Asphalt trails
Wilson Farm Park
Westminster Woods Park
Waverly Drive Park
W.E. Hamilton Park
- WE Hamilton Park
- W.E. Hamilton Park beach volleyball courts
- W.E. Hamilton Park baseball diamond
University Village Park
Guelph Community Food Forest
The food forest is located in University Village Park. This is Guelph’s first Urban Demonstration Food Forest. The food forest is being maintained and used for education purposes on topics of food security, urban green space design, water management, pollinator habitat and natural heritage.
For more information
Guelph Community Food Forest
[email protected]
Steffler Park
Springdale Park
South End Community Park
Skov Park
Silvercreek Park
Silvercreek Park also includes a designated turtle nesting area.
- Silvercreek Park on the Speed River
- Silvercreek Park picnic shelter
- Skatepark in Silvercreek Park
Severn Drive Park
Royal City Park
- Royal City Park bandshell
- Royal City Park play structure
- Royal City Park
Riverside Park
Riverside Park is a perfect location to host seasonable events. The Park offers the following: Floral Clock and Rock Gardens; a fully accessible children’s playground; an outdoor concert shell; an antique carousel; miniature train; horseshoe pits; a sand beach area; trails along the river front; 3 baseball diamonds; a scaled model of the first house built in Guelph by John Galt; and a large and small picnic shelter. A leash free zone located on the east side of the Speed River.
Playground
The updated play area offers a new playground featuring a tube slide, tower, swings and climbing obstacles. New asphalt pathways, seating areas and a combination of rubber and wood surfaces for kids to play on surround the new playground.
Floral clock
The Floral Clock and Gardens are meticulously maintained and open daily for your enjoyment. Thousands of interesting plants provide beauty and colour year round. These gardens are perfect for wedding photographs, however, note that the gardens cannot be reserved. Please be courteous of other wedding parties and other members of the public who maybe sharing the space with you.
Plants used in the floral display
- Petunia Sky Blue
- Alternanthera ficoidea Yellow Form – Yellow Alternanthera
- Alternanthera ficoidea Red Form – Red Alternanthera
- Santolina virens Green Form – Green Santolina
- Coleus Wasabi
- Petunia African Sunset
- Coleus Henna
- Easy Wave Blue Petunia
- Senecio cineraria – Dusty Miller
- Coleus Electric Lime
- Coleus Indian Summer
Amusement rides
Private bookings
For private bookings outside of regular operating hours, email [email protected].
Pine Ridge Park
Pinch Park
Peter Misersky Park
Grange Hill Community Garden
Tools, gardening advice and community spirit provided! If you participate you will get a personal garden plot (10′ by 10′), use of garden tools, use of water, and garden advice.
Orin Reid Park
O’Connor Lane Park
Northview Park
Norm Jary Park
Named after Guelph’s long-serving former Mayor in 2000.
Morningcrest Park
Mollison Park
Margaret Greene Park
Lee Street Park
Joseph Wolfond Park East
John McCrae Memorial Gardens
John Galt Park
Downtown Neighbourhood Association Community Garden
Located in John Galt Park behind the River Run Centre and adjacent to the Heffernan Bridge.
Joe Veroni Park
Howden Crescent Park
Heritage Park
Hartsland Park
Hanlon Creek Park
Golfview Park
Goldie Mill Park and ruins
Park features and amenities
- Downtown Trail (Trans Canada Trail) – stone dust and asphalt trail
- Goldie Mill ruins
- Parking
- Public washrooms at 75 Cardigan Street, adjacent to the ruins
Goldie Mill ruins
Goldie Mill is located in Goldie Mill Park at the northeast corner of Cardigan and Norwich streets and on the west bank of the Speed River in the city of Guelph. This three-storey limestone building, now a ruin, was constructed in 1866.
Goldie Mill facility bookings
Please review the 2021 Goldie Mills booking information document for information related to:
- Seasonal opening/closing dates;
- Fees;
- Booking specific information;
2021 Outdoor Booking Application
Schedules
Please note that these dates are subject to change due to COVID-19 and a minimum of 72 hours is required for processing new or additional booking requests.
- Saturday, May 1, 2021 – First day of Goldie Mill bookings.
- Sunday, October 10, 2021 – Last day of Goldie Mill bookings.
