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In Kitchener, we know parks aren't just important – they're essential. Parks are more than the sum of their parts. They are extensions of the communities they are placed in and contribute significantly to the community's identity and individuals' connections within it. City of Kitchener.
Our City
Inequities exist in the distribution of parks and green space in the City of Kitchener and as development continues in the City core the inequity increases.
In the suburbs, park planning is integrated into the planning for a new subdivision. In the City’s core neighbourhoods with the highest level of urban intensification, there is no coordinated planning for green spaces and parks redevelopment processes.
The pace of intensification is rapidly reducing potential parkland spaces in established neighbourhoods.
The mitigating effects of green spaces and parks on climate change is well documented as are the effects on health and wellbeing.
Key Factors
The City has identified communities in high and critical need of parkland. Neighbourhoods with high density, few backyards, and lower incomes have less park space than those with low density, plentiful backyards and higher incomes.
Our Goals
Kitchener Citizens for Liveable Development:
Advocate for municipal policies and practices that provide for equitable access to parklands and green spaces
Grow and harness public support for improved access to green spaces and parks
Equip residents with information, evidence and tools to effectively participate in council’s decision making
The degree to which downtown neighbourhoods will be liveable depends on efforts of individuals, groups, city planners and Kitchener Council. We hope that you can work with us to advocate for green spaces and parks in order to connect with nature, bring life to what otherwise would be a bleak urban landscape, and mitigate the effects of climate change. The links below can help us understand our current situation and how to achieve our goals.
The Downtown’s urban landscape will be softened with the provision of trees, parks and gardens to create a Liveable Downtown. City of Kitchener. Official Plan. 2014.
City of Kitchener Park Dedication Policy
Property taxes do not fund the acquisition of park land. Parks are provided to communities in one of two ways; the City requests lands from developers, or the developer pays cash-in-lieu of land to the City. Suburban developers use the first method while condominium developers use the latter. In theory, cash-in-lieu funds are used by the City to acquire land for parks. In 2008, Kitchener Council waved the cash-in-lieu provision on lands in the city core to encourage development. This is a successful intensification strategy, but exacerbates the challenge of building community parks in midtown and downtown neighbourhoods. The City of Kitchener’s Parks Dedication Policy prescribes the amount of land provided by a developer to the City and the amount of cash-in-lieu of land. This bylaw was passed in 2022. Subsequently the provincial government changed the Planning Act. The City Planning department is updating the bylaw and in the interim the Planning Act takes precedence over any local bylaw.
Resources
Park Dedication Page of the City of Kitchener Website
Park Dedication Update Summary. Places and Spaces Parks Strategic Plan (Undated)
City of Kitchener Parkland Dedication Policy 2022 ( Under review)
Planning Act, R.S.O. 1990, c. P.13 see section 51. Parkland.
Privately Owned Public Spaces
The City of Kitchener’s Parkland Dedication Policy includes a section which allows developers to reduce their cash-in-lieu payments by making privately owned spaces in a development open to the public. These spaces are referred to as POPS and developers may be eligible for a 25% reduction in cash-in-lieu payments.
Resources
Accessibility key to making privately owned public spaces successful. Troy D. Glover Special to Waterloo Region Record. Sept 13, 2022
Places and Spaces
Places and Spaces is an update to the City of Kitchener’s 2010 Parks Strategic Plan. As the title suggests there are two aspects to the parks planning process. The Spaces initiative explores the quantity of parks in Kitchener. It details Kitchener’s current inventory, looks at the definitions of park space, determines the amount of park space needed and where.
Resources
Places and Spaces: Kitchener’s Parks and Open Spaces Strategy
PLACES & SPACES. City of Kitchener Parks and Open Space Strategy Project. Introduction and Overview (Undated)
SPACES Summary City of Kitchener. (Undated). Addresses the quantity of parks in Kitchener. The plan identifies nine critical needs communities, where the City will seek to add new parks over the coming years.
SPACES. Places & Spaces - Parks Strategic Plan City of Kitchener (Undated). The full report.
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