A park can remain a useful public service during renovation, but only if continued access is designed as part of the project—not improvised after construction starts. The practical objective is safe, useful access to selected routes and amenities while clearly closing areas that cannot remain open.
Start by mapping how people use the park, engage the community before fixing the sequence, compare phase alternatives, publish an access plan for every phase, and update it whenever construction, funding or safety conditions change. The examples below are municipal project choices, not universal standards; local agencies and qualified design and construction professionals must confirm the applicable requirements.
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What “stays open” should mean
“Open during construction” does not mean every lawn, path, playground, sports field or building remains available. It means the project deliberately preserves a safe and useful portion of the park whenever feasible, while making closures, detours and temporary losses explicit.
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The City of Toronto describes this approach for David Crombie Park: “To minimize service disruptions during construction, portions of the park will remain open. Pathways will stay accessible whenever possible, with temporary closures introduced only as needed to support construction activities.” That is a project commitment, not a rule that applies to every park. See the David Crombie Park Revitalization page for the current project information.
Access decisions must be site-specific. A compact linear park with several street connections may be phased differently from a large regional park, a park containing drinking-water infrastructure, or a site with contaminated soil, flood constraints or a single accessible entrance.
1. Establish the brief and document current conditions
Before drawing construction boundaries, define what the renovation must achieve and what the park must continue to provide. Record the scope, outcomes, budget authority, schedule constraints, ownership, known utilities, environmental conditions and ongoing operating responsibilities.
Define the service that must continue
List the activities and facilities that matter most to current users. Typical categories include through-routes, accessible circulation, play, informal recreation, sports bookings, shade, seating, toilets, drinking water, dog exercise, community events and emergency access. Rank them with users and operators rather than assuming that the most visible feature is the most important.
Separate essential connections from desirable ones. A path may be the only practical route between a transit stop and a neighborhood, while a second lawn may be convenient but replaceable. This distinction helps the team protect critical access even when the work area is substantial.
Map use by time and season
Record who uses each area, at what times, and under what weather conditions. Include weekday and weekend patterns, school travel, early-morning and evening use, seasonal sports, permitted events and informal activity. Note pinch points, steep grades, poor lighting, drainage problems and places where a detour would create an unacceptable barrier.
Toronto’s David Crombie process began with a Public Life Study that examined use in different seasons, followed by interviews, public workshops, concept refinement and a preferred design. That sequence illustrates why phasing should follow evidence about use rather than a construction diagram alone. The city also places park renewal in a longer-term facilities and parkland framework; its Parks and Recreation Facilities Plan is described as a 20-year plan. See Park & Recreation Facility Planning & Construction.
Capture baseline operations
Ask park staff and contractors how the site is maintained today. Document mowing routes, irrigation, waste collection, deliveries, utilities, emergency response, event setup, storage and security patrols. A phase that appears open on a visitor map may be impractical if maintenance vehicles cannot reach the remaining lawn or if construction traffic crosses a public route.
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Confirm the decision-making authority for closures, detours, event cancellations, emergency changes and public notices. Record which agencies control roads, transit interfaces, utilities, waterways or heritage resources. Local requirements for fencing, traffic control, permits, insurance, accessible detours and worker and visitor safety vary by jurisdiction; treat them as design and approval questions for the responsible agency and qualified professionals.
2. Engage the community before fixing the sequence
Engagement is not a one-time presentation of a finished phasing plan. It should influence the brief, the alternatives, the access map and the adjustments made during construction. The Los Angeles Department of Recreation and Parks states that “Public involvement should begin during planning, continue through construction, and extend beyond opening to make sure parks continue to serve their communities.” Its Ongoing Engagement guidance recommends adapting participation to local needs and maintaining communication through delivery.
Use several ways to hear from people
Combine methods so participation is not limited to people who can attend an evening meeting. Depending on the site, use a survey, interviews, workshops, pop-up conversations, public meetings, an advisory group, translated materials, accessible online content and partnerships with community organizations. Ask people to mark routes and activities on a map, not just rate design images.
