Marie Curtis Park
Location: Forty Second Street, Etobicoke, Ontario
Client: City of Toronto
Project Start Date: 2010
Project End Date: 2013
Project Type:
Civic
Green Infrastructure
Public Realm Master Plans
Parks, Recreation and Open Space
Waterfronts
Water Play
About the Project
The MBTW Group was the lead consultant for both the master plan stage and the development
Marie Curtis Park is located in the extreme southwest corner of Toronto, on the Mississauga border, at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek. In 1954, more than forty homes were lost at the mouth of the Etobicoke Creek due to Hurricane Hazel. To prevent any future floods from having similar disastrous results, houses from around the mouth of the creek were relocated, and the area turned into a park. In 1959, the park was named for Long Branch Reeve Marie Curtis in recognition for her efforts to have the park built. Although the park is not listed in the City’s Cultural Landscape Inventory it is the second largest waterfront park in the City of Toronto and functions as both a community park for the residents of South Etobicoke as well as a Regional Park for the Cities of Toronto and Mississauga. Although the park is a very popular recreation open space and has been heavily used since the park’s creation in 1959, very little has been done to keep the park relevant and current for its visitors.
As a joint venture between the TRCA and the City of Toronto, in 2010 the MBTW Group was selected as the Prime Consultant to prepare a new masterplan for Marie Curtis Park East and West with the goal of defining a new vision and a stronger more contemporary park identity. Key features of the park include wet and dry children’s play areas, off-leash dog park, wetland interpretive site, creek restoration, public art, beach restoration, canoe/ kayak launches, boardwalk, pier and creek promenade and parking with bioswales.
MBTW was responsible for conducting public engagement and stakeholder workshops and for preparing the detailed working drawings, tendering and construction administration. Construction began in 2012 and was complete in 2013.
Services:
Accessibility and Risk Assessment
Arboriculture
Contract Administration
Landscape Architecture
Parks and Recreation
Project Management
Public & Stakeholder Consultation
Sustainable Design
Visualization
