Ontario is planning to open its first urban provincial park on Canada Day to give people early access to the space as work continues to plan and build it.
The government is building an urban provincial park in Uxbridge, Ont., on surplus government land, a plan first announced in the 2023 provincial budget.
In the coming months, the province is set to release a park management plan for the land on the edge of Uxbridge, in Durham Region. That plan will lay out what amenities people can expect when the park opens fully.
Public comments are being solicited until the end of June from those who want to submit ideas for the space, while those who use the park on Canada Day will also be encouraged to offer their ideas.
While the government says it is formally opening the park on Canada Day, much of it will not be finished and its official boundaries are yet to be decided.
The plan to build an urban park in Uxbridge — roughly 50 km northeast of Toronto — was sparked by the town itself and its mayor, a keen hiker and outdoor enthusiast, in 2021. Local officials tried to buy surplus land listed for sale by the Ministry of Infrastructure to build a large municipal park, before agreeing the provincial government should take over the plan.
Mayor Dave Barton previously told Global News he spoke to then-environment minister David Piccini, Finance Minister Peter Bethlenfalvy and Premier Doug Ford about his plan. He’s not sure which of them decided to push forward the provincial park but felt they were “all on board fairly early.”
The idea was cemented in a 2023 budget commitment from the government and will be fully formed when the park is legislated into existence.
The town is expecting a massive tourism boom to come with the official opening of the park in the future.
“With 83 per cent of Ontario’s growing population located in urban centres, it’s imperative that we build more provincial parks closer to home,” Andrea Khanjin, Minister of the Environment, Conservation and Parks said.
“The establishment of the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park marks a significant step in our government’s commitment to expand our park system. I look forward to working with our partners to protect and expand green spaces for future generations to enjoy.”
With little government work done to convert the land into a full provincial park, the Canada Day preview will be limited. The government said there are “no facilities” at the site and parking will be limited.
“A couple of existing trails are available for the public to use, free of charge,” a government news release said.
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