Item - 2025.IE21.6

The Infrastructure and Environment Committee recommends that:  

1. City Council authorize the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, in consultation with Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, to extend the existing License Agreement with High Park Initiatives governing the use of the High Park Forest School for a term of 10 years from August 1, 2025 to July 31, 2035, with an option to extend for an additional 10 years to July 31, 2045, and to amend the Agreement to address the licensed area and license fees, substantially on terms and conditions as described in Attachment 1 to the report (April 23, 2025) from the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and the Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and on such other terms and conditions deemed appropriate by the General Manager, Parks and Recreation, and Executive Director, Corporate Real Estate Management, and in form and content satisfactory to the City Solicitor.

The purpose of this report is to seek approval from City Council to amend and extend an existing license agreement with High Park Initiatives, the registered charity which operates the High Park Nature Centre in the High Park Forest School building and offers year-round nature-based programming throughout the park. The recommendations in this report will enable High Park Initiatives to continue its programming while addressing operational impacts from recent and planned capital improvements in the park. These improvements include a renovation to the Forest School building and the completion of an outdoor nature education space adjacent to the Forest School. This report recommends amending the licensed area to formalize High Park Initiatives’ current use of the outdoor nature education space as well as the building at 440 Parkside Drive, which will house High Park Initiatives' operations during the Forest School renovation. This report also recommends adjusting High Park Initiatives' annual license fee and extending the term of the license.