Park People is an independent charity that builds strong communities by animating and improving parks, placing them at the heart of life in cities.

What’s Happening at Park People?

Arts in the Parks brings free, family-friendly arts events and activities to parks all Across Toronto. Think theatre performances, dance classes, workshops, movies, festivals and more, right in your backyard. Park People is a proud partner of Arts in the Parks. See all of the events now.

In Canada, 86 percent of the population lives in cities. City parks were once thought of as places to escape urban life. Today, they help define it, and are inextricably linked to our quality of life. Understand parks’ capacity to make cities better in our Why City Parks matter resource page.

Wherever you live in Canada, the new online guide will help you learn how to get involved with your existing local park group and the step-by-step process you can follow to launch a new one. Get started now.

A special Canada 150 series of free outdoor film screenings is coming to a park near you! These memorable summer evenings feature pre-show activities, guests, and moving-image works from Canada on Screen, TIFF’s signature Canada 150 program. Canada on Screen in the Park is presented in partnership with TIFF and Park People. See where Canada’s best feature films, shorts, and television series are being screened this summer.

Latest News from Park People >>

Why this park person is a community’s ‘auntie’

Casual day-to-day interactions between people--on the street, in parks, and shared spaces--is what gives us our sense of belonging. These community ties are even more important in underserved communities because, as we highlighted in our Sparking Change report, people...

How to take great pictures in your park

Having great photos of your park or park event can help you attract volunteers, build your social media profile, strengthen your funding proposals and make your posters really pop. Here are some steps to help you take awesome shots that show your park in the best...

You can do anything in Hamilton: The story of the Pipeline Trail Planning Team

Hamilton, Ontario. 1897. Local cyclists or ‘wheelmen’ advocate for a cycling trail from downtown to the waterfront. The route? A diagonal section of land slicing through the street grid, following the course of a 1850s underground water pipe carrying three million...

Parklines: Canada’s City Park Headlines

PARKLINES is a curated list of must-read news for Canada's city park people. Subscribe to Park People's National Newsletter to receive these in your inbox on a regular basis. Send along your city park articles and finds for inclusion in this weekly post. Send to...

Six things we can learn from Berczy Park

After years of design meetings and then more of construction, the newly revitalized Berczy Park is now officially open. We profiled the design of this upcoming park as a best practice in our Making Connections report back in 2015, so it was wonderful to attend the...

How to host a picnic in the park

A picnic in the park is a great way to celebrate a special occasion or meet new friends and neighbours. Outdoor picnics are also a great add-on to events such as a park stewardship day or harvest festival. Whether you intend to celebrate with a private group or host...