Frontenac Street Parkette
Frontenac Street Parkette is a new parkette planned for the northwest corner of Princess and Frontenac Streets in Kingston’s urban core. The parkette site is adjacent to the new development at 575 Princess Street.
The Frontenac Street Parkette design could include an urban gathering space, seating elements, pedestrian connections and natural elements such as trees and plantings or groundcovers. Parkette design is to be completed this spring.
Get involved and stay informed
There are three design options proposed for Frontenac Street Parkette. Review the options below, then complete the survey by June 29.
Design Option 1
Design option 1 includes two organic shaped raised planting beds with a curbed path and optional shade structure with cutouts between them, creating a sun/shade pattern on the ground.
Design Option 2
Design option 2 includes three angular shaped planters, each with a central area for vegetation and seating walls surrounding each planter.
Design Option 3
Design option 3 includes two large angular planters with seating walls, a central path and optional shade structure with triangular shapes. Seating walls face inwards, one is multi-tiered.
What's next?
Share your feedback on your preferred design option by completing the survey before June 22. Feedback from the survey will be shared in an engagement summary and used to inform the final park design.
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Design Options
There are three design options proposed for Frontenac Street Parkette. Review the options below.
Design Option 1
Design option 1 includes two organic shaped raised planting beds with a curbed path and optional shade structure with cutouts between them, creating a sun/shade pattern on the ground.
Design Option 2
Design option 2 includes three angular shaped planters, each with a central area for vegetation and seating walls surrounding each planter.
Design Option 3
Design option 3 includes two large angular planters with seating walls, a central path and optional shade structure with triangular shapes. Seating walls face inwards, one is multi-tiered.
What's next?
Share your feedback on your preferred design option by completing the survey before June 22. Feedback from the survey will be shared in an engagement summary and used to inform the final park design.
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What we heard: Initial Engagement
Why we engaged
The City sought feedback on the design of Frontenac Street Parkette, located at 575 Princess Street (northwest corner of Princess and Frontenac Streets).
Planned improvements could include an urban gathering space, seating elements, pedestrian connections and natural elements such as trees and plantings or groundcovers. The construction budget is approximately $200K.
How we engaged
Public engagement took place at the Inform and Consult levels of the IAP2 Spectrum of Public Participation. An online survey was open on Get Involved Kingston from Feb. 14 until March 9 2025. An option to submit feedback via email, mail or phone was also available. The engagement opportunities were promoted in a variety of ways, including :
- Facebook event
- Social Media posts
- Get Involved Kingston newsletter
- Signs placed on site
Who we heard from
- 7 engaged participants completed the survey
- 517 aware participants visited the webpage to learn more about the project
- 1 participant engaged with the City for the first time on Get Involved Kingston
What we heard
Overall, respondents emphasize a desire for trees and shrubs to be part of the parkette design. Most respondents see it as functioning as a place to rest and gather, and many offered considerations for the design in text comments. Below is a summary of survey responses.
Question 1: Function of Parkette
Respondents ranked the functions of the parkette in the following order, from most to least important:
Function of Parkette Average Rank Rest stop 2.50 Gathering space 2.80 Meeting place 3.00 Contemplative space 3.00 Refuge 3.75 Eating area 4.25 Waiting area 4.50 Question 2: Components
Respondents ranked the components of the parkette in the following order, from most to least important:
Components of Parkette Average Rank Trees and shrubs 1.43 Shade opportunity 2.50 Lighting 3.00 Seating opportunities 3.40 Planters 4.00 Garbage and recycling container 4.80 Paved area(s) 6.33 Question 3: Usage
Half of the respondents (50%) answered that they would visit the parkette “in the evening,” some (37.5%) said they would visit “in the afternoon,” with only 12.5% answering “in the morning.”
Figure A: Question 3 survey responses
Question 4: Additional Comments
Feedback received is mostly supportive of the parkette, with some suggestions and concerns identified. The following is a summary of comment themes :
- Traffic Concerns: Suggestions for road features to improve pedestrian safety.
- Budget: Curiosity about budget amount and suggestions for allocation of funds to specific amenities (chess table, tree, garbage cans).
- Maintenance: Emphasis on long-term maintenance in the parkette’s design and operation.
- Native Plants: Appreciation for the use of native plants that are suited for local conditions.
- Size and Functionality: Criticism of lot size and questioning of functionality beyond a cut-through for pedestrians.
- Green Streets Concepts: Recommendations to incorporate “Green Streets” concepts, water infiltration and prioritization of active transportation.
Next Steps
Feedback from this public engagement has been shared with the project team for review.
The parkette design is expected to be completed in Summer 2025, with construction anticipated to start in Fall 2025.
