News Release – City of Toronto weekend update on services and amenities

By suebyford2020

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following news release:

May 29, 2020 – The City of Toronto continues to safely and gradually open services and amenities for residents to enjoy this weekend, following guidance from Toronto’s Medical Officer of Health.

Residents are encouraged to head outside in their local neighbourhood for fresh air and exercise, but are reminded to follow public health advice to practice physical distancing or wear a face covering or non-medical mask to protect others when in settings where physical distancing cannot be maintained.

Below is a guide to which City services and amenities are open and which remain closed this weekend:

City parks and amenities

City park amenities open this weekend include:
• picnic shelters
• soccer and multi-use outdoor fields, including running tracks
• baseball diamonds and basketball courts
• some public tennis courts and pickleball courts
• off-leash dog parks
• BMX locations and skateboard parks
• City-run golf courses and disc golf locations
• ravine green spaces, beaches, trails and boardwalks for walking, running or biking
• fishing with a licence, boating, kayaking and canoeing

If a resident arrives at a park that is crowded, they are advised to visit a different park or return at a later time when there are fewer people.

Park amenities that remain closed include public washrooms, with the exception of Trinity Bellwoods park, which will open this weekend (see below), lawn bowling facilities, outdoor bocce, playgrounds, outdoor exercise equipment, swimming pools, fixed barbecues and splash pads. Farmers’ markets, greenhouses, nurseries and conservatories, High Park Zoo and Riverdale Farm also remain closed.

Permits for soccer, multi-use fields and baseball diamonds continue to be cancelled until June 29. 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.

There is no public ferry access to Toronto Island Park. New federal regulations limit the number of individuals on a ferry in order to reduce crowding and limit the potential for virus transmission. The ferry will continue running for Island residents only.

Physical distancing circles at Trinity Bellwoods Park

Yesterday, the City of Toronto began adding painted physical distancing circles on the grass in Trinity Bellwoods Park as a pilot project to encourage people to practice physical distancing. When visiting the park, people can expect to see grids of painted circles roughly 8 feet in diameter and 10 feet apart. Each circle is large enough for two adults from the same household laying down or three adults from the same household sitting cross-legged.

If the park is crowded when people arrive and if no circles are available, people should visit a different park or come back later. Parks near Trinity Bellwoods Park include Stanley Park and Alexandra Park. Bickford Park, Art Eggleton Park, Christie Pits Park and Dufferin Grove Park are also close.

City beaches

Toronto beaches remain open. Beaches are not closed under Province of Ontario’s Emergency Management and Civil Protection Act in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Given the COVID-19 pandemic, City staff are working with public health officials on how the supervised swim program (i.e. lifeguards) could operate at Toronto beaches and the City will share more information when it becomes available. Swimming without the supervision of a lifeguard at the City’s beaches is not recommended.

Public washroom facilities

Washrooms at Trinity Bellwoods Park will open this weekend, followed by a phased approach with the aim of opening all park washrooms over the next several weeks. Staff are working with Toronto Public Health on guidelines for the safe opening of washrooms and other amenities.

The City has opened a number of facilities with showers, washrooms, and drinking water for all individuals in need of these services. For locations and operating hours visit https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/affected-city-services/?accordion=washroom-and-sanitation-services.

Park parking lots

Most Toronto Parks’ parking lots in City parks are open this weekend. Three lots will remain closed: Sir Casimir Gzowski, Sunnyside and Woodbine. The parking lot at High Park is closed on weekends.

ActiveTO and Quiet Streets

To help stop the spread of COVID-19 while allowing for residents to be outside and get exercise, vehicle access on parts of some major roads will be closed for walking, running and biking again this Saturday and Sunday.

The following major road closures are planned this weekend from Saturday, May 30 at 6 a.m. until Sunday, May 31 at 11 p.m.:
• Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Coxwell Avenue to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue)
• Bayview Avenue from Mill Street to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue

A new online map is available to residents that shows locations that have been installed as part of CurbTO for businesses (pickup zones and pedestrian zones) and ActiveTO locations for residents (Quiet Streets and Major Weekend Road Closures only). Residents can view the map at https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-protect-yourself-others/covid-19-reduce-virus-spread/covid-19-map-of-curbto-installations/#location=&lat=&lng=.

Expressway closure and accelerated road construction

This weekend, the Gardiner Expressway will be fully closed from the Don Valley Parkway to Hwy 427 for annual maintenance and improvement activities, the intersection of Richmond Street East and Church Street is fully closed for construction, and there will be closures in place for people to practice physical distancing while being physically active on Bayview Avenue and Lake Shore Boulevard East.

The Gardiner Expressway will be fully closed starting at 11 p.m. on Friday, May 29 until 5 a.m. on Monday, June 1 for important annual maintenance and improvements. The City asks residents to plan essential travel ahead, leave plenty of extra time and be patient. More information is available at https://www.toronto.ca/gardiner.

For more information on impacts to City services, visit https://www.toronto.ca/home/covid-19/covid-19-latest-city-of-toronto-news/affected-city-services/.

The City’s website is updated daily with the latest health advice and information about City services, social supports and economic recovery measures. Check https://www.toronto.ca/covid-19/ for answers to common questions before contacting the Toronto Public Health COVID-19 Hotline or 311.