Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park

General Information

As of July 1, 2024, Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park, is Ontario’s newest year round day use provincial park to be established under the Provincial Parks and Conservation Reserves Act, 2006.

The creation of Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park has been built on a legacy of conservation, natural and cultural heritage protection and an interest in providing recreational opportunities. The park will provide physical and mental health benefits to local residents and visitors from across Ontario by building stronger connections between communities and providing a space for high quality recreation. Providing recreational opportunities and access to nature will inspire residents and visitors to explore the local landscape and learn more about the area.

Activities

As of July 1, 2024, limited park operations and self-guided activities will be available while the park management planning process is being conducted. When the final park management plan is released, we will take a gradual and phased in approach to park operations and any new park development.

Please note: Availability of some areas of the park and activities may be restricted due to ecological concerns, or may be seasonally restricted depending on the weather, etc.

Activities permitted:

• Hiking/walking
• Biking/Mountain Biking
• Pet Exercise (pets must be on a leash at all times)
• Skiing and snowshoeing are welcomed on hiking trails. However, please note that trails are not maintained or track set and be sure to use caution during winter months.

Activities not permitted:

• Camping
• Campfires
• Off-road Motorized Vehicle Use (e.g., all-terrain vehicles (ATVs), utility terrain vehicles (UTVs), dirt bikes, snowmobiles, etc.)
• Hunting

Access and parking

Limited parking is available at:

• 565 Old Stouffville Road – limited to 6 parking spaces
• 579 Old Stouffville Road – limited to 4 parking spaces

If the parking area is full, for public safety please do not park along municipal roads. Consider visiting at another time or visiting any of the local trail networks and recreational areas including:

• Township of Uxbridge Trails
• Durham Regional Forest (Lake Simcoe Region Conservation Authority)
• West Duffins Headwaters (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)
• East Duffins Headwaters (Toronto and Region Conservation Authority)
• Ontario Nature Trails near Uxbridge
• Trans Canada Trails

Operating Hours

Visitors are permitted to be in the park from 8:00 a.m. to 10:00 p.m. daily

Please be safe and plan to be off trails before dusk.

Trail Map:

Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park - Trail Map

Contact Information

For general inquiries or operational concerns for Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park, please contact:

Park Superintendent
Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park
c/o Southeast Zone, Ontario Parks Operations Branch, 300 Water St., Peterborough, Ontario, K9J 3C7
(705) 875-3116
Ontario Parks contact page

Park Environment

Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park is made up of individual parcels of lands within the Township of Uxbridge and surrounding communities. This is different from a typical provincial park, which is generally one connected land area.

Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park will:

• strengthen the long-term protection of biodiversity, important habitats and ecosystems in Southern Ontario’s greenspaces
• improve access to greenspaces
• provide Ontario families and visitors with more opportunities to enjoy the outdoors and the area’s natural beauty
• connect parcels of land to create a corridor of trails
• endeavor to connect communities and greenspaces to other parks and trail networks

After preliminary assessments, we found that the initial 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.

Park Management Planning

We have started work on developing a park management plan which would provide direction to:

• protect nature and biodiversity
• guide land uses, and recreational opportunities (where appropriate)

There are a few stages during the park management planning process where we will provide an opportunity for the public, Indigenous communities and stakeholders to provide feedback before we release a final park management plan.

Planning Stages for Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park:

1. Background Information (summer 2024)
2. Preliminary management plan (fall 2024)
3. Park management plan (2025)

If you have any questions, are interested in learning more about the management planning processes or would like to be placed on the management planning mailing list, please contact:

Kendra Couling, A/Senior Park Planner
Southeast Zone, Ontario Parks Operations Branch
Email: planning.sez@ontario.ca
Tel: 705-313-6491

Step 1: Background Information Document (current step)

As a first step, we have prepared a background information document that summarizes what we know about Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park and a summary of the 2023 survey results and regulation amendment proposal comments received relating to park management planning. This information will be the basis for all upcoming planning stages, including the development of a management plan which will guide the parks’ long-term protection, development and management.

The background information document provides information on:

• the park lands and those that are adjacent,
• natural and cultural heritage,
• recreational use taking place in the area,
• commercial uses currently taking place within the park
• pressures having an effect on values within the park

The background information document and summary of survey results and comments relating to park management for Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park is currently available for public review and comment for a 45-day period on the Environmental Registry of Ontario at ero.ontario.ca; search for number 019-8727.

Step 2: Preliminary Management Plan (Fall 2024)

We will release the preliminary park management plan and management options for public and Indigenous community consultation. The preliminary park management plan will identify proposed:

• areas for protection and recreation
• uses and ecologically sustainable recreational activities
• areas for access
• potential development

Step 3: Park Management Plan (2025)

When the final park management plan is in place, we will take a gradual and phased in approach to park operations and any new park development.

Adding more lands

We are also looking for opportunities to add lands to expand the park boundary in the future by working with the Township of Uxbridge, The Regional Municipality of Durham, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority and private landowners to identify lands they have that could potentially be added to the park.

Lands could be transferred or donated to, or purchased by, the province to expand the park.

We are looking for lands that fall within the Township of Uxbridge (see “study area” map) that provides opportunity to make trail connections.

Should new lands be identified for protection, the province will propose regulating new lands and adding them to the Uxbridge Urban Provincial Park. Any new park land additions to the provincial park would require consultation with the public and Indigenous communities.

Private landowners can submit a proposal to donate or sell your private property to the province by contacting planning.sez@ontario.ca.