Jason Biehn

Dillon was retained by the project architects to prepare the landscape strategy, detailed design and landscape construction drawings for the grounds of this boutique hotel on the site of the Canadian National Exhibition in Toronto. The concept for the project envisioned the hotel and restaurants in a garden park setting, integrated with the Direct Energy Centre and the Allstream Centre. The main public plaza provides for large events tied to the CNE while the south garden creates a series of gardens, private gathering areas, and other amenities for hotel guests. The public realm contributes to the formal promenade of the Exhibition lands and creates a tree-lined allée with shaded pedestrian urban spaces. 

Lake Wilcox Park is 5.48 hectares of exceptional waterfront parkland reflective of the area’s cultural, historical, and environmental heritage. Nestled along the eastern shores of Lake Wilcox, within the Oak Ridges Moraine, the Park’s design is founded on principles of an ecologically driven approach that balances recreational parkland with built facilities and an accessible and connected waterfront. An extensive consultation process with the public and Indigenous communities confirmed an integrated design approach and inspired the detailed design of the park. As a result, the natural and cultural history of the site is celebrated via symbolic detailed design forms, materials, and public art intricately woven throughout the landscape.