Recreation, Parks and Trails
Breathe in the fragrant country scents of spring, bathe in the sunny days of summer, delight in the colourful hues of fall, or feel the crispness of winter snow. Discover our numerous trails, unique with natural life in all seasons. There is something for everyone, from bird and wildlife enthusiasts, photo-buffs, serious backpackers or day hikers, cross-country skiers, mountain bikers and snowmobile riders.
Orangeville is situated in a remarkably scenic part of the province. The Town boasts 25 parks of varying sizes, a splashpad, a skateboard park, two recreation centres, a variety of recreational league programs, and a 24-km ever-expanding trailway system. Island Lake Conservation Area provides immediate access to fishing, canoeing, swimming, bird-watching, and other recreational activities throughout the year. Excellent hiking trails, cross-country and downhill skiing, horseback riding, snowmobiling and other outdoor activities in the vicinity offer something for everyone. In fact, over 20 golf courses are within a 30-minute drive.
The recreation centres combine recreation with community and cultural functions. The Alder Street Recreation Centre boasts two arenas, a walking/jogging track, gymnasium, a leisure pool with waterslide and water features, a lap pool, office and meeting space, a library, and a fitness centre. The Tony Rose Memorial Sports Centre also offers a pool and two arenas.
Town of Orangeville Recreation Packages
The Parks and Recreation Department has recreation passes for you to purchase, such as wellness packages, COMPASS, public skating 10-pass cards, etc.
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Children and Youth Programs
Summer Day Camps
The Town of Orangeville Parks and Recreation Department
offers Summer Day Camps during the months of July and August for ages 5
to 12. Each summer a variety of specialty camps are also offered such
as Junior Golfers, Snapshots etc. Swimming every afternoon at the Alder
pools is another component of the summer day camps. The camps run
Monday to Friday, 9 a.m. to 4 p.m. during July and August. Before and
After Care is offered and is available from 8 a.m. to 9 a.m. and 4 p.m.
to 5 p.m. each day for an additional charge. A schedule of our 2009
Summer Day Camps will posted to the website in February 2009.
ALL NEW Programs
P.A. Day Camp / Christmas Break Holiday Camps
Join us for a full day of activities, games, crafts and
sports. Camp is offered to school-aged children 5 - 12. Camp will
operate from 9 a.m. to 4 p.m., with early / late drop-off times
available from 8 - 9 a.m. and 4 - 5 p.m.. for an additional charge.
Playball for Ages 2 - 5 1/2
The best sports skills development program for
children 2 - 5 1/2 years old! PLAYBALL is a progressive sports coaching
program that encourages sport skills and teamwork in a fun and
energetic environment. The PLAYBALL program provides children with a
positive experience that lays the foundation for confident sports
participation for the rest of their lives.
Watercolour Art with Sharon Wadsworth-Smith
The watercolour art program is new, starting in the fall, and is for ages 7 - 15.
Leadership Programs for Youth Ages 12 - 16
Learn essential leadership and teamwork skills through exciting and challenging activities.
AND
Volunteer Positions (Must have completed Grade 9)
If you have completed Grade 9 and love working with children, this is the volunteer program for you.
- A great way to attain 40 hours of community service and gain experience with children.
For more information on the Leadership Development or Volunteer Positions contact the Parks and Recreation Department at 
519-940-9092
Ext. 4106.
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Parks
The Town of Orangeville has a lot to offer in parks and open space. Our parks are located in key locations spread throughout the Town as indicated on our Town map.
The park system includes lit and unlit ball diamonds and soccer fields, accessible play apparatus for all ages, an outdoor skateboard park, splashpad, outdoor ice rinks (weather permitting) and other amenities such as picnic shelters, washrooms and tables.
The parks are ideal for sports activities of all kinds as well as family outings, organization or company picnics and other social gatherings. For further information on booking a sports field or a park for your special event, check out the Booking Facilities section.
Alexandra Park located at Second Street and First
Avenue, was planned in 1901, and was officially opened in August 1903.
It was named after Queen Alexandra, consort of King Edward VII who had
succeeded his mother Queen Victoria in January of 1901. The park was
built on the site of the former Town stockyards which held cattle
brought to the weekly market at the Town Hall. In 1923, the Dufferin
County War memorial was constructed in the park, and unveiled at
November 11 Remembrance Day services that year. The park is the home
for the Town's cenotaph, a bandshell (built in 1992), a farmers'
market, and a veterans' memorial (built in 2003) honouring those who
served and returned from World War I, World War II, and the Korean War.
