The wait is almost over! At the closing night of Newmarket’s award-winning music series and kick off to Summerfest on Main, the Town of Newmarket announced that Mulock Park will open on Friday, September 18 with grand opening celebrations all weekend (Sept. 18-20). Residents and visitors are invited to this milestone moment for one of the most significant projects in the Town’s history.
Located at the corner of Yonge Street and Mulock Drive, Mulock Park will open as a four-season destination where nature, art, recreation, heritage and people come together. The grand opening weekend will provide residents a first look at a park shaped by their voices and designed to be enjoyed for generations.
“Mulock Park is more than a park - it is Newmarket’s new backyard, a place where people can gather, explore, celebrate, learn and make memories together,” said Mayor John Taylor. “This opening marks the beginning of an exciting new chapter for our community, and we cannot wait to welcome everyone to experience this extraordinary space.”
Opening weekend highlights
Taking place Friday, September 18 to Sunday, September 20, Mulock Park will come alive during its grand opening weekend with a vibrant lineup celebrating community, creativity, and connection. Residents and visitors are invited to enjoy live performances, explore visual arts and local history, participate in dance and art workshops, and experience activities like roller skating, kite flying, and more. Visit newmarket.ca/MulockPark for more details coming soon!
Following the grand opening, programming will continue throughout the year with events and activities such as a fall harvest festival, roller skating, ice skating, arts workshops, fitness classes and more.
A four-season destination for Newmarket and beyond
From summer splashing to winter skating, quiet garden moments to vibrant events, Mulock Park has been designed as a destination for every season.
The park will feature the Woodland Loop, a skating trail through the trees that connects to a central ice rink, which transforms into a water play feature in warmer months. The skate trail is one of the longest refrigerated municipal trails in Ontario. Those young, and young at heart can climb, swing and explore the Hollow Log Play Park, a natural play area with water, sand and wood demonstrating the lifecycle of a forest.
The restored green spaces and accessible paths call on visitors to explore the 16-acre park, where they can discover public artwork inspired by nature, dip their toes in the trickling Riverine water feature and put down a blanket for a picnic on one of three lawns, surrounded by majestic trees, including the vast black walnuts.
Art Gallery of Ontario in our own backyard
Through a unique partnership between the Town and the Art Gallery of Ontario, visitors have free access to curated exhibitions in our own backyard. The 2,000-square-foot gallery space on the second floor of the restored Mulock House features works from the AGO's collections of Indigenous and Canadian art.
Mulock House will also feature many restored areas, including a library lounge in Sir William Mulock’s former study, and a few hidden gems to be discovered! The first floor will host the Chickadee Café, independently operated by A Million Mouthfuls Catering, a local Newmarket business.
Taste what’s brewing
Get a taste of what’s to come at the Coffee Party hosted by the Chickadee Café at Summerfest On Main. Join us on Saturday, August 22 from 9 to 11 a.m. to enjoy a free coffee and pastry and talk with the Mulock Park team about the project and programming.
Rooted in history, designed for the future
Mulock Park has a storied past shaped by centuries of Indigenous presence, settler agriculture and six generations of one of Canada’s most influential families.
Purchased by the Town in 2018, the landmark Mulock property carries a deep local history. Sir William Mulock purchased the property in 1880 and it remained home to six generations of the Mulock family over 137 years. Today, the site has been thoughtfully reimagined as a public gathering place that honours its past while creating new opportunities for recreation, culture, environmental stewardship and connection.
Sustainability is also built into the park’s future. Features such as geothermal heating and cooling, solar panels, rain gardens, a green roof and energy-efficient renovations will help reduce environmental impact and support the park’s long-term stewardship.
About Mulock Park
Mulock Park is a 16-acre multi-faceted green space nestled at the corner of Yonge Street and Mulock Drive, a high-density, urban area of Newmarket, just north of the GTA. The Mulock site contains layers of diverse histories, starting with the initial stewards of the land, the Indigenous First Nations. The Town of Newmarket purchased the property from the family of notable Canadian and Newmarket resident, Sir William Mulock.
Thousands of community members were engaged in creating a vision for the park. Opening in late summer 2026, the four-season park will include a winter skate trail through the woods, two unique water features, a greenhouse conservatory connected to an artist studio space, public art across the site, space for concerts and events and a network of paths for open exploration.
The Mulock House is designated under the Ontario Heritage Act and has been preserved, updated, and reimagined featuring the Chickadee Café operated by A Million Mouthfuls Catering and an art gallery in partnership with the Art Gallery of Ontario (AGO).
