Mulock Park News and Updates

Drilling the geothermal well field (Fun fact - geothermal heating and cooling for the main buildings is estimated to save 500+ tonnes of CO2 by 2050)

Throughout the park, we are installing buried water, sewer, storm drainage, geothermal pipes, communications and electrical services for the different buildings in the park.

Building the foundation for the Skate Pavillion and Conservatory Greenhouse.

Along Mulock Drive, our partners at NT Power are replacing poles on the south side of the street to provide a new electrical supply to the park.

Big machines are moving the earth to shape the park, and new retaining walls are being constructed along Mulock Drive - this will form the new, 38-space Mulock Drive parking lot.

Building the maintenance building near Osler Court which will serve the park.

Retaining wall construction

Creating the pumphouse for the Riverine Fountain – this is a cool feature which runs along Yonge Street. The creek-like riverine will provide a space to splash and play, a tranquil ambiance and the sound of a trickling brook to provide a barrier from the traffic.

Transplanting selected trees at the north end of the former Jim Bond Park, near Jordanray Boulevard. This work is needed to make space for the future Natural Discovery Playscape. Trees will be relocated and planted on-site, as part of the Town’s commitment to protecting as many trees as possible.

Construction of the Mulock Drive Parking Lot and the driveway to Mulock House is underway and will continue throughout the summer.

Construction of buried electrical duct banks. You may have seen the large concrete chambers at the west end of the park. These will be buried and connected by underground conduits to distribute electricity throughout the park.

Installation of new storm drains, sanitary sewers, and watermains around Mulock House. Did you know: Mulock Park is carefully designed so that water runoff infiltrates into the ground, and goes back into the earth instead of being lost in storm drains.

The topsoil will be temporarily removed from construction areas so we can install utilities, shape the land and create the park’s features. All topsoil temporarily removed will be stockpiled and re-instated at the end of the project to support the final grass and plantings.

Utilities and underground servicing installation, including storm drains, watermains, and electrical duct banks.

Construction vehicle traffic may increase on Yonge and Mulock. Dump trucks will be delivering gravel, pipe and materials to the site.

Creation of the parking lot on Mulock Drive. This may include temporary sidewalk closures for the safety of travellers. All closures will be clearly signed at Yonge Street and Double Tree Lane, directing pedestrians and cyclists to the sidewalk on the south side of Mulock Drive.

• This parking lot will include approximately 40 spaces with a larger parking lot (200 spaces) created in the hydro corridor to balance the community’s need for parking and desire to keep the park natural.
  

Geothermal duct bank installation. This includes buried pipes on the Great Lawn to create a geothermal system to heat and cool many of the buildings on the site (learn more about environmental initiatives).

Tree protection fencing has been placed around trees and their roots to ensure they are protected during construction. Some of the fencing will even remain after the park opens to allow nature to re-establish itself in reforested areas. This is an important part of the Town’s tree stewardship strategy which will keep the site natural, increasing the total tree cover for coming generations.

Selective tree removal is nearly complete. The Town is protecting as many trees as possible, and replacing every tree removed with more than three new trees. The site may look more open now, during the construction process. Rest assured it will not only be restored, but much improved. New trees will be planted at the end of the project. You can find out more about the thoughtful tree stewardship strategy for Mulock Park in this article.

A temporary chain link fence has been installed to secure the work site and keep the public from entering an active construction zone.

Geothermal Well testing on the Great Lawn. People passing the Mulock Park site may have seen the tracked drilling rig located on the future Great Lawn. The Mulock House, Greenhouse Conservatory, and Artist Studio will be heated and cooled using an environmentally friendly ground source heat pump system. Temperature measurements taken at this test well will help the Town’s engineers adjust the system to work correctly.

Some building demolition and revitalization. The existing pool house and garage will be demolished as they are at the end of their service lives. The garage site will be the location for the new Greenhouse Conservatory. The existing stable will be restored and converted into the artist studio. The stable will undergo selective, careful demolition to preserve key elements. Nearby residents can expect some noise when the pool house and garage come down.

Earth-moving and excavation is expected to start later in March. All trucks are required to use Yonge Street or Mulock Drive for access. Neighbours may experience some noise, dust, and vibration, depending on the weather. We are working with the Contractor to minimize these impacts. Soil excavated on the site will be used to build new landscape features, saving on trucking costs and impacts.