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Nestled behind the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO) and adjacent to OCAD University, Grange Park is a treasured urban green space that offers respite among the built spaces of Toronto‘s downtown. Surrounded by inspiring art institutions, it is home to one of Canada‘s most distinctive playgrounds.

With funding from the AGO, the City of Toronto and private donors, the playground opened to celebrate Canada’s 150th birthday. The Prime Consultant and Lead Designer (park and playground) PFS Studio, worked with local Landscape Architects at thinc design alongside the Art Gallery of Ontario, and Earthscape (playground structures design-build).

In homage to the neighbouring AGO, the playground represents multiple elements of an artist’s studio. The north playground features climbing structures that represent a spilled paint can and crumpled paper. The south playground, in an equal state of disarray offers a colourful elevated artist’s pallet alongside a charcoal pencil tower and a squished paint tube climbable sculpture. The art-themed destination playground was designed to offer the highest play value and inspire creativity. It is an urban landmark destination for Toronto families and visitors.

PFS Studio received a 2019 CSLA/AAPC Award of Excellence for Grange Park.

Client: City of Toronto
Collaboration: PFS Studio (Prime Consultant & Lead Designer – Park and Playground), thinc design (Local Landscape Architect)
Location: Toronto, Ontario
Completion Date: Spring 2017

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Contributor: Earthscape

Our journey began in 1998 when our founder, Adam Bienenstock, had a vision to create natural playgrounds that would connect children with nature. Since then, we've grown into a leading designer and builder of natural playgrounds in Canada and the United States. Our team is passionate about creating innovative, safe, and sustainable play spaces that inspire children to explore, learn, and have fun. What sets us apart is our approach to playground design. We don't just install off-the-shelf structures. Instead, we work closely with our clients to create custom playgrounds that reflect the unique beauty of their surroundings. We use natural materials like wood, stone, and water to craft play spaces that are not only fun but also educational and environmentally friendly. At Earthscape, we believe that play is crucial for child development, and nature is the best teacher. Our playgrounds encourage children to be active, imaginative, and social while fostering environmental awareness. We're proud to have created playgrounds that have become beloved community hubs and destinations for families to enjoy. Sustainability is also at the core of our philosophy. We use eco-friendly materials and practices, and our playgrounds are built to last for generations. We're constantly innovating to reduce…