Northern Light
Superstar
@DSC is on to part of the answer.
Let me offer some insight into the rest.
Toronto has different park classifications based on size, and programming.
In general those parks then have a standardized, city-wide service plan on lawn mowing, litter pick up, garbage can emptying etc. If a park has facilities in it that are individually classified, such as horticultural (flower) displays, sports fields (which rent at different prices, and come in premium, A, B and C level), receive different levels of attention according to their classification.
Parks with lots of different facility types are automatically seen by more staff which, in general; is helpful keeping up on stuff. Most parks have the garbage and clean-up staff and the lawn mowers, but that may be it.
A large park will have regular visits from the gardeners, the forestry staff, recreation staff, sports field crews etc.
Additionally parks designated as 'gardens' often have full-time gardeners on site 7-days per week. This is done because the City makes $$$ off these parks for weddings.
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Now here's where it gets a bit murky. Loud voices, both from the public/business and on Council matter.
I can't remember what the standard litter clean up is, but I think it's something like 2x per week.
You'll remember news stories a few years ago with people finding needles in playgrounds and such.........that saw a motion at Council that downtown parks should all get extra litter cleaning/needle removal, with playgrounds prioritized.
Subsequently other members of Council have tried to get the same boosted service for their parks or at least those that are challenged.
Some parks have better built-in facilities; for instance, Rosetta McClain Gardens in Scaborough is irrigated throughout, the flower beds and some of the grass is watered daily by automatic sprinklers.
Some parks have more intelligent designs which reduce damage (properly placed, adequately wide paths, barriers that protect planting beds, others do not
Some parks have permanent stakeholders who participate in maintenance in some fashion and have the local parks manager on speed dial. Friends of Dufferin Grove would be a good example. But there are
other types of stakeholders, including BIAs, gardening groups (Toronto Botanical Garden) and some of the sports groups have a lot of heft. Stan Wadlow Park is the home of East York Baseball, and that group has very loud and clear opinions on what it will and will not abide in 'its' park. But, in fairness to them, they also put real money and effort into the mix, particularly for those baseball facilities.
The final pieces of the puzzle are really about pride, sense of ownership by staff and managers. The Music Garden is the pride and joy of many in parks, because Parks had a hand in designing it, along with Julia Messervy.
It's popular, it won lots of awards...........oh.......and you may remember the name Judy Matthews who is Toronto's leading philanthropist for public realm improvements, having contributed a lot to the renewal of St. George Street, The Bentway and now University Park...........she was one of several donors who made Music Garden happen. There is a strong constituency not to muff that place up.
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