2020 Budget Notes Parks, Forestry & Recreation While we aim to provide fully accessible content, there is no text alternative available for some of the content within these pages. If you require alternate formats or need assistance understanding our charts, graphs, or any other content, please contact us at 416-395-6767 or
[email protected]. What we do We are the keepers of our common grounds – the parks, recreation facilities and natural spaces where Torontonians come together to build community and play, celebrate and explore. In our role as stewards of these spaces, we contribute to the city’s social and environmental resilience by ensuring that our parks, playing fields, recreation centres, ice rinks and pools, along with tree-lined streets, trails, forests, meadows, marshes, and ravines, are beautiful, safe and accessible, that they expand and develop to meet the needs of a growing city, and are filled with vibrant, active, and engaged communities. Parks, Forestry & Recreation maintains infrastructure valued at $3.2 billion including 123 community centres, more than 1,500 parks, more than 500 km of trails and pathways, and 879 playgrounds. In addition, Toronto's urban forest canopy is valued at approximately $7.0 billion. Why we do it Parks, Forestry & Recreation services are key drivers of social, environmental, and economic capital, contributing to Toronto's sustained livability and overall health during this period of unprecedented growth. A vibrant and accessible system of parks, recreation facilities and programs, healthy and growing natural environments, and a strong and resilient urban forest canopy are essential to maintaining a livable and sustainable Toronto that is a leader in mitigating the effects of climate change.