- Ask which entrances and paths are used for daily trips, school travel and mobility-device access.
- Ask which activities are time-sensitive, such as leagues, festivals, classes or youth programs.
- Ask what “safe” means locally, including lighting, sightlines, separation from vehicles, staffing and nighttime conditions.
- Ask which temporary losses would be most disruptive and what substitute location or time would work.
- Ask how residents want schedule changes and emergency closures communicated.
Include people usually missing from formal processes
Make deliberate efforts to include children and young people, older adults, disabled users, renters, nearby residents, people experiencing homelessness, park workers, regular permit holders and groups speaking languages other than the project’s default language. Pay attention to who can attend, when meetings occur, whether childcare or interpretation is needed, and whether online participation is usable with assistive technology.
Toronto’s Moss Park project documents a Local Advisory Group, paid project champions, Indigenous partners and youth design mentees. Those structures are examples, not requirements for every renovation. The city’s Moss Park Park Improvements & John Innes Community Recreation Centre Replacement page also describes design principles addressing accessibility, safety, inclusion and flexible use.
Show how feedback changed the plan
After each engagement round, publish a short “what we heard and what changed” record. Explain requests that cannot be adopted because of safety, utilities, budget, permits or schedule, and identify the next decision point. This prevents consultation from becoming a promise that every preference will be built.
3. Develop and compare phasing alternatives
Divide the site into work areas or construction periods that can be isolated, secured and coordinated. Develop more than one sequence when practical. For each alternative, draw the construction limits and the public realm that remains available at the same level of detail.
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Build a phase-by-phase access matrix
A simple matrix forces the team to make operational commitments instead of saying that “most of the park” will remain open.
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| Item to document | Questions for every phase |
|---|---|
| Construction boundary | Which blocks, fields, buildings, trees, utilities or slopes are fenced or otherwise unavailable? |
| Open entrances | Which gates remain usable, and are they practical for people arriving by foot, bicycle, transit, car or mobility device? |
| Route network | Which paths remain open, which are detoured, and how long is each detour? |
| Amenities | Which toilets, drinking fountains, play areas, courts, fields, seating and shade remain available? |
| Programs and bookings | Which scheduled activities continue, move, or are cancelled, and who contacts participants? |
| Access information | What signs, maps, web updates, newsletters, notices or on-site staff support the change? |
| Timing | What is the expected start and finish, what is uncertain, and when will the next update be issued? |
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Evaluate alternatives against safe separation of people and work, accessible circulation, continuity of activities, construction logistics, technical feasibility, environmental effects, operations, budget, schedule and long-term maintenance. Calgary says its Richmond Green Regional Park redevelopment balanced public feedback with technical, environmental, operational and financial considerations. Its Richmond Green Regional Park Redevelopment page is a useful example of presenting those trade-offs publicly.
Score the alternatives in a workshop with park operations, design, construction, accessibility, risk, programming and communications staff. A low-cost sequence may create a long inaccessible detour or require repeated mobilization. A faster sequence may close the entire park. A sequence that keeps one field open may prevent safe delivery access. Make those consequences visible before selecting an option.
Test the route, not only the drawing
Walk or roll each proposed route with people who use wheelchairs, mobility scooters, strollers, canes or other aids. Check slopes, crossfall, surface, width, lighting, rest points, drainage, conflicts with vehicles and the ability to find the route from every likely entrance. Confirm the route at the times it will actually be used, including darkness and wet weather where relevant.
Do not publish a route as accessible merely because it appears connected on a plan. The applicable technical and legal requirements depend on the jurisdiction and the project; have the qualified team verify them.
4. Design the public access and communication plan
Visitors should be able to answer four questions before entering: What is open? What is closed? How do I get to the open area? When will the information change? Put the answer on a map and in plain-language text for every phase.
Show the information where decisions are made
- At each entrance, show a current “you are here” map, the open route, closed areas, detours and the date of the latest update.
