Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
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You are on the [Sherbourne Common] page of folder [Playgrounds Visits]
For the cover page of this folder go to the Sherbourne Common Playground
Address: 61 Dockside Dr, Toronto, ON M5A 1B6
Sherbourne Common is a water treatment facility as well as a park. It's part of the vast network of Waterfront Toronto's holdings. Sherbourne Common had a budget of $28.7 million. Up to now (April 2018) it has not been possible to find out the actual cost.
From the press release: "The north side of the park creates a neighbourhood feel offering areas for quiet contemplation, children’s play and places for smaller scale neighbourhood events."
From the Sherbourne Common Fact Sheet
There are two informal play areas, one on the north side of the park with children’s play equipment and a second with water jets in the pond located on the south side of the park.
In the north play area, equipment and activities geared toward younger children are located adjacent to the sandbox, while equipment focused for older children and even adults, is located further south in the park.
This uniquely designed play equipment from Germany, includes climbers, balance beams, see-saws, swings, slides and spinning equipment. Much of the play equipment has been designed to support children of all ages.
There's a blog about this playground from Fred Kent of New York's "Project for Public Spaces (PPS)": Whom does design really serve?
sand play area on October 21, 2013: empty
Water source for kids -- can't reach sand play area
contemplation bench
what is that curvy metal thing for?
pylons marking the first broken bits
two short single swings, far apart
it goes around, if pushed
teeter-totters in a line
instructions: ages 5 to 12, parental supervision
There are caution stickers on the play equipment from Henderson.
A February 2018 FOI request to the city about this playground got only this response:
- the swings and seesaws were made by Kaiser and Kuhne
- the climbing equipment was made by Conlastic
- the playground equipment was made by Berliner Seilfabrik
Request for information to Waterfront Toronto, March 19, 2018
Response, April 6, 2018: It was difficult to identify the cost of the playground (equipment and installation) at Sherbourne Common as our documents had packaged up those costs into the overall landscaping budget for the park, which was approximately $11 million.
As the original project manager is no longer with Waterfront Toronto, we’ve been doing some digging in our records to try and get a more accurate cost for you. We’ve been able to find the original cost estimate prepared by the consultant prior to construction. The equipment was costed at $187,500. While this does not reflect the final cost for the equipment and installation, it’s the best figure we have at this time.