David O’Hara, BLA from the University of Guelph (1992) and MSC Planning from the University of Toronto (2001), has spent over 25 years working for the City of Toronto as a Park Planner, Landscape Architect and Manager with the Parks & Recreation Division, and as Museum Administrator and Manager at Fort York National Historic Site.
David has devoted his career towards improving Toronto’s public realm, with a particular focus on waterfront revitalization. Early projects included working closely with former Toronto mayor David Crombie and Waterfront Regeneration Trust and on Toronto’s Central Waterfront Secondary Plan. David has also been fortunate to work with colleagues on the delivery of a range of projects, including the Village of Yorkville Park, the Toronto Music Garden, Woodbine Park, HTO Park, The Bentway, Love Park and many others.
His interest in history and cultural landscapes, combined with his background in both planning and landscape architecture, brought a unique city-building approach to his role managing Fort York, implementing the site’s master plan (including the award-winning Visitor Centre), and ensuring that the extensive amount of surrounding development was respectfully done and Fort-centered.
David's current work as Manager of Park Design includes advancing plans for a wide range of park projects across Toronto. These include the completion of the Toronto Island Master Plan, the revitalization of Queen’s Park North, bringing several new parks on-line across the central waterfront, and working with Waterfront Toronto and others on the delivery of new parks as part of the Port Lands Flood Protection Project – including Biidaasige Park.
David has always pushed to continuously raise the bar for landscape architecture, excellence in park and public realm design, and leading with landscape. He also learned early on of the important role landscape architects play within public practice, to ensure the profession is well represented and that landscape architecture is integral to projects.
