City Update: Toronto is reopening over 850 park amenities this week

 Following the Province of Ontario’s amendments to an order under the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act, the City of Toronto is in the process of reopening over 850 park amenities this week. The City of Toronto closed all park amenities back in March in order to reduce the spread of COVID-19. As of May 20, 2020: 

• Over 70 off-leash dog parks across Toronto have opened.
• Five BMX locations, 14 skateboard parks and four disc golf locations are open.
• Many parks' parking lots will also reopen this week at parks across the city.

 Over the May 22-24 Weekend, Park Amenities Scheduled to Open Include:  

• Picnic shelters
• Over 300 soccer and multi-use outdoor fields 
• Over 300 baseball diamonds
• 150 basketball courts
• Over 600 tennis courts in 185 locations

 The reopening of parks amenities will continue into next week, as staff work with Toronto Public Health to open lawn bowling facilities and outdoor bocce. Permits for soccer, multi-use fields and baseball diamonds continue to be cancelled until June 29. Individuals may use outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields for non-team sports, such as walking, running, biking, skateboarding, frisbee, kicking a ball, and low contact racquet sports like tennis, badminton, pickleball and ping pong. Individuals are not permitted to play team sports, such as soccer or baseball, even on fields intended for this purpose unless they are members of the same household. Park Amenities that Continue to be Closed Include: 

• Playgrounds
• Outdoor exercise equipment
• Swimming pools and splash pads
• Greenhouses, nurseries and conservatories
• High Park Zoo and Riverdale Farm also remain closed
• Waterfront parking lots will remain closed for the time being
• High Park will continue to be closed to traffic on the weekends

 When Visiting a Park: 

• People must continue to practice physical distancing
• Signage is being installed at open park amenity areas to remind users of the importance of physical distancing to help stop the spread of COVID-19 to protect the safety and well being of all residents
• People must always stay two metres (six feet) apart while visiting the parks
• If a resident arrives at an amenity that is crowded, they are advised to wait until there is enough space to physically distance or return at another time

 The City's COVID-19 Enforcement Team will continue monitoring popular parks across the city to ensure residents are practicing physical distancing. Enforcement of the City's physical distancing bylaw and the Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act orders is on-going.