posted April 12, 2010

Grange Park consultant's report rejected by the community

Grange Park, connected to the Art Gallery of Ontario, is going to get some changes. According to Ward 20 City Councillor Adam Vaughan, the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division spent a lot of money on a "revitalization" plan put together by a consultant. However, Councillor Vaughan said that community people didn't like the result, and the plan is now to rework the plan with community people having more direct influence. The consultant's plan was dropped.

This is the City Document presented to councillors by staff: http://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2009/gm/bgrd/backgroundfile-20248.pdf.

From the staff report:

A park improvement plan for Grange Park was developed in 2007 by a consultant team for the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division of the City of Toronto, in consultation with the Grange Park Working Group and the AGO. The improvement plan included a heritage study, an archaeological study, an arborist’s study, as well as a park design plan.

The new councillor for Ward 20 (Adam Vaughan) in 2007 saw an opportunity to enhance this study and investigate options for AGO funding to support further design work, the Capital work to renovate the park and the ongoing maintenance of Grange Park.

.....The AGO expects to reach their fund raising targets by Spring/Summer 2009. Once the target is met, consultants will be commissioned and park design is expected to begin during the summer of 2009, with construction expected to begin in spring 2010.