Berczy Park

Revitalized Toronto park to show some love for dogs

Berczy Park is located in the shadow of the Gooderham Building (a.k.a. the Flat Iron), and is a very busy place at lunch time as office workers take respite in the small section of green space. It's also become an increasing popular spot for dog owners as condo developments pop up in the vicinity of the St. Lawrence Market.

Finding a way to make both of these groups happy (plus other stakeholders like children) was the challenge facing landscape architect Claude Cormier when he was commissioned to redesign the park a few years ago. After a lengthy community consultation process, the final plan reveals a design that works to divide the space for different users but also to foster interaction at the centre of the park.

Berczy Park

Cormier divides the park into the three segments so as to insulate kids and those eating their lunch from dogs, but through the use of a large dog-themed fountain that includes a water trough for thirsty canines, he also offers a major endorsement for four-legged users of this most crucial green space.

Berczy Park

Yes, that's right -- dog-themed. Along with the watering trough, the fountain will be outfit with a series of bronze-cast dogs at various heights and punctuated by a bone at the very top. It sounds like it could be tacky as hell, but the renderings suggest otherwise. This looks like one of those small pieces of architecture that make cities more enjoyable places to spend time.


Latest Videos



Latest Videos


Join the conversation Load comments

Latest in City

Here's a preview of what it will be like to ride on new Toronto LRT line

There's a brand-new $26M TTC subway station entrance in a popular Toronto park

Ontario's largest snake grows up to 2 metres and squeezes prey to death

Ontario is home to world's oldest pool of water at a staggering 2 billion years old

Stunning new Toronto park set to open next year

Toronto somehow isn't home to Ontario's jankiest LRT

A Toronto transit project is actually going to finish early for once

People worried about Ontario police's plan to use facial recognition software