Fees
Please note that fees are based on 2021 rates and fees. Additional fees may apply depending on the details around your request. The minimum time to book is 2 hours.
- $53.49 + HST (per hour)
Please note: Wedding rental requests will be accepted for the 2021 and 2022 season. An application and damage deposit fee is due at the time of the booking.
City of Guelph Cancellation Policy
- Refunds are given to users that provide written notice at least 30 calendar days advance of the booked date.
- Refunds will not be given for rain or inclement weather.
- If cancelling a wedding request, the damage deposit fee will be refunded.
Special events
- If you are hosting a community or public event, please complete the special event application form.
- If you are requesting to have alcohol at your event, please complete the Alcohol Risk Management Policy Questionnaire.
- If you are requesting to film, please complete the Filming Permit Application.
- For an event attended by the public or event where you do not know each attendee, you are required to contact Wellington-Dufferin-Guelph Public Health at least 60 days prior to your event if you are serving food at a public event. This does not apply to private events where it will be attended by your invited guests only.
Features
- May be reserved for performances, weddings and other events
- Hydro is available
- Capacity: 160 persons
- Public washrooms at 75 Cardigan Street, adjacent to the ruins are closed; portable washrooms can be rented for special events.
Goldie Mill on Canada’s Historic Places website
Goldie Mill was designated, by the City of Guelph, for its historic and architectural value under Part IV of the Ontario Heritage Act (By-law (1983)-11323).
Heritage value
The former Goldie Mill site is one of the most historic manufacturing locations in Guelph. In 1827, David Gilkison, a cousin of Guelph’s founder John Galt, built a sawmill beside the Speed River. In 1845, doctors W. Clarke and H. Orton built the “Wellington Mills.” Shortly after a fire in 1850, the mills were rebuilt in stone and renamed the “People’s Mills.” After another fire, in 1864, the land was purchased by James Goldie, who enlarged and rebuilt the stone building, in 1866. As the owner of Goldie Mill, James was considered one of the leading flour manufacturers and dealers in Ontario, and served as president of the Ontario Millers’ Association.
The flour mills continued to expand and flourish under the direction of the Goldie family until sold in 1918. The mill continued to be operated until a spring flood in 1929 carried away the dam. A fire in 1953 completely destroyed the building, and it is now maintained as a ruin by the Grand River Conservation Authority.
In the 19th century, the manufacturing complex included a foundry, sawmill, cooperage, distillery, piggery and tannery. The diverse and long-time use of Goldie Mill contributed significantly to the growth and prosperity of Guelph. The mill has been characterized as a model flour mill in Canada.
Among the unique architectural features of the masonry construction of the thick stone walls are double-reinforced stone lintels, an unusual type of construction in Ontario. The most impressive remaining section of the structure was built in 1867 with quarry-faced limestone. All stone was quarried on the mill property.
The heritage designation covers all masonry construction, which survives after the 1983 stabilization project, the 90-foot brick chimney as well as the surrounding property as purchased by Grand River Conservation Authority in March 1976.
Legal description
Part of the Mill Lands on Cardigan Street and Part of the original bed of the River Speed, in the Canada Company’s Survey of the Town, now City of Guelph, and which may be also known as part of the Saw Mill Lot in Divisions “A” and “F”.
Designated portions
- The three-storey stone walls of the north-westerly section
- The two-storey stone walls of the Elevator Building (middle section)
- The brick chimney
- The riverside wall including ruins of the boiler room windows.
The remainder of the property is designated to include:
- Foundations which are buried to the north and northwest of the ruins
- River willows along the riverbank of the property
- Retention of other trees on the property is not required under this designation.
A chimney of swifts
The City of Guelph worked with the Ontario Ministry of Natural Resources and Forestry (MNRF) to relocate a pair of chimney swifts to Goldie Mill’s 90-foot tall chimney.
Resources
- Tree Inventory and Recommendations (August 2020)
- Previous testing reports are available on GRCA website
Ferndale Park
Exhibition Park
Established in 1871, the land was purchased by the City for its annual exhibition. The park included a horse race track, exhibition building and livestock sheds. Later additions included a bandstand and baseball diamonds. The original stadium was built in 1925 and the arena in 1965.