It's considered a unique project given that every municipality has a
cenotaph or memorial to those who were killed in the conflicts but no
memorial for those who served and returned.
Amenities: Bandshell
Brown's Farm Park located on Diane Drive near Oxford
Street was established in 1974. The park is named after the Brown
family's dairy farm to commemorate the last working farm inside the
original town limits. The earliest settlers on this parkland were John
and Jane Corbit who arrived here in 1829.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Cedarstone Park located on Quarry Drive in the south
end of Town was developed in the mid-1980s. The name Cedarstone recalls
the extensive growth of cedars in the area adjoining the Credit Flats
and the old quarry site that was nearby. The Credit Flats are the area
now known as Dragonfly Park.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Credit Lake Park located on Lakeview Court, was
developed in the early 1990s. The park adjoins the Island Lake
Conservation Area at the headwaters of the Credit River close to
Highway 10 and Lakeview Court.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Dragonfly Park is located on Town Line. Named in 2002, the park's marshland is inhabited and known for its dragonflies. A nature pole, completed by the Headwaters Carving Club, illustrates the natural wildlife in the area and incorporates a dragonfly. The nature pole was erected in 1992 as part of the East End Beautification Project and has been the site of many Canada Day celebrations and Christmas tree lighting ceremonies. A brick walkway leads from the gravel path to the information pavilion and from the pavilion to the new wetlands boardwalk, both completed in 2000. The boardwalk, as it is developed, along with viewing platforms, will serve as an educational and recreational extension of the Town's trail network. The area was originally known as Compass Gardens in 1998. The Mile "0" Cairn marks the headwaters of the Credit River and marks the starting point of this future trail. The Town of Orangeville and Credit Valley Conservation have teamed together to protect this valuable wetlands ecosystem to preserve its flora and fauna and create an accessible educational and recreational experience.
Erindale Park located on Dufferin Street, was developed around 1966, and was part of a survey laid out by developers in the early 1870s.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Fendley Park is located at Montgomery Boulevard and Fendley Road. The park derived its name from former Orangeville Mayor Douglas Fendley.
Amenities: One unlit soccer field (available for rent)
Playground equipment
Parking lot for your convenience
Haley Parkette located at Cottonwood Street and
Rayburn Road, is situated on lands originally settled by Michael Haley
in the early 1830s. Mr. Haley served with the British military during
the Napoleonic Wars and was awarded a military pension in the form of a
land grant in Upper Canada. His son, Hugh Haley, was a prominent
builder and contractor in the Orangeville area.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Harvey Curry Park located between Town Line and
Lawrence Avenue, was first developed in 1985, the park is named after
former Reeve and Orangeville hardware merchant, Harvey C. Curry.
Harvey Curry Park is home to EVERYkids Park and is the first boundless
playground (fully accessible) park of its kind to be built in Canada.
It officially opened to the public in September of 2000 and is a
popular place for children of all abilities to come and play. Another
great feature of this park is the splashpad, which operates from the 1st
of June until Labour Day, 10 a.m. to 8 p.m., seven days a week (weather
permitting). For your convenience there is a parking lot located on
Town Line. The park offers change/washrooms for use and they are open
the same hours as the splashpad.
Amenities: Boundless playground equipment (fully accessible)
Splashpad
Change/washrooms (open same hours as splashpad)
Parking lot (located on Town Line)
Idyllwilde Park located at Second
Avenue and Fourth Street, was created in 1898 by the Orangeville
Athletic Company, organized by James Armstrong and John Robinson.
Idyllwilde Park provided permanent lacrosse grounds for the Orangeville
Dufferins. The park's name was derived from two lovely Victorian
pseudo-poetic works "Idyll" and "wilde", suggesting woodland pleasure
grounds. At some point in the 1920s, the grounds were given to the Town
of Orangeville as a park. Today the park is used year-round, with a
popular outdoor skating rink during the winter months (weather
permitting), two lit ball diamonds, one unlit tennis court and
playground equipment.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Two lit diamonds (available for rent)
One unlit tennis court
Outdoor skating rink (winter months weather permitting)
Island Court Parkette located at Amelia Street and
Credit Creek Boulevard is a passive park with benches provided for your
convenience. It was developed in the mid-1990s, the park was named
after John Leighton Island who served as Mayor of Orangeville in the
years 1913 and 1914. The Island family farmed here at one time.
