Pond and park: Vaughan signature amenity

NRU
Feb. 22, 2017
By Andrew Cohrs

A first-of-its-kind project, Vaughan is embarking on the redevelopment of Edgeley Pond and Park to create a signature amenity in the city’s new downtown, while integrating an improved stormwater management system.

“Edgeley Pond and Park will become a centrepiece of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre - a gathering place for people and natural habitat for wildlife...This project will explore opportunities to celebrate Black Creek’s natural heritage and highlight the historic and cultural value of the area, while showcasing innovative stormwater management,” Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua told NRU in an email.

Essentially being built from scratch, the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre is a 179-ha site set to become the heart of Vaughan and feature 140,000 m2 of commercial office space, 70 m2 of retail space, 12,000 residential units and transit connections to Toronto and throughout the GTA. Edgeley Pond and Park is a 7.5-ha area in the western portion of the centre at the northwest corner of Jane Street and Highway 7.

DTAH partner and design team lead Jason Roach told NRU that it is the first time Vaughan has integrated a stormwater pond with public recreational uses. He is optimistic that the design process will reveal new ways to use stormwater infrastructure, while providing public uses that connect people to the environment.

“One of the challenges, but also opportunities...is [figuring out] how you bring [stormwater and public space] together in a way that you showcase the stormwater, educate people about it and in doing so create a new relationship. You might be able to design a space that is a creek that becomes a skating rink, or you could establish an area that could be a habitat and maybe you view the habitat from a distance. So there are a lot of things to celebrate about this integration [of uses].”

Creation of the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre has resulted in increased residential development around Edgeley Pond. About 700 units south of the pond were occupied last summer and another 500 units north of the pond are to be constructed by 2018. Today the pond and park, which were created as part of the area’s stormwater retention system - although currently not in use - provide limited recreational opportunities. A re-visioning and redevelopment process has been initiated.

“The goal is to build a sustainable open space at the centre of the VMC that also functions as a hybrid of vital stormwater management infrastructure and innovative public space design...Through the design process the legacy of the site will be reinterpreted in form and juxtaposed with new park programs to animate the space and ensure connectivity with the evolving urban context,” Bevilacqua wrote.

The redevelopment of the park and pond offer many opportunities ranging from passive recreation to interactive programs. Bevilacqua suggests creating flexible gathering spaces for events, accessible walking paths, wildlife observation platforms and community gardens, as well as installing public art, a wetland arboretum, all-season washrooms, splash pads and an off-leash dog playground.

DTAH and WSP | Parsons Brinckerhoff Engineering Services have been retained to create detailed designs, while Swerhun Facilitation has been hired to lead the consultation process. A public meeting on the proposed design principles was held last night. Design options are expected to be released in May.