New green space officially opens for downtown Toronto residents

Toronto, ON (September 28, 2025) — On Sunday, downtown Toronto got some much-needed new green space in one of the city’s quickly-growing residential neighbourhoods. MPP Kristyn Wong-Tam was at an official ribbon-cutting marked the opening of one acre of revitalized land on the east side of Metropolitan United Church, situated at the corner of Queen and Church Streets and had the opportunity to acknowledge the role that a $185,000 Capital grant from the provincial government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) has had in the effort.

“When we invest in Toronto’s green spaces, we build healthier and more connected communities,” said Kristyn Wong-Tam, MPP for Toronto Centre. “Thank you to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for funding Metropolitan’s incredible initiative to convert a sizeable portion of their land into open and unrestricted 24/7 park space for everyone to enjoy. This will no doubt provide residents a beautiful and restful place to spend their time.”

Thanks to the grant that was awarded in the summer of 2024, the Metropolitan United Church has been able to improve lighting, water-permeable walkways, hardy landscaping and senior-friendly benches with adjacent spaces for wheelchairs at the park. The revitalization project was years in the making, and included a period of consultation with neighbours A portion of the site formerly housed a nursery school playground, and the entire site was fenced off for several years because the uneven ground was unsafe for pedestrians. 

“Our neighbourhood is in a period of transition, with pawn shops moving out and families moving in, yet there is a real lack of public green space here,” said the Reverend Jason Meyers, Minister for Worship and Faith Formation at Metropolitan. “We wanted to do our part for the community by opening up the east side of our church to the public, offering residents and visitors a peaceful place where they can enjoy being outside.”

The Ontario Trillium Foundation (OTF) is an agency of the Ontario government with a mission to build healthy and vibrant communities across the province. Last year, OTF invested nearly $105M into 732 community projects and multi-sector partnerships. Projects aim to enhance economic well-being, foster more active lifestyles, support child and youth development, provide spaces for people to come together and connect, and create a more sustainable environment. Visit otf.ca to learn more.