Centennial Park Skating Trail.

A new refrigerated skating trail where Centennial Park's ski hill used to be, in Etobicoke.

client: City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry and Recreation
location: Centennial Park, Etobicoke
year: 2023 to present
status: under construction, opening for the 2026–27 season
thinc's role: prime consultant and landscape architect: analysis, concept, detailed design, contract documents, contract administration
team: Moon-Matz (mechanical), Pinpoint Engineering (civil), Orbit Engineering (geotechnical)

Centennial Park opened in 1967, and its small alpine ski hill was built on top of a former municipal landfill. With demand changing, the City of Toronto is retiring the ski hill and turning the area into a new refrigerated outdoor skating trail.

thinc design is the prime consultant and landscape architect, leading a team of mechanical, civil and geotechnical engineers from site investigation and concept through contract documents and construction. The trail loops beside the existing ski chalet, and the work includes upgrades to the chalet and the former ski lift building to house the refrigeration equipment and support the trail.

Building on a former landfill shaped the design, from engineered fill and drainage to how site services are routed. The trail is now under construction and is set to open for the 2026–27 skating season.

Rendered concept plan of the Centennial Park skating trail beside the ski chalet — concept plan

Skating trail curbs and slab base along the curve, Centennial Park — trail curbs and slab base, October 2026

Refrigeration pipe grid on the skating trail, with the former ski hill behind — refrigeration piping, with the former ski hill behind

Supply and return headers feeding the skating trail refrigeration loops — supply and return headers

Refrigeration piping laid across the skating trail bed, Centennial Park — piping laid across the trail bed

Curved concrete curb and refrigeration piping grid beside a manhole on the Centennial Park skating trail — the trail curve with piping in place, October 29, 2026

Refrigeration piping grid curving along a concrete curb toward the ski chalet at Centennial Park — piping grid running toward the ski chalet, October 29, 2026

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