J.J. Cooper Park

J.J. Cooper Park is a neighbourhood park located in Collingwood’s Creekside neighbourhood. The park is comprised of six distinct amenity spaces, set in context of an adjacent woodland and the Black Ash Creek trail corridor. The park includes an open play lawn, a hillside natural playground, a traditional playground, a toboggan hill, a neighbourhood gathering space, and a creekside rest area. These spaces are unified by a central picnic area covered by shade sails. Our greatest project accomplishment is the creation of the toboggan hill, which has resulted in extensive winter park use. Of note, J.J. Cooper Park is home to Collingwood’s first natural playground which was designed and integrated into the park through collaboration with Bienenstock Natural Playgrounds. Public engagement was at the core of our design process and in collaboration with Town staff, we held a unique series of on-site design workshops with local residents. Tools used to assist with public comprehension included truck-mounted presentation monitors, handouts, and 1:1 scale ground-markings of proposed park features with surveyor’s paint. Through this process we obtained valuable design feedback, secured resident support, and helped developed new community bonds and project ownership.