NEAR NORTH PARK

Designed in collaboration with landscape architect Terry Wilk

 

The Park provides an opportunity to establish an intimate refuge within the context of an active community.  

 

Near North Park offers a parkland setting, excerpting from and reflecting the landscape of northern Ontario.   The program was established by the presence of the large glacial erratic boulder found on site.  The siting of the found boulder along with the siting of six additional boulders placed at intervals throughout the park create a link throughout the site. 

 

Raised berms hosting spruce and pine, tamarack and red ozier and gray dogwood, high bush cranberries and other indigenous species surround the boulders and form a secluded environment articulated by rock outcroppings set into the berms.   The rock outcroppings provide integrated seating options for the visitor.  One of the glacial erratic boulders supports a cast bronze tree.   The archetypal nature of this image is well established within Canadian cultural history and affirms and thematically connects to the work by Panya Clark-Davis quoting the Group of Seven at the opposite end of the development.   

 

In addition to providing an intimate refuge for the visitor on the street level the parkland also takes into consideration the significance of the view onto the park from the residences above.   The plantings create a year-round display of colour and texture and along with the available berries and seeds provide food and habitat for wildlife.