With its gorgeous gardens, boat launch and 18-hole disc golf course, Tom Thomson Park is arguably the jewel of South River. Residents will now have easier access to the park thanks to a grant from the Ontario Government’s Ontario Trillium Foundation.
The village is building an accessible trail to Tom Thomson Park, thanks to a $150,000 Capital grant from the OTF. The grant was awarded last fall and will significantly improve the non-motorized access to South River’s premier waterfront park. The Trail will safely connect walkers, cyclists, and those requiring mobility aids from the end of the sidewalk network to Tom Thomson Park and enhance the safety and accessibility of active transportation options for pedestrians and cyclists in the community. In addition to creating the trail, the grant also helped with costs for installing signage at both ends of the trail.
“It’s great to see a project like this in South River. By enhancing access and accessibility to Tom Thomson Park for everyone, it makes the park more of a community meeting space for all to enjoy,” said Parry Sound – Muskoka MPP Graydon Smith. “I applaud the Village of South River for their commitment to providing a safe, sustainable, and vibrant community for their residents. Thanks also to the Ontario Trillium Foundation for their support of this great project.”
The Village of South River’s mission statement is to be a safe, green, healthy, attractive, and economically vibrant community that plans for its future in a financially sustainable and economically responsible manner. This project fits all of the Village’s goals.
“South River is proud of our walking networks and this Trail is a significant upgrade allowing all pedestrians to safely access Tom Thomson Park, including passengers arriving on the Ontario Northland in 2026. The Ontario Government has been a strong partner in environmentally friendly transportation options for South River and we truly appreciate their support,” said Jim Coleman, Mayor of South River.
The Ontario Trillium Foundation’s (OTF) mission is to build healthy and vibrant communities across Ontario. As an agency of the Government of Ontario, and one of Canada’s leading granting foundations, last year, OTF invested over $110M into 1,022 community projects and partnerships.
“Non-profit organizations across Ontario deliver programming that makes a difference,” said Neil Lumsden, Minister of Tourism, Culture and Sport. “That’s why funding that my ministry is providing through the OTF is so important. Our government wants to ensure that these programs and spaces remain the heart of communities across our province.”
