The 5 Best Parks in CityPlace & Fort York, Toronto (2026): A Local’s Guide for Buyers

By Jatin Dua · Broker of Record, RE/MAX Quantum Realty · Updated 2 October 2026 · 11 min read — the five parks and public spaces CityPlace and Fort York condo owners actually use, checked against the City, The Bentway and Waterfront sources, with the closures and new parks on the calendar.

How I chose these five parks

CityPlace and the Fort York blocks were built fast on former rail lands, and the parks came with them: a real central park, a national historic site, a public space under an expressway and the lake, all within a few blocks. The catch is that one of them is about to close for months and the newest is still a construction site.

I ranked five by distance from the condo towers, what you can do there, year-round use and what is scheduled. Amenities and dates come from the City of Toronto, The Bentway Conservancy and the other sources linked below; where I used Wikipedia for a size or history, I say so. The order is my judgement, not an official ranking. For schools, including the Canoe Landing campus, see the five schools near CityPlace and Fort York.

1. Canoe Landing Park

What it offers

Canoe Landing, at 95 Fort York Boulevard, is CityPlace’s central park: about 8 acres (3.2 hectares), opened in 2009, designed by PFS and The Planning Partnership with the artist Douglas Coupland, with oversized fishing bobbers, a beaver dam sculpture and the Terry Fox Miracle Mile running loop (history from its Wikipedia entry). The Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre at 45 Fort York Boulevard opened on its edge in June 2020. Coupland’s red canoe sculpture was destroyed in a suspected arson on 2 April 2025; I found no City date for a replacement.

The off-leash area closes in October 2026

The park’s off-leash area, on the City’s citywide list, closes in October 2026 for a rebuild and reopens in July 2027, on the City’s timeline. The new version has artificial turf with irrigation, shade structures, dog fountains, an 800-square-metre main area and a separate 400-square-metre small-dog area.

What it means for buyers and renters

A park, a recreation centre and schools on one campus are why CityPlace works for families, and units overlooking the park are the ones buyers ask about first. Check the construction calendar before you promise a tenant the dog run.

2. Fort York National Historic Site and its grounds

What it offers

Fort York, at 250 Fort York Boulevard, is a seven-acre walled site run by the City and designated a National Historic Site in 1923. It holds what the City calls Canada’s largest collection of War of 1812 buildings: seven of the eight original structures, built from 1813 to 1815, still stand. General admission is free (groups of 15 or more pay), and the City lists hours as Wednesday to Sunday, 11 a.m. to 4 p.m., with 45-minute tours on the hour.

What it means for buyers and renters

It is not a playground park, but it is the open, historic green space that gives the Fort York blocks their character, and free admission makes it an easy outing for visiting family.

3. The Bentway

What it offers

The Bentway is public space under the Gardiner Expressway, from Strachan Avenue to Bathurst Street in its first phase. It opened in 2018 and is run by The Bentway Conservancy, a not-for-profit working with the City; its studio at 55 Fort York Boulevard faces Canoe Landing Park. In the 2024–25 winter its skate trail was a 220-metre figure-eight, free to skate, with rentals at $12 for adults and $10 for youth; check The Bentway’s site for this season. The fall 2026 calendar includes Nuit Blanche on 3–4 October and a Howl’oween pet event on 24 October.

What it means for buyers and renters

The Bentway turns the Gardiner, the thing buyers worry about here, into something people use. It is covered and free, and a winter skate trail a short walk away is a genuine selling point.

4. Coronation Park

What it offers

Coronation Park sits on Lake Ontario at 711 Lake Shore Boulevard West, entered at the foot of Strachan Avenue, and has a dog off-leash area on the City’s citywide list. It is about 9 acres (3.6 hectares), with ball diamonds and the Martin Goodman Trail, and its trees were planted on 12 May 1937 for the coronation of King George VI (size and history from its Wikipedia entry). In May 2023 the City planted an oak by the entrance for King Charles III.