- At path intersections, repeat directional signs so visitors do not discover a closure after committing to a route.
- At the construction boundary, explain the reason for the closure and direct people to the nearest usable alternative.
- On the project webpage, publish downloadable maps, phase dates, amenity status, contact information and an update history.
- Use newsletters, social channels, permit-holder notices and community partners for people who do not regularly visit the project page.
Calgary directs visitors to posted signs and web and newsletter updates while identifying amenities expected to remain open. Toronto publishes route closures and access information. Use the current channels listed on the cities’ project pages as models, but choose the channels that local residents actually use.
Write dates with the right degree of certainty
Separate confirmed dates from estimates. State whether a date is a construction target, a public opening, a funding decision or a review point. Add the condition that could move it, such as utility discovery, weather, procurement, permitting or funding. Give visitors a next-update date even when the completion date is uncertain.
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Assign one role—not an unnamed “project team”—to update physical signs, the web page, newsletters and permit-holder communications. Set a maximum age for a map in the field. Remove superseded signs promptly; contradictory signs are worse than sparse signs because visitors cannot tell which instruction is current.
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Plan for temporary loss of an amenity
If a toilet, fountain, playground, court or field closes, state the nearest available facility, its hours and any limitations. If there is no substitute, say that plainly and explain the expected duration. Coordinate with programming staff before publishing an alternative that cannot accommodate existing bookings.
5. Translate the chosen sequence into procurement, construction and operations
Once a phase is selected, carry the access commitments into the documents that govern delivery. A public promise that is absent from drawings, specifications, schedules and contractor responsibilities is likely to fail under pressure.
Put access requirements in the contract documents
Show construction limits, public routes, emergency access, delivery paths, temporary protection, gates, signage locations and working hours. Define who supplies, installs, inspects, maintains and removes barriers and wayfinding. Require the contractor to notify the owner before changing a route, closing an additional area or blocking an entrance.
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1Repair Windows errors before they cause bigger problems2Scan for outdated or missing drivers - takes under a minute3Clear out junk files and repair common Windows errorsThe David Crombie project page states that the work moved into detailed design and construction-document preparation before implementation. That transition is where the access plan should become enforceable project information rather than a separate presentation.
Coordinate daily work with park operations
Establish a recurring coordination meeting covering the next work period, public routes, events, deliveries, utilities, noise, dust, lighting, security, weather response and complaints. Give park staff a current plan they can explain on site. Provide a rapid escalation path for an unsafe condition or an unplanned closure.
Protect the boundary between work and public space
The design and construction team must determine the appropriate fencing, gates, barriers, lighting, surface transitions, overhead protection, dust control, erosion control and emergency arrangements for the site. Do not copy a generic detail without checking local standards and the actual hazards. Keep construction vehicles and materials out of public routes, and inspect the separation after storms, deliveries and major work changes.
Manage scheduled activities deliberately
Create a single list of permits, leagues, classes, events, school use and recurring informal activities. For each phase, mark the status, a relocation option, the notice deadline and the staff member responsible for contact. A route can be technically open while a scheduled activity becomes impossible because of noise, dust, reduced field dimensions or a missing restroom.
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Opening a phase is not the end of planning. Conditions change, and a credible access plan explains how the project will respond.
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Track access performance
Use a short field checklist after each significant work change and at a regular interval. Record whether the promised entrances and routes are open, whether signs are accurate, whether detours remain usable, whether barriers are stable, and whether complaints reveal a recurring problem. Log the date, location, issue, temporary fix, responsible party and resolution.
Respond to unplanned closures
If a route becomes unsafe, close it decisively, provide the best available alternative, post the change at every affected decision point and update digital information. Do not leave an obsolete sign directing people toward a barricade. Tell users what happened, what is being done and when the next status update will be issued.
