St. Andrew’s Playground Park receives a Toronto Urban Design Award

St. Andrew’s Playground Park received a Special Jury Award for Integrated Approach from the 2025 Toronto Urban Design Awards! Waterworks, designed by Diamond Schmitt, was a co-recipient of the award. 

Nestled in Toronto’s dense and lively Fashion District, St. Andrew’s Playground Park provides a much-needed green space that serves the social and recreational needs of the growing community. The park was designated in 1908 as Toronto’s first playground and has seen remarkable growth in its surroundings, with recent adjacent developments including the mixed-use Waterworks Building food hall, residence, and YMCA; Ace Hotel; The Well; and King Toronto Residences. The revitalized design creates a dynamic community space with new connections and flexible outdoor spaces that accommodate day-to-day uses, as well as larger social and cultural gatherings. 

The jury commented: “St. Andrew’s Playground Park is small but mighty; the layout of the park contributes positively at the civic scale with informal desire lines that traverse the open space, creating intentional moments to pause, connection and play.” 

Read the full jury report here