Playscape Wychwood Barns
76 Wychwood Ave. M6G2X7 Toronto, ON, Canada

Repost From Urban Minds]: Registration for Play at the Barns Reception is now open!... Play at the Barns is the culmination and showcase of the design ideas of community members, local artists, and youth to reimagine Wychwood Barns Park as an accessible and inclusive playground and outdoor gathering space for the community as it grows and changes. Exhibit organized by Urban Minds], @1uptoronto, @artscapeto, @designtofestival ,@playatthebarns (Friends of Wychwood Barns Park) for #DesignTO22 Reception: January 28 6pm-7:30pm REGISTRATION LINK IN BIO Exhibit open: January 22 9am-1pm January 26 3pm-6pm January 27 3pm-6pm (ID: photo of Wychwood Barns and details about the upcoming Play at the Barns exhibit as part of the DesignTO Festival)

P L A Y As a community, we want to try and push the conventional play structure offering. The new playground will offer intergenerational equipment that will serve a diverse group of ages and abilities. It will feature free flowing play opportunities, a variety of ground covering, and will use as much natural materials as possible. We want the barns to be a play destination that is both purposeful and unique in its offerings. ... We can’t wait to share our designs soon, but in the meantime, stay tuned for some awesome inspiration! How amazing is this log jam?! [ID large log jam playground with climbing structures and a slide]

We’ve joined the @one2giveTO Movement as a Drop Spot! Between now and October 18th, we will be collecting items for @anduhyaun, which provides emergency shelter and transitional housing for Indigenous and non-Indigenous women and children fleeing violence. Below is the list of simple - but critical - items that are needed. Do you have #one2give? DM us for a drop off location! If you want some quick and easy options, check out our Amazon wishlist. Thank you for your support! ...The List New twin bedding (Sheet sets, pillows) New women’s clothing (T-shirts, leggings) Non-perishable food (Pasta, tomato sauce, pancake mix) Shampoo, conditioner, bottled soap Gift cards (Tim Hortons, Walmart) ***ALSO*** Check out our Amazon Wishlist for some quick and easy options: https://bit.ly/one2give7 #smallaskbigimpact #donate #one2give #reconciliation #one2give #anduhyaun #smallaskbigimpact #givewhereyoulive

Some Saturday morning art inspiration Sensory gardens and pathways, public art pieces that use natural materials and murals that celebrate our local and diverse artists and communitiesthere are so many possibilities and we are so excited to collaborate with @waab_art

The community knows what a vital role art plays in this space. We plan to engage with local artists to create meaningful and functional art in our park! Thanks to @waab_art for your ongoing partnership and collaboration! Stay tuned for some inspiration Image is a painting by the talented @annemarieclaudetteart

Reflecting on our collaborative call...consolidating ALL the incredible ideas...and excited to start piecing together some thoughtful iterations of what could be! Here's a summary of all that our local learners had to say...and a nice note from Councillor Matlow!

Over the past few weeks, we challenged the students of Hillcrest Community PS and McMurrich Junior PS to come up with ideas for the Wychwood Barns playground. Today, the kids got to present their ideas in a Google Meet with Councillor Josh Matlow, who kicked off the call with an important message: "This pandemic will end. What I'd like to do is focus on how we can make things better than they were before." The ideas presented went beyond our wildest expectations. We are so i...mpressed at how thoughtful our community's young minds are. The concepts of accessibility, inclusivity and equity were mentioned over and over again. As Councillor Matlow expressed on the call, "The most important voices are the very kids we are talking about." Well, some very smart voices have been heard and the path ahead is clear. Check out some of the awesome ideas that were presented. Drop us a comment with your thoughts! ***Special thank you to the teachers of Hillcrest Community PS and McMurrich Junior PS. Your support of and dedication to this project is hugely appreciated.***

Drawings from our youngest community members are starting to roll in! Just look at the amazingly creative thinking! "This is a giant tunnel that goes across the new play structure. Also, this is a TTC streetcar with steps so we can go up and down...and it has a steering wheel!" -James, 5 yrs old... Keep those submissions a comin'! Our youth design thinking challenge closes on November 30!

What do you see? What do you love? What's missing? How might we make this space more inclusive/accessible to a wider range of park users of all ages? Leave a comment, send us an email...or, better yet, submit an idea through our Youth Design Thinking Challenge with Councillor Josh Matlow! The creative process is a collaborative one and we can't wait to see what you come up with! Wychwood Barns Community Association

At the heart of our hopes and wishes for a renewed space are the very sentiments echoed in this video. We look forward to continuing to work together as a community to make it happen!