Toronto launches international design competition for new Liberty Village park
City invites global design teams to reimagine 34 Hanna Avenue through the Liberty Village park design competition
TORONTO — The City of Toronto has launched an international design competition to transform a parking lot at 34 Hanna Avenue in Liberty Village into a vibrant new public park — marking another step in the City’s long-term investment in high-quality, sustainable urban design.
Announced on October 23, the two-stage competition invites landscape architects and design teams from around the world to submit their qualifications and creative visions for the new green space, which will replace the temporary pop-up park currently on the site.
A global call for innovative park design
In the first phase, design teams have until Friday, November 28 to submit their qualifications. Submissions will be evaluated based on experience, design excellence, and approach to community-oriented park design.
From there, five shortlisted teams will advance to the second phase, where they will develop conceptual park designs to be reviewed by an expert jury and a Community Advisory Committee (CAC). Residents will also have an opportunity to share feedback before a winning concept is selected.
Guided by community vision
Before launching the competition, the City collaborated with Liberty Village residents and local businesses to establish a vision for the new park. Community feedback emphasized the importance of flexible outdoor spaces for markets, music events, outdoor movies, and public gatherings — reflecting Liberty Village’s creative and social character.
Building on a legacy of design excellence
The Liberty Village park competition follows the success of recent City-led initiatives such as Love Park and the Ramsden Park Community Recreation Centre competition, launched earlier this year. The Ramsden Park project marked the first international design competition for a recreation centre in Toronto since 1987.
“This new park will be a gateway for Liberty Village,” said Deputy Mayor Ausma Malik (Spadina–Fort York) in a City statement. “Our parks and public spaces are essential to the health and well-being of all our communities, especially in our growing downtown neighbourhoods. By investing in good design, we can ensure our community amenities are enjoyed for generations to come.”
Towards a Beautiful City
The Liberty Village design competition is part of Toronto’s “Towards a Beautiful City” initiative, adopted by City Council in April 2025, which promotes inclusive, sustainable, and resilient urban design. Additional international design competitions are planned for 2026 and beyond, including projects at 50 Queens Quay East and a redesign of Olive Square Park as a permanent memorial to honour victims of the 2018 Yonge Street tragedy.
The new Liberty Village park is expected to open to the public in 2028.
More information is available at toronto.ca/34HannaPark.
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