Unique Etobicoke park revitalization nears completion

An Etobicoke Park is in the final stagesof a uniquerevitalization project.

MABELLEpark was co-created with the local community, which is predominantly racialized.

A non-profit group calledMABELLEarts that'sleading the projectsays it's the first park in the country designed by and for a low-income community.

"What you're going to see here is the dreams of a lot of people," said Leah Houston, executive director and founder of the organization.

"It'salso an invitation to bring what you want to see here. Part of the idea is this park will never be finished. It's meant to bereturned to again and again to leave your mark."

• Community organization MABELLEarts breaks ground for park transformation project

There is still some construction underway, but Houston says the final vision is close to completion. The organization broke ground on the transformation project last June a vision that hadbeen in the making for more than 14 years.

Houston says the original park was a critically important place for people who live on MabelleAvenue for years. MABELLEarts had the idea back in 2007 to bring the community closer together through art.

"And we wanted to supercharge that idea by adding a physical place in the equation," Houston said.

The transformed space will include a ceremonial fire pit created by a Mtis artist, a community fountain, a series of community tables as well as a public art facility called The Bellethat will house programming and performances.

"We are a pocket that, for many reasons, has been neglected," Houston said, adding theorganizationbelieves the park will become a critical spot for all kinds of neighbourhood needs, especially for the low-income and underserved communitysurrounding the space.

"I am excited for joy. I feel like this is the place in the community where joy will continue to blossom and that will guide what we continue to do," Houston said.

A public launch is scheduled for Oct. 5 at 2 p.m., with Nuit Blanche programming expected in the evening.