Visitor, learning and community centre

Public engagement

Parks Canada has developed draft site concepts for this flagship facility in collaboration with the Rouge First Nations Advisory Circle, Friends of Rouge National Urban Park, Waterfront Regeneration Trust, and park farmers residents. Tell us what you think!

This future flagship visitor, learning and community centre will welcome people to Rouge National Urban Park and help foster understanding, appreciation and stewardship of the park. It will create a space where visitors and residents can learn about the Indigenous, natural, cultural and agricultural heritage of the park, and Parks Canada’s role in protecting places from coast to coast to coast.

 

Location
Located across the street from the Toronto Zoo, the site of the future Rouge visitor, learning and community space highlights Rouge Valley landscapes and vistas. It is connected to public transportation and several iconic park trails. The location of the centre was announced in 2019 and was the culmination of a five-year search, two feasibility studies and significant public, Indigenous and community engagement.

Map of the location
The facility will welcome park visitors, volunteers, youth groups and community members and anchor Parks Canada’s presence in Canada’s largest metropolitan area.

Aerial photo of the chosen site

This visitor and community space will be an orientation and learning hub where visitors and residents can gather and learn about Indigenous Peoples, the natural, cultural and agricultural heritage of Rouge National Urban Park, and about Parks Canada places across the country.
Team
Parks Canada has engaged the support of consultants who competed for the opportunity to work on this project through rigorous, open and competitive processes. We are pleased to share the project team here and invite you to participate.

Project lead

Architecture, engineering and landscape design

Architecture, engineering and landscape design is guided by Toronto-based architecture firm Moriyama & Teshima Architects, in partnership with Six Nations of the Grand River-based Two Row Architect and Toronto-based Studio Ian Gray.

Visitor experience and exhibit design

Visitor experience and exhibit design, fabrication and installation is performed by Montreal-based firms cadabra and Daily tous les jours.

Public engagement

Public engagement is designed and facilitated by Toronto firm, PROCESS.

Timeline
 

The future Rouge visitor, learning and community centre will orient visitors, be a gathering place, and offer learning through integrated interpretive installations and design. The story of this place began many years ago. See what has been done so far and what is coming next.

Current stage: Concepts

22%

Stage Description Milestones
Site selection
2014 to 2019

 The culmination of a five-year search, two feasibility studies and significant public, Indigenous and community engagement. August 2019: Parks Canada and the Toronto Zoo announce the location of the future Rouge National Urban Park visitor, learning and community centre.
Studies
Spring and summer 2020
Studies and assessments, including geotechnical, environmental impact, archaeology, and tourism market assessments completed. Fall 2020: Site studies and assessments completed to better understand the site and its visitors and identify opportunities and constraints.
Initiation
Fall 2020

Design consultants responsible for architecture and visitor experience are convened through an open, transparent and competitive process via the Government of Canada www.BuyAndSell.gc.ca August 2020: Parks Canada tenders contracts for architecture and visitor experience design December 2020: Parks Canada awards contracts for architecture and visitor experience design
Initiation
Feb. to Jul. 2021

 Initial engagement begins with the Rouge National Urban Park First Nations Advisory Circle, park farmers, and community leaders who helped protect the Rouge Valley from development and make the area into a national park. February 2021: Parks Canada begins meeting with Indigenous partners, park farmers, community leaders.

Concepts
Jul. to Fall 2021

Public engagement invites members of the public to review three draft site concepts and share ideas and experiences to shape the final design.

July 2021: Parks Canada announces launch of public engagement and winning architectural and design firms.

Final design presented
Late 2021

 What we heard! Parks Canada presents a final site concept developed after extensive engagement with members of the public, key stakeholders, park farmers and Indigenous partners. TBD 2021: Parks Canada announces what was hear during public engagement and the final site concept.
Detailed design
2022 to 2023

 Architects, engineers, and interpretive consultants transform the site concept into drawings for construction. Coming in the future!
Construction
2023 to 2025
Parks Canada prepares the site, constructs the building, finishes interiors, installs interpretive elements, completes site landscaping and constructs the parking lot. Coming in the future!
Grand opening!
Summer 2025
Welcome to the Rouge visitor, learning and community centre! Coming in the future!

 

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