticipated that the population of king-Spadina neighborhood will increase by 25000 or more by 2041.

Context AnalysisSpadina-Fort York Ward Profile

Context AnalysisShadow Study

Context AnalysisShadow Study

Context AnalysisLinks and Connections

Transit Connections

Context AnalysisLinks and Connections

Bike Lanes and Pedestrian Walkways

Context Analysis

Context AnalysisExisting Playground at St Andrew

Context AnalysisExisting Playgrounds in the Neighborhood

Site Heritage

Site Heritage

Design Guidelines

and Strategies

Site HeritagePlay as Heritage | Landscape as Heritage

Design GuidelineProtect Existing Tree Canopy

Design GuidelineExisting Tree Canopy- 37 Trees

Design GuidelineExisting Tree Canopy

Design GuidelineTree Regeneration Plan

Design GuidelineTree Regeneration Plan

Design GuidelineProposed Tree Canopy with 10m x 10 m Grid

Design GuidelineProposed Tree Canopy - 28 Trees

Design GuidelineExisting Seating - 40 Seats Including Benches and Rocks

Design GuidelineCreate Comfortable Seating

Design GuidelineDOLA

Design GuidelineDOLA

Design GuidelineDOLA

Design GuidelineDOLA

Design StrategyLinks and Connections

Design StrategyExisting Edges / Barriers

Design StrategyExisting Edges / Barriers

Design StrategyRedefined Edges

Design StrategyDOLA Layout

Design Concepts

Play : Engage in activity for enjoyment and recreation rather than a serious or practical purpose.

Oxford Dictionary

[Play]ground :

We see Play as an important means for:

Learning

Socializing

Communicating

Physical Activity

We propose embedding the design of play into the design of the park, through:

[Play]PlazaProviding a central play space overlapping with the social fabric of the space

[Play]RibbonIntegrating the play in the landscape, rather than segregating/fencing off.

[Play]Plaza• Central Play Plaza as Heritage Interpretation • Central Plaza for Gathering/ Playing• Opportunities for Social, Sensory and Physical Play• Play for all Ages and /abilities• Enhance Tree Canopy• Establish links to Surrounding Context• Maintain View Corridors• Multiple Outdoor Rooms for Gathering / Seating

Play PlazaSt Andrew’s Playground

Play Plaza

Play PlazaSection

Play PlazaPedestrian Network

Play PlazaCommon Spaces

Play PlazaPlay Area : 270 m²

Existing Play Area: 220 m²

Play PlazaSeating

Play PlazaTree Canopy

Play Plaza

Play Plaza

Play Plaza

Play Plaza

[Play]Ribbon• Integrated Play as Heritage Interpretation• Opportunities for Social, Sensory and Active Play• Opportunities for Nature Play• Enhance Open fields• Enhance Tree Canopy• Establish links to surrounding context• Maintain View Corridors• Integrated Seating and gathering areas

Play RibbonSt Andrew’s Playground

Play Ribbon

Play Ribbon

Play RibbonPedestrian Network

Play RibbonCommon Spaces

Play Ribbon Play Area : 250 m²

Existing Play Area: 220 m²

Play RibbonSeating

Play PlazaTree Canopy

Play Ribbon

Play Ribbon

Play Ribbon

Play Ribbon

Design Tools

Landform

Tree Planting and Horticulture

Tree Planting and Horticulture

Water Feature

Seating

Seating

SignageExisting Interpretation Signage

Signage

Lighting

Structure BookmarksCommunity Engagement and Communication PlanProject OverviewTimelinePrevious EngagementPrevious EngagementDesign Guidelinesand StrategiesDesign ConceptsDesign Tools