Grange Park (redesigned park starts construction Sept. 2014)

Current play structure: Henderson

History

April 22, 2014: This evening there was a public meeting at the Art Gallery of Ontario (the owner of the park) to give the go-ahead to starting the work. Greg Smallenberg and Associates have the design contract.This is the same firm that did the problematic Sherbourne Common, which has a highly designed playground that is used by few children. However, the participants at the meeting were very complimentary about the Smallenberg designs so far. Most of the participants seemed to be happy and relieved that after so many delays, the rebuilding of the park would finally get under way.

Changes to this park have been under discussion for years. An early Grange Park community consultation rejected the city's design plans. There must have been lots of other blocks too, because for 11 years, not a lot happened there in the way of making changes. The excellent wooden playground is still there -- not much sign of maintenance, but lots of kids use it. At the April 22 meeting, there was no mention of preserving it.

Recently there was an announcement that Galen Weston has donated money toward the design process.

The park has a Grange Park Advisory Committee which has a website. The last posted minutes for this group are from December 2009. That's not because they haven't been meeting but because they haven't found anyone to update the website.

the senior structure

the little house is a favourite

lots of good things to climb on

the junior structure

poor maintenance over a long time

rust

boards drying and crumbling...

...but here wood is weathering beautifully

July 2014: plans finalized

The Grange Park Advisory Committee website has the final design plans here. They plan to begin construction in early fall and finish in the fall of 2015. The playground structures in the design are very similar to the ones at Sherbourne Common (also designed by the Smallenberg firm-- sleek and modern and not much use. The images of park activity are also remarkable in that there seem to be almost no groups socializing -- mainly people walking or sitting separately.