Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park

The Uxbridge Urban Provincial park is made up of 532 hectares (1,315 acres) of lands in unconnected properties in the Township of Uxbridge. Instead of a single connected block, the park is made up of individual parcels of lands within the Uxbridge area. View the map. The park will strengthen the long-term protection of biodiversity and important habitats within the park while providing opportunities for visitors to enjoy the area’s natural beauty.

The parcels of lands making up Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park:

• include several unique types of natural spaces that need protection
• contain important wetland areas and older-growth forest in good condition
• contribute to watershed protection and connectivity of the greater landscape
• contain significant features such as species at risk and a provincially significant Area of Natural and Scientific Interest.

And while they’re the park lands are not all connected today, it’s possible they might be linked by other lands, recreational areas, and trail systems in the future.

The vision is to expand the park boundary over time and to link existing recreational and conservation areas with the park.

The province is working with The Regional Municipality of Durham, The Township of Uxbridge, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, Nature Conservancy of Canada, Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority, The Schad Foundation, and Green Durham Association, to identify the full recreational and protection potential of an expanded urban provincial park in this area.

On Nov. 27^th, the Provincial Government invited the public to review the Preliminary Management Plan and provide feedback. The final Preliminary Management Plan will be posted in Spring 2024 after Ontario Parks has a chance to review public comments and amend the document.

 

Between April 2023 and June 2024 Ontario Parks conducted extensive indigenous, stakeholder and public consultation and published background information prior to opening the park on July 1^st, 2024.

 

Southern Ontario is underrepresented in the amount of environmentally significant areas protected by Ontario Parks. Once land is placed into a Provincial Park it is given the highest order of environmental protection permanently. Greenspaces included in the park will be protected from future development enabling future generations to enjoy them. The park will contribute to a healthier environment because it will connect greenspaces to support wildlife corridors, contribute to watershed protection, preserve sensitive natural spaces, support species and habitats at risk, and protect areas of significant natural or scientific interest. It is also anticipated that areas of the park will be used to promote young people's understanding of conservation issues.

Economic benefits will result from the Township of Uxbridge and neighbouring communities becoming a destination for visitors.  The Township’s location adjacent to one of North America’s largest urban populations creates endless opportunities for attracting visitors to local trails to experience nature close to home.

There is already evidence in Uxbridge that trails can bring an economic boost, with the establishment of a local businesses catering to bikers, hikers and casual walkers. Eco-tourism is a growing segment of the booming tourist industry, and the new park will provide an attractive destination close to home.

The health benefits of regular exposure to nature have been extensively documented in medical and other journals. Walking has been found to be one of the most beneficial forms of exercise, and walking in nature especially is very effective at improving mental health. The need for opportunities of a "nature fix" is becoming greater as urban population densities get larger, with more people resident in high-rise buildings with little or no immediate access to green space. Having an extensive system of trails and natural areas right on the doorstep will be a benefit of huge significance.

Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park is located within the areas of the Williams Treaties (1923) and the Gunshot Treaty (Johnson-Butler Purchase) of 1787-1788.

The last private owner of the Provincial Park lands was the Tanenbaum family. Joey Tanenbaum was a Canadian businessman of note and patron of the arts. The Tanenbaum’s family named their property “Gan Eden”, which is Hebrew for “Garden of Eden”.

In 2000, Mr. Tanenbaum sought to build a significant housing development on these parcels of land which was strongly opposed by local residents and not supported by the Township of Uxbridge Council. After a series of hearings and appeals a solution was negotiated with assistance from the then Minister of Municipal Affairs and Housing, Chris Hodgson.  Mr. Tanenbaum received provincially-owned lands in North Pickering already zoned for development, and in return the Uxbridge lands came into Provincial ownership. The 1,300 acres, including the Gan Eden lands, have been provincially owned since the land swap. Some of these lands are tenanted and are used for farming and maple-syrup production.

The concept of creating a park with these lands and the idea of trail linkages was first originated by a group of Uxbridge residents who consolidated under the name "Uxbridge Naturally". Their goal was to promote conservation and access to nature on the provincial lands. The names of those involved include  Brian Buckles, John McCutcheon, Mayor Gerri Lynn O'Connor, Wynn Walters, Dave Martin, Roy Megarry and Michael Tucker.

The concept of having linked trails form an expansive trail network was first conceived by Uxbridge Naturally. Uxbridge Naturally proposed a network of trails within the town of Uxbridge and was a key partner in efforts to obtain the official federal designation as “the Trail Capital of Canada”. At the same time, a group of Uxbridge conservationists developed a network of trails in southern part of the Township. This concept of trail linkages connecting areas of protected land has been adopted by the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park planners.

A collaborative effort led by Green Durham Association and Mayor Dave Barton and supported regionally by surrounding municipalities, conservation authorities and environmental groups successfully lobbied the Provincial Government between 2018 and 2023 for the Provincial lands to be made available for public use.