The city’s public works committee is debating allowing hockey and basketball on residential streets.
In the fall, nine residents in the Avenue Road and Wilson Avenue area were given notices from the city to immediately take down basketball and hockey nets from public spaces.
If they did not cooperate, they would face a $90 fine because of a city bylaw that makes it illegal to use nets to play sports on residential streets.
City staff wrote recommendations in a report, saying the ban should not be lifted because it would “encourage children and adults to play on the roadway” and would “create obstructions and encroachments which could create a safety hazard for motorists and interfere with required maintenance activities.”
Still, some city councillors are speaking up against the ban. Councillors John Campbell and Christin Carmichael Greb told CTV Toronto that kids should be able to spend time playing outside in their neighbourhooods.
Greb said she comes from an area where there aren’t many parks.
“There’s not a lot of places for kids to play and I wanted to make sure we can look at other ways to keep kids active,” she said.
Campbell said, “It’s ridiculous that we don’t allow kids to play road hockey on some of these local roads. People complain about kids being in front of the screen too much. You can’t have it both ways. Kids need to be outside. It’s ridiculous.”
City staff maintain that the ban is for public safety and liability reasons.
