You can now drink alcohol in 27 Toronto parks for a limited time
Starting today, Toronto residents are allowed to drink alcohol in 27 parks across the city.
The pilot project runs until Oct. 9 and allows those aged 19 and older to drink alcohol on park property.
Most of the parks that are part of the pilot are located in downtown Toronto, while a few are in North York and Scarborough. No parks in Etobicoke are participating.
Here's a full list of the parks participating:
- Eglinton Park, Ward 8 - Eglinton-Lawrence
- Earlscourt, Ward 9 - Davenport
- Dufferin Grove Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
- Campbell Avenue Playground and Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
- Dovercourt Park, Ward 9 - Davenport
- Roundhouse Park, Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York
- Trinity Bellwoods Park, Ward 10 - Spadina-Fort York
- Christie Pits Park, Ward 11 - University-Rosedale
- Queen's Park (110 Wellesley St W), Ward 11 - University-Rosedale
- Sir Winston Churchill Park, Ward 12 - Toronto-St. Paul's
- Oriole Park, Ward 12, Toronto - St. Paul's
- Hillcrest Park, Ward 12, Toronto - St. Paul's
- Cedarvale Park, Ward 12, Toronto - St. Paul's
- June Rowlands Park, Ward 12, Toronto - St. Paul's
- Corktown Common, Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
- Greenwood Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
- Riverdale Park East, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
- Withrow Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
- Monarch Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
- McCleary Park, Ward 14 - Toronto-Danforth
- Skymark Park, Ward 17 - Don Valley North
- Lee Lifeson Art Park, Ward 18 - Willowdale
- East Toronto Athletic Field, Ward 19 - Beaches-East York
- Milliken Park, Ward 23 - Scarborough North
- Neilson Park – Scarborough, Ward 25 - Scarborough-Rouge Park
- Underpass Park, Ward 13 - Toronto Centre
- Morningside Park, Ward 24 - Scarborough-Guildwood
RULES FOR DRINKING IN TORONTO PARKS
The city has issued a number of guidelines for the pilot project.
Alcohol can only be consumed within park limits between 5:30 a.m. and 12 a.m. Drinks can not be consumer within two metres of playgrounds, wading pools, splash pads or skateboard parks, or inside the gates of an outdoor swimming pool or deck.
Residents must be respectful and not disturb other parkgoers, the guidelines state. Empties must be disposed of or taken home.
‘NOT A MAJOR ISSUE’: CITY OFFICIALS
City officials have said drinking in parks is not a major issue, as most residents do so respectfully and responsibly, and no tickets have been issued for it in 2023.
In west-end Trinity Bellwoods Park, Heather Laxdal says she assumed drinking in parks was already legal because it is done so commonly and she doesn't think the pilot will have much impact.
The proposed program is in part based on the experiences of other Canadian cities -- such as Vancouver, Edmonton and Calgary -- that have recently expanded similar programs to allow drinking in some public parks.
Calgary allows people to drink in areas where residents can book public picnic tables or use them on a first-come, first-serve basis, while Edmonton voted to allow drinking in designated parks permanently back in February.
Drinking while having a meal in a picnic area or some parks is allowed in Montreal and Quebec City, but banned in other parts of Quebec like Longueuil and Sherbrooke.
Toronto says it is the first municipality in Ontario to introduce an alcohol-in-parks pilot since the province allowed municipalities to designate public spaces for consumption.
A city survey on responsible alcohol use in parks earlier this year found 44 per cent of residents support the idea, while 34 per cent expressed some degree of opposition and 21 per cent were neutral on the issue.
Most concerns revolved around public intoxication, disruptive behaviour and litter or soiling of public spaces.
With files from The Canadian Press.
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