Queen’s Park North revitalization report encourages city council to approve $50M donation from Weston Foundation

Renderings of Queen's Park North's revitalization project. (City of Toronto)

Downtown Toronto’s Queen’s Park North will likely get a hefty boost from the Weston Foundation to help with its revitalization.

A report from the general manager of Parks and Recreation and the executive director of Corporate Real Estate Management encourages city council to authorize a $50 million donation from the charitable foundation, as well as any future donations. That will go towards advancing “capital improvements as part of the revitalization of the park, including funding for public engagement, design services, and capital costs for park enhancements.”

It also recommends that responsibility for maintaining the park be split under a “Tri-Party Agreement” among the Weston Foundation, the University of Toronto, and the City for approximately 20 years. UofT owns the land, which it leases to the City of Toronto under a 999-year agreement.

Initial community engagement on the plan garnered feedback from approximately 2,900 people, many of whom wanted to see emphasis placed on “trees and ecosystems, community and cultural heritage, improved maintenance and the opportunity to improve the visitor experience,” the report states.

It added that the Weston Foundation will commit to paying for an additional estimated $43 million - around $2.15 million annually over an initial term of 20 years - to the University of Toronto for maintenance, operations, and programming.

Between March and April, the report’s vision will be shared for further feedback from the public, institutions in the surrounding area, First Nations and other project participants.

Queen’s Park, located just north of the Ontario Legislature, is Canada’s first municipal park. It opened in 1860 and is named after Queen Victoria.