Our design for the Brunswick-College Parkette envisions a more inviting, comfortable and accessible space, as well as an attractive gateway to the Annex neighbourhood from College Street.
Our strategy is to increase the parkette's permeable and vegetated surfaces and to create areas for relaxation and socializing. The additional vegetation starts with the fern wall, which will provide cooling in the summer and help to mitigate the urban heat island effect. The fern wall connects to the terraced surfaces, which descend from the North East corner of the parkette and are planted with native species such as Dogwood, a variety of ferns, Lily-of-the-Valley, wild strawberries and red fescue, which serves as a walkable surface between the terrace-edge seating. Flowering Perennials toward College Street provide variety and colour, as well as habitat for butterflies, bees and other pollinators.
(Competitor's text)
Another elaborate garden feature, a green wall, is planted on the west side. While this was well received by green‐inclined visitors, it does seem to pose problems of maintenance, irrigation and potential water damage. The park space features an elaborate, multi‐angled aircraft carrier flight‐deck pattern of concrete, boardwalk and various plantings in its pavement, the lack of a clear N‐S orientation in which might be confusing and irritating to people walking through. Seating is said to be provided at the "terrace edge" (in the piled up block structure at the NE corner of the parkette, adjacent to KHC?) but otherwise benches appear to be non‐existent.
I like the looks of the plant material but there is way too much for that space. Like also that they have removed all the visual barriers. Wooden board walk ‐ not a good idea. Really like the green wall.
(Excerpt from the jury's comments)