Revisit funding and schedule assumptions
Alexandria reports choosing two distinct construction phases in response to cost, other city initiatives and pandemic-era supply-chain challenges. Its Joseph Hensley Park Renovation updates also describe park features reopening over time. The example shows why the public plan should include a contingency pathway rather than treating the first schedule as permanent.
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Calgary identifies a later Richmond Green phase that depends on additional funding. Its current project page lists Phase 2 at $24 million, planned for 2026–2028, and describes a publicly accessible park totaling 48.5 acres alongside drinking-water infrastructure. Those are project-specific figures and may change; they are not benchmarks for another park. If funding changes, publish which scope, phase, amenity or date changes with it instead of silently carrying forward an outdated map.
Reopen only after verification
At the end of a phase, confirm that the area is complete, safe, accessible as designed, clean, signed and operational before directing visitors back. Coordinate the reopening with maintenance, programming, communications and emergency services. Remove temporary signs that no longer apply and update the project map on the same day.
Official examples and what they demonstrate
| Project | Published project choice | Planning lesson |
|---|---|---|
| David Crombie Park, Toronto | Construction is phased by park blocks from 2026 through 2028; portions remain open and pathways stay accessible whenever possible, with temporary closures when required. | Study seasonal use first, then publish access by phase. The 1.6-hectare linear park is a specific site, not a universal model. |
| Richmond Green Regional Park, Calgary | Planned partial closures, posted signs, web and newsletter updates, and amenities expected to remain open; a later phase depends on additional funding. | Explain what remains open, how visitors will know, why work is staged and what is contingent. The page’s 48.5-acre total and $24 million Phase 2 budget are project facts. |
| Joseph Hensley Park, Alexandria | Two construction phases were selected in response to cost, other city initiatives and pandemic-era supply-chain challenges; features reopened over time. | Multiple phases can be a response to changing conditions, not merely a design preference. |
| Moss Park, Toronto | Engagement included a Local Advisory Group, paid project champions, Indigenous participation and youth design mentees, with principles for accessibility, safety, inclusion and flexible use. | Build participation into delivery and include groups that formal meetings often miss; do not assume the same structure is required everywhere. |
These projects also show why schedules and scopes must be rechecked before publication. Municipal project pages can change as design, procurement, funding and construction conditions evolve.
A practical decision checklist
Before approving a phase, the project manager should be able to answer “yes” or provide a documented reason for “no” to each item:
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- Have current uses, routes, seasonal patterns and scheduled activities been mapped?
- Have the people most affected by closures had a meaningful opportunity to influence the alternatives?
- Does the selected phase show exact construction limits, open entrances, routes, amenities and expected dates?
- Has the team tested the proposed detour in real conditions with people who use mobility aids?
- Are work areas, public routes, vehicle movements and emergency access safely separated under the applicable local requirements?
- Are permits, events, maintenance, deliveries, utilities, security and communications coordinated?
- Do contract documents assign responsibility for barriers, signs, inspections, route changes and public notices?
- Can visitors find current information at entrances, intersections, closure points and an online channel?
- Is there a trigger and a process for changing the plan when cost, funding, weather, supply, safety or site conditions change?
- Will the team verify readiness before reopening an area and remove outdated information immediately?
How to explain the plan to the public
Use a short, repeatable format for every update:
- What is changing: name the block, facility, route or entrance.
- Why: describe the construction activity or safety reason in plain language.
- When: give the effective date, expected duration and next update date.
- What remains open: identify entrances, paths, amenities and programs that continue.
- How to get there: provide a map and describe the accessible alternative where one is available.
- What may change: identify the condition that could alter the timing or scope.
- Who to contact: provide a monitored project channel and explain how urgent safety issues should be reported.
This format respects visitors’ need to make a trip decision while giving the project team room to revise forecasts honestly. It also makes it easier for staff, contractors, permit holders and community partners to repeat the same information.
The Bottom Line
A successful open-during-construction renovation is a managed public-access program: map real use, choose phases that can be safely separated, publish exactly what remains available, keep engagement active, and revise the plan openly when conditions change.
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