Explore Vaughan’s great outdoors this summer

Are you looking for fun activities to keep you and your family entertained this summer? We’ve got you covered! From exploring scenic trails to discovering live music and vibrant public art, Vaughan offers plenty of ways to keep everyone busy and entertained.

Here are the top things to do outdoors in Vaughan this season:

Take a stroll along a trail or neighbourhood walk

Lace up your walking shoes and embark on an outdoor adventure on one of the Great Walks of Vaughan. There’s a trail for all ages, abilities and comfort levels. Visit vaughan.ca/GreatWalks for more information and maps. You can also browse the Parks and Trails webpage for an interactive view of all trails and parks throughout the city, the Great Walks of Vaughan walking trail guide (PDF) and the City of Vaughan’s Great Walks map legend (PDF). 

Please note: trail access restrictions may be in effect while construction is underway at North Maple Regional Park. 

In addition to the Great Walks of Vaughan, our city has many other local trails to explore, including the Bartley Smith Greenway, William Granger Greenway (Humber Trail) and Nashville Conservation Reserve Trails that form part of the Vaughan Super Trail. Learn more about these trails at vaughan.ca/trails.

Sing along at Concerts in the Park

Vaughan Celebrates Concerts in the Park is now in its 32nd year, and residents have already enjoyed performances by tribute artists featuring the hits of Bruno Mars, The Beach Boys, Taylor Swift and Stevie Nicks. The series continues on select Wednesdays from 7:30 p.m. to 9 p.m. Learn more at vaughan.ca/concerts.

Upcoming performances include:

• Wednesday, July 29 (Ward 2): Still Rock’n Roll: Tribute to Billy Joel at Sonoma Heights Community Park, located at 100 Sunset Ridge
• Wednesday, Aug. 5 (Ward 1): Who Are You: Tribute to The Who at Mackenzie Glen District Park, located at 220 Cranston Park Ave.

Stay cool at Thornhill Outdoor Pool

Vaughan's outdoor pool is open for the season, giving residents a place to cool off and beat the summer heat. Located at 28 Centre St. (parking is available at 7822 Old Yonge St.), Thornhill Outdoor Pool features a 30-metre, five-lane swimming pool and an accessible shallow-water pool with beach entry. Registration for drop-in recreation swims, length swims and aquafitness programs opens seven days before each scheduled swim (four days for non-residents).

Get active on the courts 

Vaughan has plenty of sports courts where you can enjoy basketball, tennis and pickleball. As the weather warms up, what better way to get active, spend time with friends and make the most of the season outdoors. Explore the full list of City’s Parks (PDF) to find basketball, tennis and pickleball courts near you.

Discover art by local artists 

If you’re looking for an art adventure, Vaughan has public art stops to add to your summer plans. Across the city, 37 traffic signal boxes have been transformed into extraordinary works of art through the ARTonBOXES program. Check them out at the following locations:

Ward 1

• Highway 27 and Nashville Road - Reanna Niceforo, Stop and Smell the Flowers 

• Jane Street and Fredrick Banting Street – Sandra Scarpelli, Floral Healing

• Major Mackenzie Drive and Keele Street – Maria Suzdaleva, The Calmest Hour

• McNaughton Road and St. Joan of Arc Avenue - Terri Rain, The Common Thread 

• Melville Avenue and Major Mackenzie Drive – Maureen O’Connor, Godsend

• Melville Avenue and Springside Road – Hailey Shema, Joy

• North Maple Regional Park (11085 Keele St.) – Jennifer Raetsen, Untitled #1 Vaka

Ward 2

• Highway 7 and Kipling Avenue – Ziyi Jiang, Song of the Phoenix

• Highway 7 and Islington Avenue – Frank Mazzuca, Solus Par Aqua

• Highway 27 and Medallion Boulevard - Kyara Andrews, Blooming Between Buildings 

• Islington Avenue and Napa Valley Avenue – Alex Bray, In Bloom

• Martin Grove Road and Woodstream Boulevard - Tania LaCaria, Shrine

• Woodbridge Avenue and Clarence Street – Cailin Sadecka, Ethereality

• Woodbridge Avenue and Islington Avenue – Alessandra Raso, The Hunt

• Woodbridge Avenue and Kipling Avenue – Allyson Safran, Mountain Vast

• Woodbridge Avenue and the Market Lane Shopping Centre – Kaitlyn Hsieh, Wilderness

