Heather Heights Park

Location: Toronto The Situation: This existing Toronto park abuts a very busy intersection with transit stops and foot traffic that continuously seeks the quickest route to peoples’ destinations. The result was an unplanned worn pathway through the park’s existing woodlot to the other side of the park. Play equipment in the park was old and at the end of its useful life. An added challenge was that the park backs on to a hydro corridor. The Solution and Result: After consultation with the community and collaboration with Hydro One to achieve the necessary approvals, Snow Larc developed a design that prioritized new accessible playgrounds, sufficiently set back from the road to reduce noise while at the same time adhering to safety principles. Two somewhat separate playground areas focus on age-specific interests. One area offers natural elements that appeal to younger children, and the second is a parcours-style urban obstacle course for older youth.