Mayor Bevilacqua: Celebrating Vaughan's most ambitious park development
The following statement was issued by Vaughan Mayor Maurizio Bevilacqua following today’s plaque unveiling event to commemorate the advancement of the City of Vaughan’s North Maple Regional Park:
"North Maple Regional Park (NMRP) is the most ambitious park project in our city's history. At 900 acres, it is larger than New York City's Central Park and more than twice the size of High Park in Toronto. As part of Vaughan's commitment to undertaking unprecedented investments, work continues to advance on this visionary project.
"The City of Vaughan is developing NMRP into a signature destination offering outstanding sports, recreational and cultural opportunities. Park improvements continue to ensure Vaughan's great outdoors can be enjoyed for years to come. Current enhancements at NMRP include paving existing trails, adding new trails, providing additional seating, tree and flower plantings, new signage, and the Nevada Park Bridge replacement. The next phase of the park’s development is currently underway to prepare 52 hectares (130 acres) for future development of new recreational facilities and amenities.
"As a city with one of the highest soccer participation rates in the country, we remain committed to our ongoing collaboration with Canada Soccer. This national organization is a crucial city-building partner for our coming-of-age city. Vaughan was proud to host the Canada Soccer 2022 Toyota National Championships this past October at NMRP. The tournament was an exciting opportunity to demonstrate Vaughan's passion for soccer, highlight the remarkable athletic talent produced here and showcase the world-class City facilities that hosted the championships – including three new FIFA-quality certified artificial turf soccer fields.
"In May of this year, the City and Canada Soccer signed an MOU to explore the feasibility of a phased approach to a National Training Centre that could include an outdoor field, stadium, indoor training facility, administrative offices and support facilities. Our shared vision is to create a high-performance facility that combines iconic architecture with world-class functionality that can also serve as a recreational hub for Vaughan.
"The City is undertaking the grading, servicing and environmental restoration at NMRP to prepare for future facilities, such as the proposed National Training Centre. The project will incorporate key natural heritage system components, sustainability considerations, accessibility and design principles aligned with the NMRP vision. The National Training Centre would provide a high-performance training space for Canada Soccer's national teams and local community sports programs, and the City will retain ownership of all lands.
"Today, Vaughan has an exciting and promising future on the horizon. It has been a remarkable journey, and I look forward to the next chapter as Vaughan continues to take its rightful place as a world-class city."