Toronto's Corktown Common has just received a bit of international recognition courtesy of Popular Science's "Best of What's New" awards for 2014. The park, which officially opened in September (but has seen active use for over a year), is the jewel in the crown of a series of modern parks opened in Toronto over the last few years, a list which includes Sugar Beach and Sherbourne Common.

The folks at Popular Science were particularly impressed by the advanced water recycling program at work in the park. "Every drop of water hitting the park is reused at least two or three times before it's absorbed or evaporated away," says project manager Emily Mueller De Celis in the magazine's listing for the park. But, the win comes for more than just a novel filtration system.

"We most of all look for impact...things that are poised to make a significant difference-- dramatically reduce energy use, cut waste, or otherwise leave the world a cleaner and more sustainable place," says Jennifer Bogo, Executive Editor of Popular Science. "We also look for things that are truly innovative-- creative solutions to seemingly intractable problems. Corktown Common fit both of those criteria, while also turning an industrial area into a green space that benefits both people and wildlife."