Have your say about future of Gellert Community Park in Halton Hills

Halton Hills is planning a redesign of Gellert Community Park and is looking for your input.

Gellert Community Park was constructed in 1999 and the Town purchased land to the south, fronting Danby Rd., in 2016. The Town is working an expansion project to increase the useable area of the park, add new features, and identify opportunities to enhance the existing park.

Located between Danby Rd., Norval United Church and the existing Gellert Community Park, the Town intends to develop the area into high quality community parkland. The expanded park land is needed to serve the existing population in the surrounding community which has grown significantly in recent years, and will also be important to serve new residents in the Vision Georgetown Secondary Plan area.

There’s a public meeting Wednesday, April 26, at 7 p.m. at Gellert Community Centre where public and staff can discuss concepts.

There are several design principles the Town wants to incorporate:

• Inclusive and vibrant: Parks are for everyone. Ensure there are opportunities for all to feel comfortable spending time in the park and have diverse activities to support physical and mental wellness.
• Sensitive to context: The park is surrounded by residential, institutional, and future residential development, as well as open spaces and major arterial roads. Ensure pathway connections, walkability, enhanced buffering and compatibility of uses.
• Responds to established needs: Include uses identified from previous studies and for features currently being reviewed.
• Sustainable and resilient: Utilize best practices and methods to limit environmental impacts, manage stormwater, and optimize buildings and parks.
• Adaptable: Respond to current trends and future needs. Look for opportunities for enhancement within existing park and expansion lands. Campus approach to connect to existing park and future community centre building as well as phasing of features during initial park development.
• Maintainable: Ensure park functions well for years to come. Design park to be maintainable by Town staff to appropriate level of service throughout four seasons with sustainable ongoing operating budgets.

Public consultation and park concept design will take place through 2023 and detailed design in 2024. Public input received from the survey, in person meetings (April 26 and July 19) and additional feedback will assist in shaping the park design. Public input will be considered along with more specific technical requirements, input from the Town staff project team, previously approved studies, and key stakeholder input.

For more information, visit the Town website.