Toronto officially embraces the trash panda with new Raccoon Park

Toronto officially opened on Tuesday a new midtown park named after a critter much loved in the city despite its late-night raiding of garbage cans.

Raccoon Park islocated at86 Soudan Ave., in the Yonge Street and Eglinton Avenue East area. It featuresa playground, grassy areas, a splash pad anda large raccoon head and tail an homage to the trash pandas that call the city home.

Coun. Josh Matlow, who represents Ward 12, Toronto-St. Paul's, was on hand to cut the ribbon at its official opening on Tuesday evening.

Matlow said in an interview before that the park not only celebrates raccoons, it also celebrates the local community.

"I know that not everyone is wild about the raccoons, but this is our way of signing a peace accord, saying we celebrate Toronto's icon, butmost importantly, have a little fun with it," he said.

"If any raccoon does cometo this park, they will be safe. They do have safe harbour here at Raccoon Park," he added.

Matlow said the surrounding community is growing and needs morehousing, schools, infrastructure, child care and parks.

'All about community,' lead designer says

David Pantaleo, an associate andlandscape architectwith O2 Planning + Design and thelead designer on the project, said the planning process took seven years.The city started building it last year, he said.

While the city wanted an animal theme, Pantaleo said he came up with the idea of a raccoon focus.

Pantaleosaid the community wanted a space for children to playthat was whimsical, fun and safe. Children were included in the community consultation, he added.

"This was all about community," Pantaleo said.

WATCH | Raccoon Park officially opens in midtown Toronto:

An ode to the trash panda: Raccoon Park officially opens in midtown Toronto

9 days ago

Duration 2:56

Toronto has a new park and playground and it's named after a furry friend that the city has a complicated relationship with. The official ribbon cutting for Raccoon Park near Yonge and Eglinton was held on Tuesday. The CBC's Dale Manucdoc was there.

He said the surrounding community has an old established neighbourhood and a new modern and more recently builtcommunity.

"We want this to kind of be that hub that brought both communities together, both new and established, and so we're mixing older style materials, being natural, inwith a little bit more of a contemporary approach," he said.

Matlow saidcity wanted to be playful in naming the park.The mammals have"adapted well to city life," the city says on its website.

"The raccoon is an iconic animal in Toronto," Matlow said. "Love them or hate them, they're here. Weshare the city with them."