Morningside Park Legacy Spaces, Toronto, ON

In 2021, SpruceLab advised and supported 4 Directions of Conservation, Stefan Bolliger Associates, and Toronto Region Conservation Authority on three Indigenous engagement design workshops (involving Williams Treaties First Nations) for the location and conceptual design ideas for Indigenous placekeeping along trails in Morningside Park, Toronto (located in Scarborough).

Following the engagement phase of this project, SpruceLab conducted research on Canadian trails best practices and Indigenous trails and design elements globally and developed conceptual designs for five proposed ‘stations’ developed through the engagement. Each of the stations is unique and offers respectful places for Indigenous Peoples for gathering and ceremony, as well as opportunities for improving the Indigenous awareness of visitors. Presentations were made to TRCA and the City of Toronto about the project during the design development phases, to obtain peer review and feedback to improve the designs and meet their operational needs and conservation requirements. More recently, SpruceLab was retained by Toronto Region Conservation Authority to advise on the tender process for the first of the stations to be constructed (in progress), and to advise on the tender and bid process, and to provide contract administration services throughout this work (in progress, construction to end Summer of 2025).