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Downsview Park () is a large urban park located in the Downsview neighbourhood of Toronto, Ontario, Canada. The park's name is officially bilingual due to it being federally owned and managed, and was first home to de Havilland Canada, an aircraft manufacturer, and later was a Canadian Forces base. The park still contains Downsview Airport. In 1999, the Government of Canada declared it as "Canada's first urban national park". However, unlike the Rouge National Urban Park in eastern Toronto, Downsview Park is managed by the federal Crown corporation Canada Lands Company rather than Parks Canada.
The developer selected the Reichmann family's Heathmount Arts and Entertainment, and its plan was approved by the North York council in December 1998.Page B3. (1998, Dec 11). Toronto Star (1971–2009) Discussions broke down with the federal government, and their unwillingness to sell the land.Page B3. (1999, Apr 15). Toronto Star (1971–2009) In April 1999 the Reichmanns announced they would move the plan to Montreal. In June 2000, the developer announced they would also walk away from their plans in Montreal.
Instead of creating a park made up of almost entirely green space as called for in the "Tree City" plan, Parc Downsview Park Inc., the crown corporation then in control of the park, approved constructing commercial and residential developments across the north, east and southwest ends of the park.
Several residential developers expressed interest in Stanley Greene. Urbancorp was chosen as the first residential developer by Parc Downsview Park after an extensive due diligence process. The first residential development phase at Downsview Park will comprise over 1000 homes. Urbancorp is the largest landowner and developer of residential communities in King West Village and the Queen Street West Triangle area in downtown Toronto. Construction of the new community "Neighbourhood of Downsview Park" is expected to begin in the Autumn of 2012.
In 2013, Mattamy Homes, Canada's largest homebuilder, entered into a joint partnership with Urbancorp, a real estate developer to begin construction on the first residential community in the park. Local councillor Maria Augimeri said that the development was unlikely to appease angry residents who had expected a park to be developed on the land.
In 2014, the City of Toronto once again attempted to acquire control of the park. The federal government rejected the proposal, saying it would not consider transferring responsibility over the park to the city. The Toronto Star obtained a memo indicating that the government did not want to consider transferring the park because of its immense value.
Edgefest returned to the park in 2011 and 2012. Since 2012 the VELD Music Festival has been held at the park. The Tragically Hip performed to a crowd of approximately 30,000 on Canada Day 2011. On 16 June 2012, a temporary stage collapsed an hour before gates opened for a scheduled Radiohead concert, killing one person and injuring three others. In 2012, the Junior Caribana festival was moved to the park.
The mandate to create the urban recreational green space was given to Parc Downsview Park Inc. (PDP) in 1996 and the title to of the Downsview Lands was transferred to PDP in 2006 in order to facilitate the development of Downsview Park. The Department of National Defence (DND) retained of the land to accommodate ongoing military needs. Approximately of the land adjacent to the Downsview Lands (including Toronto's oldest operational airport) is under the jurisdiction of Bombardier Aerospace. A rail line that is used mostly by GO Transit trains runs through the centre of the park. As the mandate for the park requires that it be developed on a self-financing basis, approximately are dedicated to opportunities that provide a revenue stream to finance the construction, development and management of Downsview Park as an integrated, sustainable community.
The park features a large man-made pond on the Keele Street side. Although it is an artificial body of water, the water from it flows out to the Downsview Dells ravines and eventually into Black Creek.
Downsview Park station opened on December 17, 2017 as part of the Line 1 subway extension into Vaughan. This station is located at the park's north end and serves as an Transport hub with the Barrie line, part of GO Transit's commuter rail services. The 101 Downsview Park operates daily between Downsview Park station and the new Stanley Greene community located south of the urban park, while also serving the Centennial College Downsview Campus and Aerospace Hub on Carl Hall Road.
In the summer of 2011, Toronto Roller Derby moved to another space in the park known as The Bunker, and hosted the inaugural Roller Derby World Cup in that space in early December 2011. The Downsview Park Sports Centre also accommodates K1 Speed indoor electric go-karting (aka green go-karting), the HoopDome basketball facility, The Rail Skatepark skateboard destination, True North Climbing indoor rock climbing gym and Blyth Academy Downsview Park School for Elite Athletes. The National Squash Academy, operated by former World #1 player Jonathon Power is a recent addition to the Sports Centre. In October 2013 an ice hockey arena was opened, and was renamed in February 2015 to Scotiabank Pond.
BMO Training Ground, the practice facility of Toronto FC of Major League Soccer (MLS) and its minor league reserve team Toronto FC II of MLS Next Pro, and the home of the TFC Academy of MLS Next, is located in Downsview Park. The facility, which opened in 2012, features a stadium with 1000 seats.
Volleyball Canada made the Downsview Park Sports Centre their new headquarters and training facility in 2011. A new four-pad ice complex will be another welcome amenity scheduled to open in 2013.
Operations at the Downsview Park Sports Centre generate funds to help build Downsview Park.
TMU Bold soccer teams have been using the outdoor soccer field as their home field.
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