New long-term plan for parks adopted by Oakville Council
Published April 11, 2024 at 5:00 pm
Oakville has updated its long-term parks plan to account for provincially-mandated changes to development fees.
The new Parks Plan 2031 and Parkland Dedication Bylaw 2024-034, will form a guiding framework to create vibrant greenspaces, urban parks, and acquire land for developing parks across Oakville.
“Residents tell us the qualities that make Oakville livable are our parks, our greenspaces and our trails,” said Mayor Rob Burton.
“The Parks Plan 2031 and Parkland Dedication Bylaw will guide the future of Oakville’s parks and open space for current and future residents to enjoy.”
Following the initial plan in September 2022, the provincial government introduced changes to legislation regarding land acquisition and cash-in-lieu of land for parkland use.
The updated Parks Plan 2031 responds to these latest legislative changes to support the townwide parkland standard. Last fall, the town consulted with the public, school boards, development industry and regional partners, to help shape the Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication Procedure.
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The town has developed a system for active park lands based on the concept of a “campus of parks.” This diverse system includes community parks with high-level facilities and sports fields, and smaller neighbourhood parks with basic levels of outdoor recreation, including parkettes.
The future design of park types, locations, sizes, development, and designs will be established through the town’s Official Plan, master planning exercises and development applications. This means there remains many opportunities for the public to continue providing input as new parks take shape.
The town will continue to monitor land acquisition opportunities within the Strategic Growth Areas to assess community and infrastructure needs. Staff will present options to Council for consideration before finalizing the Land Acquisition Strategy in 2025.
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