The site of the historic Don Valley Brick Works, purchased for public use by the Metropolitan Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, represents the convergence of historic cultural activity and natural opportunity in the valley of the Don River. The site was developed as a valley centre and public park to interpret both its natural and cultural attributes.

Culturally the site was developed in the 1880s for the production of all manner of clay brick products, many of which were innovative and only made here. These products widely distributed, were used in the construction of a large number of significant Toronto buildings. A collection of buildings of various age related to brick production remain.

The natural attributes of the site include the clay and shale seams, a resource to the factory, but beyond this a widely recognised geological resources for the study and interpretation of interglacial environments. The regenerated quarry also forms a natural sheltered valley site for the interpretation of valley ecology including wetlands, meadows and forest.

Goldsmith Borgal & Company Architects, restoration architect team members, in association with Oleson Worland Architects overall project managers, were responsible for the restoration and adaptive reuse of the building complex component of the assignment. This included determination of a strategy for preservation, reuse, or partial demolition as well as the final design of building restoration, reuse and interpreted associated structures.