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Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law Update

Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law Update

Our parks, trails, and open spaces are places for people to interact, develop social ties, and for recreation and exercise. As the Town continues to grow, a Parks Plan is being developed that will guide the development of a well-connected network of parks, trails, and open spaces to support a vibrant and healthy community for all residents and visitors.

A Parkland Dedication By-law Update will complement the Parks Plan by setting requirements for developers to provide parkland as part of new development within the Town.


The Parks Plan will support decision-making and prioritize the acquisition and investment in parkland across the Town, and will include a needs assessment and review of provision targets for:

  • All existing parkland within the Town of Stouffville.
  • Town-owned properties that currently serve other uses but could serve as potential candidates for future parkland.
  • Future growth areas as identified in the Town’s New Official Plan, including MTSA’s (Stouffville GO and Old Elm GO Major Transit Station Areas) and other Strategic Growth Areas (Western Approach Mixed Use Area, Downtown Core Area).
  • Public open spaces not owned by the Town but used by the public such as school board properties and utility corridor lands.

The Parks Plan will also include an assessment of new park typologies and associated amenities to help meet the provision targets.

Project Timeline

The Parks Plan is being undertaken in three phases:

Phase 1: Setting Priorities (Spring 2024)
Goals, priorities, and recommendations for the Parks Plan will be developed and will be informed by input from the public, Town Council and staff, and key stakeholders.

The objective of this phase was to understand:

  • The size and location of existing parkland and potential for enhancement or expansion to support population growth and intensification.
  • The role of new and existing parkland as multifunctional spaces to meet a wide range of recreational interests.
  • The pedestrian link between parks to create a comprehensive and connected park and open space system.

An online survey was available in April 2024. Thank you to those who shared your thoughts to help shape the future of parks in Stouffville!

Check out the Phase 1 What We Heard Report.

On June 19, 2024 a presentation was provided to Council on the engagement findings and next steps as outlined in Staff Report DS-031-24.

Phase 2: Parks Plan Development (Fall 2024)

In Phase 2, we sought resident input to support the refinement of priorities and policy directions for the Parks Plan, with the goal of ensuring the plan is actionable and focused on implementation.

On October 17, 2024 the Town held a Public Open House to answer questions and seek feedback on the development of the Parks Plan. The display boards presented at the Public Open House are available for review.

Check out the Phase 2 What We Heard Report..

On December 11, 2024, a presentation was provided to Council on the engagement findings and draft policy directions as outlined in Staff Report DS-061-24, that will guide the preparation of the Parks Plan in Phase 3.

Phase 3: Parkland Dedication By-law Update (Winter 2025)

We are now in Phase 3. The Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law will be prepared and presented to the public for further engagement and refinement. The Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law will then be presented to Council for adoption.

Stay Informed

We are now in Phase 3. The Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law will be prepared and presented to the public for further engagement and refinement. 

At the Council meeting on June 18, 2025, at 10:00 a.m., Council received an update on the progress of the Parks Plan. The presentation and accompanying Staff Report outlined key recommendations that would shape both the Parks Plan and the updated Parkland Dedication By-law. These included a revised parkland provision target, proposed new park typologies such as Privately Owned Public Spaces (POPS) and Strata Parks, and strategies for securing parkland to meet the growing community’s needs.

Project e-Newsletter: Sign up for our e-news for updates, or email parksplan@townofws.ca to provide comments.

Frequently Asked Questions

A Parks Plan is a document that guides how the Town will provide parkland in the future, as well as maintain and enhance existing green space. The plan sets out a shared vision for the Town and actionable steps to help us get there. The Parks Plan will be developed using public and stakeholder input, growth projections, and the unique local context of parks, trails and open spaces in the Town.

There are several opportunities for residents and stakeholders to participate in this project. In Phase 1, a public survey collected residents’ input on goals, priorities, and recommendations for the Parks Plan. In Phase 2, the draft Parks Plan will be shared at a public open house and an opportunity will be provided to share feedback to refine the plan.

Recent legislative changes set by the Provincial Government have amended how municipalities in Ontario can collect fees and/or acquire land from developers for parks when new housing is being developed. The Parkland Dedication By-law Update will set guidelines around how the Town collects these fees and land acquisitions in alignment with the new Provincial legislation, as well as how to leverage these opportunities to achieve goals and priorities set out in the Parks Plan.

In 2022, the Town updated the Leisure and Community Services Master Plan. The Master Plan celebrates the Town’s successes to date and addresses future needs and opportunities for leisure, recreation, sports, and culture. While the Leisure and Community Services Master Plan looks at the detailed level of outdoor and indoor recreational and leisure amenities in the Town, the Parks Plan will look at the overall open space network to identify network gaps and strategies to bridge those gaps in the form of new park areas or enhancement to existing park areas.

Contact:
Timeline:

Spring 2024

  • Phase 1: Setting Priorities

Fall 2024

  • Phase 2: Parks Plan Development

Winter 2025

  • Phase 3: Parks Plan and Parkland Dedication By-law Update
Important Links:
  • Official Plan Review
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