Construction has begun on the first park in the West Don Lands.

The new 7.3-hectare (18 acre) park, dubbed Don River Park (creative, eh?) will stretch from King Street south to the rail corridor in the land west of the Don River and GO/CN rail lines. It is expected to open late 2011 or early 2012.

Don River Park will include upland and wet meadows, walking trails, multi-use bike paths, and a boardwalk. There will also be a playground, a solar powered pavilion housing washrooms, an athletic field and open lawns for sports and other activities.

"Don River Park is yet another of our ambitious undertakings in the ongoing renewal of the Toronto Waterfront," Mayor David Miller said in a release. "This park will not only be a significant greenspace for people to enjoy, it will stand as a testament to all that we have accomplished together and as a future reminder of why waterfront revitalization was so important to this City."