Charles G. Williams Park re-opens

The new playground at renovated Charles G. Williams Park

The renovated Charles G. Williams Park is open!

The renovated park, across the street from Sorauren Park, includes new senior and junior playground equipment and nature play area. But it’s a park for all ages… there is a new basketball court, junior court, ping-pong table, bocce court and chess tables. The new splashpad will be ready for summer play. The park also features a safer new main entrance at the corner of Sorauren and Wabash avenues, new pathways and many more benches, plus the beautiful existing tree canopy.

The new park design owes much to the advocacy of the Friends of Charles G. Williams Park. It was build by Toronto Parks, Forestry and Recreation and its design consultants and contractors, and supported by Councillor Gord Perks.

Read about the history of Charles G. Williams Park.

The new half-size junior basketball court, with the full-size court behind it.
The safer new entrance at Sorauren and Wabash avenues.

Take the Wabash Community Centre design survey till Nov. 17

Rendering of the proposed Wabash Community Centre design looking north-east from Wabash Avenue across the newly designed Town Square. The new centre combines the historic bricked linseed factory with new "blocks" that include a pool at grade, and a gym mounted on top of the other two buildings.
Concept design looking north-east from Wabash Avenue. The new pools would be inside the new addition at-grade on the north. The historic linseed building would be repurposed to contain multi-purpose and activity rooms and offices. The gym and running track would be in the new building on top. The main lobby entrance is in the middle.

The city and its design consultants, Diamond Schmitt Architects and PMA Landscape Architects, have released the draft designs for the exterior, interior and landscaping for the new Wabash Community Centre at Sorauren Park.

And they want your feedback on the designs. Take the online survey (all responses are anonymous) at toronto.ca/wabash. The survey is open till November 17. Concepts for net-zero energy usage are also included.

As you work through the survey, design rationales are explained alongside images.

Your feedback will help inform the next phase of detailed design work. Construction is expected to be completed in 2026 or 2027 depending on the many variables that affect capital projects including permits and approvals.

Follow @SoraurenPark on social media or subscribe to Sorauren Park News for community centre updates. The city’s project page also tracks progress and includes reports from community engagements.

View looking north-west from Wabash Avenue, towards the back of the building with service entrance, staff and accessibility parking. A children’s activity space is designed around the base of the iconic chimney.

Last outdoor Market Nov. 1 before winter season

Three volunteers with the Farmers' Market, wearing their face masks, stand behind a sign outlining the COVID-19 rules for attending the market, taken at the 2020 market outdoors on the Sorauren Town Square.
The Farmers’ Market on the Sorauren Park Town Square.

The final outdoor Sorauren Farmers’ Market of the season will take place Monday, November 1 from 3 – 7 pm on the Sorauren Park Town Square, before moving indoors at a new venue and time.

Starting November 10, the Market moves indoors every Wednesday from 3 – 7 pm at the nearby Roncesvalles United Church at 240 Roncesvalles Avenue.

Support local farmers and vendors year-round at the Sorauren Farmers’ Market, produced by the non-profit Sorauren Farmers’ Market Association. Stay connected by visiting the Farmers’ Market website.

Public meeting Nov. 3 for Wabash Community Centre

aerial diagram, looking north over the park, showing the "Angler" option nestled against the rail corridor, with additions behind and partially on top of the existing Canada Linseed oil mill building.
Screen shot showing option 5, the Angler, from City survey of design options. Visit toronto.ca/WabashCRC to take the survey and have your say.

The City has announced the start of the next round of public consultations for the forthcoming Wabash Community Recreation Centre at Sorauren Park. An online public meeting is scheduled for November 3 from 6:30 to 8:30 pm, and a new online survey will also begin November 3.

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City chooses Wabash Community Centre site design option

aerial diagram, looking north over the park, showing the "Angler" option nestled against the rail corridor, with additions behind and partially on top of the existing Canada Linseed oil mill building.
Option 5, the Angler, from City survey of design options.

The City of Toronto has announced it has chosen “the Angler” as the preferred site design option for the new Wabash Community Centre at Sorauren Park.

“Based on spring and summer consultations with local community members, Indigenous representatives, and the City’s operational staff, the Angler has been selected as the site design option that will be further refined through continued community consultation,” wrote the City in a September 21 email to community members.

The City’s consultations included the Friends of Sorauren Park, which voted for, and promoted, the Angler as the best option.

“We’ve looked closely at the options, and while there are always site compromises in a constrained space, in the end there was little debate among the directors,” said Joël Campbell, chair of Friends of Sorauren Park, in May 2021 when the five site options were presented. “Design option 5, the Angler, was the clear winner for us. We look forward to continuing the collaboration with the City and the design consultants as work progresses through the design process.”

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