Ryerson Park

Ryerson Park is an important green space in downtown Owen Sound that has a unique history and is cherished by the neighbourhood it supports. Through disturbance created by the re-construction of 8th Street East, Ryerson Park was given the opportunity to evolve to meet the current needs of the community. Working with Town staff, Envision-Tatham successfully facilitated an extensive community building process that included a public design charrette, workshops, and presentations. Based on the ideas and feedback of local residents, we developed a design that preserved the park’s mature trees while incorporating toboggan hill improvements, a hillside natural playground, a traditional playground, an adult gathering space, and an open play lawn. The playgrounds were designed to accommodate school groups and camps and offer a range of experiences that encourage inclusive play, creativity, imagination, and the development of motor, cognitive and sensory skills for various ages and abilities. Through our collaboration with this passionate community, we obtained valuable design feedback, secured resident support, and reinforced community bonds and project ownership.