North Dumfries residents step up to make park revitalization project reality
Partnerships with township and public and private organizations pave way to creation of community focal point
Brown’s Subdivision in the Township of North Dumfries features a circular road system, which for many years also served as a social circle of sorts for this rural community of 100 or so residents west of Cambridge.
“People actually walk the road at night in a circle,” said Warren Yerex, a resident for nearly three decades. “And that's sort of been the only community piece that there is here.”
There was an open field/park nearby – greenspace that had been set aside about 40 years ago as a requirement when the subdivision was built. But aside from a children’s playground structure, and later, some soccer frames that lacked netting, many residents considered the space to be lacking overall.
“Nobody used it for soccer, and nobody was using the property,” Warren said.
Residents decided they wanted more and sprang into action. They wouldn’t have known it at the time, but their efforts would ultimately be rewarded and eventually serve to highlight the power of the collaborative spirit and potential impact of resident-led community partnerships.
“Four years ago, some of us were talking, out for a walk, and it became obvious to us that this property was being wasted as greenspace,” Warren said.
As luck would have it, around that time, the township was preparing to approve a 10-year Leisure Services Master Plan, and the township was investigating adding rural parks.
Residents formed an ad-hoc committee known as the Brown’s Community Park Committee, co-chaired by Warren and his wife Liz. A survey was sent to residents asking for their input on a potential new vision for the park; the feedback was directed to the township for consideration, and the rest, as they say, is history.
Fast-forward to 2026 and area residents are now reaping the benefits of their stated desires.
Revitalized park officially opened June 5
Oakwoods Park, a 1.74 Ha property in Brown’s Subdivision reopened in June 2026 after undergoing a year-long revitalization.
What began with the installation of a play structure in 2021 was embraced as a community partnership with North Dumfries Township and now offers a new pavilion, pickleball court, half-court basketball court, benches, playground shade structure, trees, and a trail with signage connecting into the woodlot.
A new pavilion, named The Meeting Place, serves as a focal point and main gathering place within the park. Its construction was made possible thanks to funding through Waterloo Region Community Foundation (WRCF)’s Community Grants program, with funding coming from the North Dumfries Community Fund. This contribution has been recognized with a plaque on site.
“When we got the grant, we were very, very surprised – but thrilled. Thrilled. Almost shocked,” Warren said.
"It was extremely smooth working with WRCF,” he added.
Local company CBM Canada Building Materials donated the cement pad and some funds for the pavilion, and a local contractor donated the materials and labour for the gravel base beneath the cement pad.
The pavilion has already hosted numerous community events, family gatherings and picnics, as examples of the park project having bolstered social infrastructure – the shared places, experiences and resources that enable people to connect in meaningful ways.
“I think since this initiative started, everybody has started to get to know each other (a bit more),” Liz said.
The Park committee was tasked with raising money for trees and benches. Five commemorative benches and 7 family trees were planted on behalf of residents who made donations. Each tree and bench was recognized with a dedication plaque.
On a recent long weekend, Warren and Liz stood in the park admiring what was unfolding in front of them.
“We saw 12 different people – four people playing pickleball, four people playing basketball, another four walking the trails, and then us, just watching what was going on,”
For more information on the Oakwoods Park revitalization project, visit northdumfries.ca/news/posts/official-reopening-of-oakwoods-park
For more information about WRCF’s Community Grants, visit wrcf.ca/communitygrants. If you are interested in learning more about social infrastructure, visit wrcf.ca/socialinfrastructure.