Win $100K in cash prizes for new design of 600-acre park north of Brampton

A contest could see students win $100,000 in cash prizes for designing 600 acres of multi-use parkland north of Brampton.

Toronto-based real estate investment company Longridge Partners is looking outside the firm for development concepts for the “reimagining” of its Melville Park property in Caledon.

The property is made up of undeveloped land and farmland spanning some 624 acres in Caledon’s Melville area, and Longridge says it’s searching for “innovative landscape design and business concepts” for the land.

The investment company is offering prizes totalling $100,000 for a design competition open to students in relevant fields like architecture, business development, environmental design, and urban planning.

The winning submissions will receive cash prizes of $75,000 for first place, two runner-up prizes of $10,000 each and two finalist prizes of $2,500 each.

“The winning proposal must align with the Town of Caledon’s goals and objectives, capitalize on current and future trends, and unlock the superior natural features and potential of this incredible property to benefit the community at large,” the company said in a release.

Longridge says Melville Park is zoned for low-intensity recreation and tourism uses, and falls under the Town of Caledon’s Official Plan. The area contains protected wetlands and woodlands that designers can consider in their proposals, as well as an already approved 27-hole golf course and “stay-and-play cottages.”

“Submissions may incorporate these elements – or offer something entirely different,” Longridge says.

The contest had an original deadline for submissions of Jan. 20, but the date has been pushed back to March 14 to “better accommodate academic schedules and provide students with additional time to develop their ideas,” Longridge says.

A short-list of finalists will be notified in April with live presentations in early May.

For more information on the Melville Park design competition and how to enter click here.