October 16, 2015
Re. Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan
Dear Stakeholder,
The City of Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division is developing a new Facilities Master Plan that will guide facility planning for the Division over the next 20 years. The Plan responds to direction provided in the Council-approved Recreation Service Plan (2012) and Parks Plan (2013). It will refresh and build on the Division’s Recreation Facilities Report (2004), a 10-year plan that has successfully guided recreation infrastructure development since 2004.
As Toronto grows and changes the parks and recreation needs of residents also change. The Facilities Master Plan will address issues such as significant population and demographic changes, shifting parks, recreation and facility trends and needs, aging infrastructure, the increasing costs of maintaining the state of good repair, and the geographic distribution of facilities across the city.
The Facilities Master Plan will prioritize investment in parks and recreation facilities over the next 20 years. Based on the principles of inclusion, access, equity and quality, it will recommend and guide the creation of new and renewed facilities to best meet local and city-wide needs. The Plan will include implementation and financial strategies to support long-term success.
Public involvement is essential in developing this plan. A comprehensive engagement strategy with consultation plan is in place to ensure that residents and stakeholders are informed and engaged throughout the process. Details on opportunities for involvement will be available on the project website www.toronto.ca/parks/facilitiesplan along with updates, project materials (presentations, background reports, discussion guides) and a link to subscribe to e-newsletter updates.
On October 20, 2015 the Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff report Parks and Recreation Facilities Master Plan Update and Consultation Plan will go to Toronto City Council’s Executive Committee. This report provides a Facilities Master Plan update and presents the consultation plan. We encourage you to review this report, visit our website and sign up for email updates on the project’s progress and consultation activity outcomes.
Stakeholder feedback is very valuable and will directly inform this plan. We look forward to your participation in the upcoming consultation activities.
Sincerely,
Janie Romoff, General Manager
Parks, Forestry and Recreation
City of Toronto