Reimagining Westwood Park

There is a new container at the entrance of the park specifically for waste. It is a different style than before, it looks like a green 'T'. When walking your dog or other pet in the park, please pick up and deposit your pet’s waste into this container.

New garbage bins have also been installed at the front of the park. Please put your litter in these bins.

We are still working on getting grass established in the park. Since it is not yet fully established you may notice areas of dirt washing out. We are also in the process of reinstating the swing seats in the park.

If you have any questions, please reach out at WestwoodPark@kitchener.ca

Hydroseeding was completed on Friday, September 8, 2023. As a result, the playground is now open for play!

Fencing will be moved to protect the seeded areas as they establish. Please keep off the seeded and grassed areas during this time.

Thank you for your patience as work continues at Westwood Park.

We know this is a valued community asset and are working to get the park improvement completed. Unfortunately, there have been significant delays due to unforeseen challenges on site. City staff share the community’s frustration and disappointment with the progress of work at Westwood Park. We sincerely apologize for the delay.

Due to the current challenges, we have made the decision to continue this project in a phased approach. This will allow access to the new play structure, basketball court and shade structure while we still have some good summer/fall weather. We recognize this is not ideal, and this is certainly not the exciting new park that we wanted to provide and envisioned for the community.

Our plan is to provide limited access to the park now so the local community can enjoy some of the new amenities while the nice weather is still with us. As soon as Phase 1 work is complete, we will open the park to allow access to those center amenities. The rest of the park work will be completed through a second phase of work.

Phase 1

Phase 1 was intended to wrap up in mid-August with hydroseeding. Unfortunately, the seed did not establish as expected due to significant rain events and washouts occurring. The second hydroseeding was completed on Friday September 8, 2023. Once the seed has germinated, we will move the site fencing. This is to protect only the most vulnerable turf areas—giving them time to germinate and establish. The main walkways will be open and there will be access to the playground, basketball court and shade structure in the center of the park. The back of the park will remain closed during this time as there is still more work to do there. When we move the fencing, we will also be able to complete some necessary landscape maintenance.

Phase 2

More work is being scheduled through a second phase to complete the park. This will take place throughout the Fall and into next year to ensure some sections of the park remain open. This work will include the installation of the walkway throughout the park and finishing the cricket area and walking loop. The intent is to only close those portions of the park being worked on and reduce impact to the rest of the park.

Our goal is to have an established and beautiful park to enjoy that reflects the community’s vision for the park. We are sorry we cannot achieve this vision sooner. Staff are working as hard as possible behind the scenes to have the remaining work completed as soon as possible. We look forward to providing access to the portions of the park within the next couple of weeks and and celebrating this new space with the community in 2024 when all of the park improvements are completed.

If you haven't already, please subscribe for email updates. Add your email to the Stay Informed box on the project page, then click 'Subscribe'.

Turf seed was applied in mid-August but unfortunately, due to recent heavy rainfalls, it did not take. The park must be reseeded and cannot reopen until grass areas have been established. We continue to work with the contractor to complete the work for phase 1.

Please subscribe for updates to this project by using the 'Stay Informed' button on the Engage project page.

Thank you to everyone who has reached out to us about the Westwood Park redevelopment. We understand this park upgrade has taken longer than expected and we appreciate your patience and excitement for the new and improved park.

New timing for park construction

We have broken up the rest of the park construction into two parts. This way there will be fewer interruptions and we can open the park up more quickly.

Phase 1 is estimated to be completed by mid-August. It includes new play equipment for all ages, micro forest planting area, multi-use court, extended walking paths, and a cricket pitch.

Phase 2 will start after that. It will include a walking path around the cricket pitch and a meadow.

In the future, park improvement projects will be scheduled to ensure we do not close the entire site at any one time, only the sections we are working in.

Responses added to the FAQ

We have also updated our Frequently Asked Questions with some of your recent questions.

If you have any other questions or comments, please reach out to our team at WestwoodPark@kitchener.ca

Thank you for all your questions about the Westwood Park construction. We have added responses to some of your most frequently asked questions.

Please reach out to us any time with your questions about this project and the construction. We regularly post responses to this page. Our team's email is WestwoodPark@kitchener.ca

We would like to express our sincere regret for the delay in the reconstruction of Westwood Park. We recognize that many of you are feeling frustrated. We are committed to providing and maintaining quality park space for our residents, and we understand the impact this delay may have on those who were looking forward to using the park this summer.

We understand that these delays may be disappointing, but we are confident that the upgrades will benefit the community in the long-term. The extra time and effort will result in an improved park space that will be enjoyed for years to come. The upgrades include new playground equipment, adding accessibility upgrades, a new shade sail, new bench and table seating, a paved area for painted games, a basketball half court, informal area for playing cricket and other games, and new bicycle racks. The new play equipment will provide various play experiences for children of all ages, while the accessibility upgrades will make the park more inclusive for all.

We are doing everything possible to complete the park as soon as possible. We will continue to provide updates on the progress and will announce a new opening date as soon as it is available.

Find parks and amenities near you

We understand caregivers and children miss a nearby space to play and hope other neighbouring park amenities can be used in the meantime. Discover parks and amenities in your neighbourhood using this City of Kitchener Parks story map. If you get a pop up asking you to sign in to ArcGIS, please click ‘Cancel’. It is not necessary to sign in to view the content.

View the story map

New ways to connect

You might have noticed that we updated our profiles. Our team also has a new email, so it is simpler to contact us. Whether you have questions about the park's development or want more information about its amenities, our team is here to help. We are committed to providing regular and informative communication with our community.

The project email is WestwoodPark@kitchener.ca

Thanks again for your patience and understanding as we continue to work on improving Westwood Park.

Unfortunately, the construction of Westwood Park has been delayed. The project was scheduled to be completed by the end of 2022. It is now expected to be complete by summer 2023.

The delay is due to unforeseen circumstances that have arisen during the construction process. We understand that this news may be disappointing to those who were looking forward to using the park. However, we are confident that the extra time and effort will result in improved park space that will be enjoyed for years to come. This park's improvements include replacing playground equipment, accessibility upgrades, and a new bicycle rack. The new play equipment will provide various play experiences for children of all ages.

We appreciate your understanding and patience. We will continue to provide updates on the progress and will announce a new opening date as soon as it is available.

Work on the new park space is progressing at Westwood Park.

You may see a camera mounted near the park that is recording the work as it unfolds. View the timelapse photography on the City’s website here. You can also find it under ‘Important Links’ on the project page Reimagining Westwood Park.

We appreciate your patience during construction. Please subscribe for updates to this project by using the 'Stay Informed' button on the Engage project page.

If you have any questions, contact Rebecca Roy, Landscape Architect, rebecca.roy@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2600 x 4151

Construction is starting at Westwood Park!

Fencing will go up in early July and the work of shaping the new park space will begin soon after. The park will be closed until construction is complete. We appreciate your patience during construction and will keep you updated as work progresses.

Please subscribe for updates to this page by using the 'Stay Informed' button.

If you have any questions, contact Rebecca Roy, Landscape Architect, rebecca.roy@kitchener.ca, 519-741-2600 x 4151