Wow!

If you haven't been to the south end of the park recently, you may not have seen the new stairs and ramp that lead into the park from Davenport Road. All we can say is...wow!

The previous staircase, a wooden railway-tie version, had aged to the point where it needed to be completely replaced. This capital improvement project was expanded to include an accessibility ramp, with preservation of the existing, healthy trees in the area a top priority in design proposals.

Several proposals later, the final design was selected; construction started last fall and the final finishing work completed earlier this month.

We couldn't be more delighted with the final results. This project has truly beautified this section of the park and has greatly improved access from the south. If it's your habit to stick to the north or central areas in the park, do make the time to stroll over and have a look.

View from Davenport, looking up. The dog park is at the top of the hill.

 

Side view of the stairs

View from the top of the stairs, looking down towards Davenport

Walkway leading north-west from Davenport

Walkway curves east towards the dog park and south-east corner of the track.

Midway point of the walkway. Perfect spot to relax with a book and a snack.

Looking south-west from the walkway

 

 

New Sand!

Parks has topped up the sand in the playground. Soft, safe and fun for playing in!

Spring Maintenance

Thanks to our park manager, you will be seeing some improvements in the park soon:

- a broken bench in the playground will be repaired,

- the playground will be roto-tilled

- the playground sandbox will be topped up with new sand

- more No Smoking signs will be installed around the playground entrances. 

- garbage & recycling cans will be placed near the playground entrance and near the streetcar turnaround

- soap dispensers will be installed in the washrooms and kept full

In addition, a new cement pad has been created near the wading pool, to allow placement of a picnic table. The surrounding area has been roped off to allow new grass seed to sprout. 

These little things will really add up to a better park experience for all!

Dog Park Maintenance

Dog park users will be delighted to learn that a truck load of mulch was delivered recently and Parks staff has started spreading it in the dog park. 

Huge thanks to our Park Manager for getting this maintenance done before winter - next spring will be much less muddy!

Looking Spiffy

We are very pleased to see the building adjacent to the wading pool (where the washrooms are located) is getting a fantastic paint job!

The City is also very aware that conditions inside this building leave a lot to be desired. We are delighted to hear that this building is slated for additional improvements in the future. 

Welcoming a New Notice Board

There’s a wonderful new addition to our park: a lovely notice board! We’re happy to have a great new way for park users to connect with one another. 

A big thanks goes to Karinthia Battig, Parks Supervisor Ward 13 & 17, and Frank Ruffolo, JJ Piccininni Community Recreation Programmer, who made our humble wish a reality. 

Update on Maintenance Issues - July 25, 2012

Councillor Cesar Palacio and his office have been working with the Parks Supervisors to address current maintenance issues in Earlscourt Park. We were pleased to learn the following this week:

1. Wading Pool Inspection: Parks has had a plumber inspect the wading pool to ensure that all is in good working order. This includes the spray (fountain) feature, which we are told is fully operational aside from those times that the pool is being filled or emptied. 

2. Litter: New closed-style garbage and recycling containers have been ordered to replace the existing open concept bins, which allow litter to be blown through the park and playground. In addition, Solid Waste Management has been asked to increase the overall number of containers in the park. 

3. Playground Signage: Parks has placed an order for signage to encourage park users to "Please help keep our parks clean".

We thank Councillor Palacio and the Parks Supervisors for addressing these issues!

Combined with last week's news about the upcoming field house renovation and future ramp installation from Davenport this demonstrates a genuine interest from the City on addressing concerns in the Park.