What it means for buyers and renters

It is the closest lakefront park to Fort York and CityPlace’s west end, and the obvious backup off-leash area while Canoe Landing’s is closed. You cross Lake Shore Boulevard to reach it, so it is a walk, not a doorstep park.

5. Little Norway Park, and Lower Garrison Creek Park on the way

What it offers

Little Norway Park, at 659 Queens Quay West by Bathurst Street, has a ball diamond, outdoor fitness equipment, a playground and a washroom, according to the City’s facility data. It is about 2.36 hectares and commemorates the Royal Norwegian Air Force training camp that operated there in the Second World War (from its Wikipedia entry).

The new park coming in 2027

Lower Garrison Creek Park, first called Mouth of the Creek Park, is under construction at 170 Queens Wharf Road, east of the Bathurst Street bridge. The 1.3-acre design has wharf-themed and climbing play areas, slides built into the embankment and a lookout. Construction began in fall 2025 and the City expects it to open in fall 2027.

What it means for buyers

CityPlace families will soon have a second play park inside the neighbourhood. Buyers along Queens Wharf Road should expect construction until then.

The five parks side by side

Sources: City of Toronto, The Bentway and Wikipedia (sizes for Canoe Landing, Coronation and Little Norway). Dates can change.

What this means if you are buying or selling here

TRREB reports CityPlace and Fort York inside district C01, the whole downtown core. These are district-wide numbers, not CityPlace’s alone.

Source: TRREB Market Watch, August 2026, condominium apartments; the calculated rows are my arithmetic. One month is a snapshot.

CityPlace has many similar one-bedroom and one-plus-den suites, so outlook is one of the few things that separates them: a unit over Canoe Landing or toward the lake competes differently from one facing the Gardiner. I price from sales of the same layout and outlook, and I check the construction calendar before the listing promises anything. See how exposure changes a condo’s value and how to price a condo when nothing in your building has sold.

For buildings, see my top 5 condos to rent in CityPlace, in Fort York and Bathurst Quay, and the Parade and Library District guides. Next door, compare parks in King West and Liberty Village and along Harbourfront and Queens Quay.

Two tools help here: the AI condo value estimator below gives you a range in about a minute, and the net proceeds calculator turns any price into what actually lands in your account.

Where I fit

I work with condo owners and buyers across downtown Toronto and the GTA. If you want to know what a CityPlace or Fort York unit would sell for, with its view and its park, book a call or phone 833-330-1925.

Frequently asked questions

Sources

• City of Toronto — Canoe Landing Park off-leash area improvements — closes October 2026, reopens July 2027
• The Art Newspaper — Douglas Coupland canoe destroyed (7 April 2025)
• Wikipedia — Canoe Landing Park — size, opening, designers
• Doors Open Ontario — Canoe Landing Community Recreation Centre — opened June 2020
• City of Toronto — Fort York National Historic Site — free admission, hours
• The Bentway — About — Strachan to Bathurst, opened 2018
• The Bentway — Winter skating — 220 m trail, 2024–25 season
• City of Toronto — Coronation Park oak planting (May 2023) — 711 Lake Shore Blvd W
• Wikipedia — Coronation Park (Toronto) — size and 1937 history
• City of Toronto — Parks and Recreation Facilities open data (Little Norway Park) — amenities
• City of Toronto — Lower Garrison Creek Park — opens fall 2027
• City of Toronto — Dog Off-Leash Strategy, Attachment 4: existing off-leash areas by ward (2025) — citywide list of dog off-leash areas

Related reading

• The 5 best schools near CityPlace and Fort York
• The 5 best parks along Harbourfront and Queens Quay
• Top 5 condos to rent in CityPlace
• Top 5 condos to rent in Fort York and Bathurst Quay
• Parade Condos, CityPlace: a guide
• How much is my condo worth in downtown Toronto?
• Choosing a condo exposure: north, south, east or west