Project Description

Hazelgrove Park is East Clayton’s largest park, providing much-needed public outdoor space for sports, community gatherings and passive recreation. The 4.2 hectare neighbourhood park features a soccer field,
running track, multi-use sports court, parkour court, tennis courts, playground, spray park and a washroom building. The park also includes a multi-use lawn area for community events and a forest area with walking trails. There is “something for everyone” in Hazelgrove Park, the result of a robust public engagement process that involved the community in the park’s planning and design process.

Besides serving as the social heart of the community, the park also demonstrates environmental sustainability through its storm and wastewater collection initiatives. A bioswale collects and bio-filtrates stormwater runoff from hard-surfaced parking and play areas, and wastewater from the splash pad.

ISL managed the $2.5-million project and provided services in stakeholder consultation, 3D visualization, integrated multidisciplinary design, as well as construction documentation and administration.

Challenges

• Spatial demands of active recreation amenities combined with the need to promote natural drainage.
• Youth amenities need to address community concerns and Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED).
• Park is located next to a visually imposing water reservoir structure.

Solutions

• Shared-use agreement with adjacent school allows for public use of the school’s sports field and parking lot, thereby reducing the park’s development footprint. A bioswale detains and bio-filtrates site stormwater and recharges the water table.
• Location of youth amenities at highly visible park edges addresses community and CPTED concerns.
• Vegetation screens all of the reservoir structure except an exposed wall section that serves as a projection screen for community movie events.