Amenities: Park benches
Kay Cee Gardens located between Bythia Street and John
Street, was created on land owned by Dr. G. H. Campbell and family and
a lot owned by the King family. About 1960, Dr. Campbell, a former
mayor of Orangeville, and Harry King, who was a subsequent owner of the
Stephenson property, transferred their land to the Town for the
creation of the park. Since 1992 the park has held the popular, "Christmas In the Park". In 2006 the bridge was reconstructed, a new gazebo and pergola was also built.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Gazebo (available to rent for wedding ceremonies, no parking available at this park)
Pergola
Kin Family Park is located on College Avenue, west of
Blind Line (behind Credit Meadows School). The park was developed in
1995, and was named after its sponsors, the Kinsmen and Kinette Clubs
of Orangeville.
Amenities: Playground equipment
One unlit basketball court
One unlit tennis court
Maywood Park located on Bredin
Parkway, was part of the farm property that was settled by John May
around 1845. The parkland is noted for its wooded surroundings and the
little creek running through it.
Amenities: Playground equipment (accessible)
Mill Square Park is located at Church Street and Mill
Street. Approval to build Mill Square Park was granted by Orangeville
Council in 1985. The park originated from plans of Orange Lawrence, the
founder of Orangeville. Mill Square Park incorporates a fragment of the
ruins of Thomas Jull's Mill built in 1857 on the Mill Reserve lot.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Mother Teresa Park is located on Lewis Drive, behind
St. Benedict's School. The park was named after the late Mother Teresa,
a Nobel Peace Prize winner in 1979.
Amenities: Playground equipment
One unlit soccer field (available for rent)
One unlit softball diamond (available for rent)
Myr Morrow Park located between Belleview Drive and South Park Drive, is named after Orangeville businessman and jeweller, Myr Morrow.
Amenities: Playground equipment
One unlit sand volleyball court
One small basketball court
Princess of Wales Park located on Saxon Street, just
off Alder Street, is set amidst a series of British-sounding street
names and was named after the late Diana, Princess of Wales.
Amenities: Playground equipment
One lit hardball diamond (available for rent)
One unlit soccer field (available for rent)
Rebecca Hills Park located on Howard Crescent and
Marshall Crescent, was established in 1995, and is situated on the
former McCannell dairy farm. Up until the 1860s, these lands had been
seasonal campgrounds of a Cree Nation Tribe.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Half basketball court and small backstop
One unlit grassed baseball diamond
Ridgewoods Park located on Eastview
Crescent was developed in the mid-1990s. The park is situated atop the
Orangeville Moraine and is named after the hills of the moraine and
surrounding woodlots. This parkland was part of the farm settled by
Samuel and Eliza Montgomery in 1828.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Rotary Park located at Second Avenue
and Fourth Street, was built by a program spearheaded by the
Orangeville Rotary Club as a venue for Olympic caliber equestrian
events (ca 1974). It has been noted that the development of Rotary Park
was the largest single project of the club. The Rotary Park Development
Committee, spearheaded by the Orangeville Rotary Club and assisted by
other service clubs as well as the Tennis Club, Soccer Club, and
baseball organizations, raised funds for the development of the park by
introducing the "Park Lotto". The sale of lottery tickets raised
incredible amounts of money and along with Town funding and provincial
grants the park was developed to provide a major sports facility as
well as a beautiful location for picnics, family gatherings, and
visitors to enjoy. Baseball and soccer have supplanted equestrian
events at the site and games are ongoing during the days and evenings,
making the park an active part of the community. In 2006 the
Orangeville Rotary Club, Rotary Club of Orangeville Highlands and the
Town of Orangeville collaborated to build an outdoor skateboard park
for the youth of the community and surrounding areas. The Park is also
home to the Orangeville Tennis Club which boasts four lit tennis courts.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Skateboard park
Two lit ball diamonds (available for rent)
One lit soccer field (available for rent)
Covered Pavilion & Kitchen area (available for rent)
Men's & women's change rooms
Washrooms
Ryan Meadows Park located on Meadow Drive, was
developed in the late 1980s. This park is situated on farm property
settled by Patrick and Mary Ryan around 1840 which remained in their
family well into the 20th century. The word meadows is included in the name of the park to reflect the pastoral history of the farm.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Springbrook Park located at Town Line
and C Line, was built in 1975. This park is named for Spring Brook, a
tributary of the Credit River that ran east from C Line along west
Broadway where three tributaries once joined together to supply the
water that powered Orangeville's early mills. The property is owned by
the Upper Grand District School Board, but the Town maintains and books
these facilities out.