Ward 3

• Ansley Grove Road and Windflower Gate – Meegan Lim, Eternal Bloom, Endless Flight

• Ansley Grove and Embassy Drive - Rina Gottesman, Dance Party 

• Chrislea Road and Northview Boulevard – Daniel Zhang, Muskoka Woods

• Famous Avenue and Colossus Drive – Anna Ladizginsky, Twine

• Major Mackenzie Drive and Lawford Road – Joanna Katchutas, Iridescent Signs

• Weston Road and Ashberry Boulevard – Andre Kan, Fragment/Renewal

• Weston Road and Chrislea Road - Khaula Siddique - My Charming Neighbours

Ward 4

• Apple Mill Road and Jane Street – Ron Wild, Flower of Life

• Apple Mill Road and Millway Avenue – Marni Pellicane, Beauty of Banff

• Dufferin Street and Ten Oaks Boulevard - Danielle Cole - Shared Spaces  

• Dufferin Street and Confederation Parkway - Sandra Scarpelli - Floating

• Bathurst Street and Rutherford Road - Vridhhi Chaudhry, Paper Boat Letters

• Ilan Ramon Boulevard and Lebovic Campus Drive – Caia Rotman, Peggy

• Interchange Way in the Vaughan Metropolitan Centre – Thelia Sanders Shelton, Love Superheroes

Ward 5

• Atkinson Avenue and Clarke Avenue – Ashley Dadoun, River Healed

• Clark Avenue and Hilda Avenue - Danielle Cole, Plant Ladies

• Clark Avenue and New Westminster Drive – Lorenzo Pereira Misiunas, The Lone Boat

• Dufferin Street and Glen Shields Avenue (North Intersection) - Ingrid Mayrhofer - The Lily Pad

• New Westminster Drive and Conley Street - Lisa Litowitz - New Path

• Yonge Street and Clark Avenue – Rina Gottesman, Home is Where the Heart Is

• Yonge Street and Centre Street – Rana Silakhori, Snowy Serenity

Go on a bike ride through the city

Are you looking for a bike path or recreational trail to ride your bike this summer? There are many options available in the city – visit vaughan.ca/cycling to learn more about Vaughan’s cycling networks and trails!

Don’t have a bike? You can now rent e-bikes and e-scooters across the city! Learn more at vaughan.ca/micromobility. 

Cool off at your local splashpad

The City’s splashpads are now open daily from 9 a.m. to 8 p.m., subject to weather and surface conditions. It’s the perfect way to cool down and have fun on a hot summer day!

Find a splashpad near you:

Ward 1

• Crieff Parkette (45 Crieff Ave.)
• Mackenzie Glen District Park (220 Cranston Park Ave.)
• Maple Airport Park (121 Avro Rd.)
• Maple Lions Park (350 Cunningham Dr.)
• Melville Park (201 Melville Ave.)
• Secord Park (65 Secord Ave.)

Ward 2

• Father E. Bulfon Park (199 Forest Dr.)
• Doctors McLean District Park (8100 Islington Avenue) – coming soon
• Mapes Park (190 Mapes Ave.)
• McClure Meadows Park (8921 Martin Grove Rd.)
• Sonoma Heights Community Park (100 Sunset Ridge)
• Vaughan Mills Park (601 Vaughan Mills Rd.)

Ward 3

• Anthony Locilento Park (351 Velmar Dr.)
• Chancellor District Park (430 Chancellor Dr.)
• Chatfield District Park (100 Lawford Rd.)
• Matthew Park (1 Villa Royale Ave.)

Ward 4

• Cortellucci Square (300 Maplecrete Road)
• North Thornhill Community Centre (300 Pleasant Ridge Ave.)
• Carrville District Park (141 Castle Rock Dr.)

Ward 5

• Concord/Thornhill Regional Park (299 Racco Pkwy)
• Dufferin District Park (1441 Clark Ave. W.)
• Glen Shields Park (140 Glen Shields Ave.)
• Max Eisen Memorial Park (330 York Hill Boulevard)
• Thornhill Green Park (19 Beverley Glen Blvd.)
• Wade Gate Park (151 Wade Gate)

For more information, including maps of the splashpad locations, visit vaughan.ca/splashpads.

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