North Maple Regional Park is a milestone development for the City of Vaughan. At 364 hectares (900 acres), it’s the City’s most ambitious park plan yet – and work to transform it is well underway.

The site is being turned into a world-class, signature destination for all Vaughan’s residents and visitors. Our plan is to turn North Maple Regional Park into a popular community gathering space for generations to come. This vision includes creating greenspace, trails, amenities and recreational areas, and undertaking environmental work to restore the land. Our work is focused on three key pillars – RESTORE, ENGAGE, PLAY – and activities for restoring nature, fostering community engagement, and providing spaces for active living and play.

We are currently in Phase 2 of the development plan. Construction efforts such as site grading, servicing and environmental restoration are being done to prepare 52 hectares (130 acres) of parkland for future development of new recreational facilities and amenities, including Vaughan’s first cricket field and event lawn. These new amenities will be open for play next year!

Preparing the site for future amenities, including a cricket pitch (top left) and a lawn area for large gatherings and events (bottom right).

A new Family Recreation Area is also in the works. It will include amenities for all ages and seasons, such as playgrounds, water play, a youth zone, shade shelters, boardwalks, pathways, a skating trail, pond lookout, benches, a picnic area, pavilion, gardens, additional parking and year-round washroom facilities. The final design will be completed this year and construction is scheduled to begin in 2025. The area is anticipated to open for public use in 2026.

As this phase of construction wraps up in the park, we are beginning the NMRP Master Plan. This long-term plan will outline development, programming and management for the entire site over the next 10 years and beyond. It will focus on future park areas that are currently not available for public use. The Master Plan process will take approximately two years to complete and include many opportunities for the community to provide input – some are taking place this summer! If you have a vision for the park and want to have a say as we plan its development, visit vaughan.ca/NMRP to get involved.

What’s in the park now?
In 2018, 80 hectares (197 acres) of parkland opened to the public with the following facilities:
• two FIFA-certified artificial turf soccer fields with built-in spectator seating
• a park pavilion, including a terrace, washrooms, change rooms and drinking fountains
• picnic areas with shade shelters and seating
• a toboggan hill (currently closed due to ongoing construction)
• an asphalt parking area with spaces for 200 vehicles
• a variety of walking and hiking trails
• free Wi-Fi that is available at the park pavilion and soccer fields

Phase 1 of the park’s development included two FIFA-certified artificial turf soccer fields, trails, a pavilion, parking lot and more.

A blast from the past
Did you know that a large portion of the site was once a landfill? Known as the Keele Valley Landfill, the park site was once the largest landfill in Canada and the third largest in North America. The operation closed in December 2002.

Since then, we’ve been working hard to transform the site into a signature destination for current and future generations to enjoy. The City’s original concept plan for North Maple Regional Park was created in 2003 and focused on just around 80 hectares (200 acres). In April 2018, Vaughan Council endorsed the vision to expand North Maple Regional Park and build a signature 900-acre (364 hectare) park with outstanding recreation and culture opportunities.

The first phase of the park’s development was complete in 2018, with some amenities opening then for public use. The second phase is now nearing completion and this means more amenities are set to open by next year!

Follow along with the park’s transformation, see how our vision is unfolding and have your say at vaughan.ca/NMRP.

By: Jamie Bronsema, City of Vaughan’s Director of Parks Infrastructure Planning & Development