Amenities: Unlit hardball and softball diamonds (available for rent)
Tweedy Parkette located on Elderberry Street, was
developed around the year 2000. This park is situated on lands settled
by Samuel and Ellen Tweedy around 1832. Samuel Tweedy was a military
pensioner who turned to farming when he received a land grant in Upper
Canada in return for his service in the British military. Samuel and
Ellen were among the earliest settlers in eastern Garafraxa and the
Orangeville area.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Village Green located on Hewitt Street, east of Church
Street, was established in the 1990s. The park has playground equipment
and is a popular playground for children of all ages.
Amenities: Playground equipment
Walsh Park located on Walsh Crescent,
was developed in the early 1990s. The park was named after lawyer and
former Mayor of Orangeville, W.L. Walsh. Mr. Walsh served as Mayor for
three terms -- 1890, 1891 and 1899.
Amenities: Playground equipment
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Trails
Since 1998, the Town of Orangeville has built eight kms of multi-use trails, mostly in the west end of Town. The goal is to form a 15-km recreational loop around Town, eventually linking the Town's trails to Island Lake, Monora Park and the Credit River trail. The newest addition to the Orangeville Trail system is the George Douglas Way, running 650 metres from Fourth Avenue to Rotary Park and connecting to existing trails on the west side of Highway 10. It was completed in the spring of 2006, through the collaborative efforts of the Orangeville Optimist Club, the Town of Orangeville and the Ontario Trillium Foundation.
Trails Master Plan sets out projects and priorities
A Trails Master Plan has been approved by Orangeville Council. The plan, as drafted by Envision, will be used for budgeting and setting priorities for future trail development, with the first priority being the creation of a trail along the rail line.
Plans will now move ahead with engineering and design studies for the Trail With Rail, along the Orangeville rail line. Trail construction is expected to begin later this year or in 2009, depending on the completion date of the design work and the funds available.
Principal consultant Christine Marshall said the Trails Master Plan provides an excellent framework for developing a trail network, adding the Town already has more than eight kms of trailways. The Trails Master Plan outlines the need for trails and the benefits they provide. As a result of public consultation, it has been determined that trails in Orangeville will be planned, connected, diverse, inspiring, accessible, safe and inviting, and sustainable.
The top three priorities for trail planning opportunities are:
- development of new multi-use trails
- developing cycling routes, and
- improving signage on existing trails
Trail planning and development will be subject to financial constraints and will require a phased-in approach. The estimated cost of the 10-year plan is $1.79 million, with funds expected to come from the tax levy, grants, and community donations. There is currently about $47,000 available in the trails capital budget account to implement the 2008 work.
The Trails Master Plan calls for the creation of a primary trail system and long-term potential trail routes. The primary system represents a 10-year plan for trails development in the Town. The long-term potential trail routes identify areas for future consideration if opportunities arise i.e. through collaboration with other organizations such as Credit Valley Conservation. The primary trail system will create a network of trails that includes a north loop, south loop and an east-west link through the middle of Town (a Trail with Rail along the Orangeville line).
The 10-Year Plan
Over the next 10 years the following projects are contemplated to complete the Primary Trail System:
- A new multi-use trail along the ORDC line
- Completion of the North and South Trail Loops
- Developing Connections to Island Lake, Monora Park, and the Humber Campus
- Identification/Signing of Cycling/Walking Routes
- Developing a Trails Map/Brochure
- Improvements to Signage
- Re-surfacing of selected granular trails
- Potential improvements urban design/landscaping with MTO to the intersection at Highway 10 and Broadway to improve pedestrian comport
The Longer Term
In addition to the primary trail system the Trails Master Plan includes a number of long-term potential trail routes or trail opportunities. These include greenway trails, on-road cycling routes, cycling facilities, and external trail connections. A multitude of routes have been identified to keep in mind when reviewing priorities and when new opportunities arise.
If you would like more information on the Trails or to be part of the
Buy-a-Metre Trail Campaign contact the Parks and Recreation Department
at 519-940-9092 Ext. 4103 or check out the
Trail Maps
Orangeville Trails Master Plan
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|
Island Lake Conservation Area |
Luther Marsh Wildlife Management Area
Telephone: 519-928-2832
Email: [email protected]
Location: RR2 Grand Valley, Grand Valley, L0N 1G0 (E2/F2 on map)
Website: http://www.grandriver.ca/
|
Mono Cliffs Provincial Park |
Upper Grand Trailway
Telephone: 519-928-2973
Email: [email protected]
Location: Waldemar to East/West Luther Townline, Grand Valley, Grand Valley (G2 on map)
Website: http://www.grandvalley.org/
