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Community Leaders Gather to Envision a Persian Garden at Centre Park
- naiceyp
- May 23
- 2 min read
Thank you to everyone who joined us on May 9 for an important and thoughtful community conversation about the future Persian Garden in Willowdale’s Centre Park. We were grateful to bring together community leaders, architects, developers, cultural organizations, and leaders of local community groups with the Persian Garden Association to begin shaping a transparent and inclusive vision for this meaningful initiative.
I would like to sincerely thank MP Ehsassi for attending in person and speaking about the importance of creating a space where future generations of Iranian Canadians can connect with and take pride in their cultural heritage. We also extend our appreciation to Minister Parsa for joining virtually despite his busy schedule and for expressing his support for this community-driven initiative.
A special thank you as well to Khaki Restaurant for generously providing lunch for attendees, and to Super Arzon for contributing fresh pastries to the gathering.
During the meeting, participants discussed the importance of establishing a clear and collaborative path forward for the project. Key themes included:
Creating a steering committee to guide the initiative in a transparent and representative way
Ensuring meaningful community participation in decisions related to naming, design, and programming
Exploring opportunities to refine and evolve the design approach through collaboration and broader engagement
Building a strong foundation for fundraising, governance, and long-term sustainability
Learning from successful community-led projects, including the Asian Garden model
There was strong consensus that, while perspectives may differ, the shared goal remains the same: creating a meaningful cultural space that brings people together and serves as a lasting legacy for Toronto’s Iranian community.
As a next step, work will begin on forming a steering committee to help guide the project through its next phase and support ongoing community involvement.
