The City is refurbishing the play structure at Riverview Park, as the current slide and swings are old and need to be replaced. This renewal will also allow for the park’s accessible amenities to be brought back up to standard.
A survey was open on the Engage Ottawa project page in February for residents to provide feedback on the proposed concept designs. Staff have received the survey feedback and are now finalizing the park design.
1. What were the survey results?
Based on resident feedback, Concept B was highlighted as the preferred design, with the following common themes:
- Residents want a playground that is fun, creative, and easy for all children to use.
- A number of residents asked for better accessibility for children and caretakers with different needs.
- Shade, benches and good drainage are important to families who use the park.
This feedback will help us improve the design and make the playground more inclusive, engaging, and enjoyable for everyone in the community. Please note, these are concept designs, and minor changes can be expected as design and construction move forward.
The What We Heard report can now be found on the City’s Engage Ottawa website.
2. What are the accessible features of this playground?
The City is required to meet Accessibility Design standards. As part of the proposed design, a number of new accessible features have been proposed, including:
- A path to new and existing play features
- Accessible saucer swing option
- An accessible ramp
- Engineered wood fibre (EWF) surfacing
- Accessible bench
Residents may have noted that within the survey, there were questions about accessibility needs for the community. Staff will review this input to see if and how the design can be adjusted to meet any specific community needs.
3. What is engineered wood fibre (EWF)?
Engineered wood fibre (EWF) is a standard product used across the City and other municipalities, school boards and public parks. It meets our City of Ottawa Accessibility design standards and CSA standards for impact. The EWF in City parks are maintained regularly and replaced as needed.
Each year City staff present park projects to the Accessibility Advisory Committee and EWF is frequently highlighted as one of the enhancements to make play areas more accessible. It is also a cost-effective option compared to alternative accessible surfacing options, such as rubber surfacing, which is significantly more expensive and is used selectively. A project in 2025 was quoted $12,000 for EWF and $98,000 for rubber surfacing for the same area.
4. Why were we restricted to only a few features and not able to add more?
This project is a life-cycle renewal, which replaces ‘like-for-like’, and where required, brings amenities up to current standards.
5. Will any trees have to be cut down for the new playground?
All trees will be preserved with the new playground, with new trees proposed in the concept designs.