Councillor wants to explore more food options in Toronto parks, fewer rules

Lane Harrison · CBC News

· Posted: Apr 22, 2025 4:00 AM EDT | Last Updated: 10 minutes ago

A metropolis councillor wants to spot much creativity, less rules and possibly a fewer places to drawback a wound to devour successful Toronto's parks.

Coun. Josh Matlow is asking metropolis unit to undertake a reappraisal of the city's parkland rules to spot which ones are archaic, burdensome oregon unnecessary. He besides wants them to research ways to present much nutrient and beverage options to the city's parks, similar kiosks oregon tiny cafes. 

Matlow is bringing guardant the question aft a nonmigratory sent him a photograph of a motion successful a metropolis parkland that said picnics, kite flying, shot playing and frisbee throwing are prohibited without permits and that cyclists request to get disconnected their bikes connected hills. 

While the city's bylaws authorities those permitting rules are lone for groups of 25 oregon more, that item is recovered successful the bylaw documents, not connected the motion itself. That bylaw includes different rules for things kids whitethorn privation to do, similar ascent a tree, but says they can't without a permit. 

"I've got a 12-year-old daughter, I would alternatively her ascent a histrion immoderate time than walk the full time connected a screen," Matlow said successful an interrogation with CBC Toronto. He said helium wants to modernize the city's bylaws truthful radical cognize they tin travel to parks and bask themselves, arsenic agelong arsenic they respect rules that should exist.

"In different words, don't behave successful ways that person an adverse effect connected different radical astir you, past travel person a bully clip due to the fact that these parks are yours." 

Watch | Toronto crews nether occurrence for mediocre mainteance:

Matlow's question volition spell earlier metropolis assembly erstwhile it meets aboriginal this week. He said making parks enjoyable is paramount successful a metropolis wherever galore radical don't person backyards. 

He's not the archetypal councillor to telephone retired the city's rules successful nationalist parks. Last winter, Coun. Brad Bradford raised concerns astir rules prohibiting tobogganing successful parks. 

Making parks much inclusive

The metropolis should beryllium ensuring that it's approaching parkland rules successful a mode that makes the spaces accessible to everyone, said Erika Nikolai, enforcement manager of nationalist advocacy radical Park People. 

"Thinking astir however radical are going to construe them, however immoderate rules whitethorn interaction immoderate communities much than others," she said. 

"So really thinking astir however they tin beryllium inclusive and welcoming and making definite that communities are maximizing the unthinkable benefits that Toronto's parks connection to our communities."

This is an contented connected Matlow's caput too, particularly erstwhile it comes to picnics. He said immoderate newcomers to the state privation to obey the rules but besides person ample household gatherings. 

"They're not hurting anybody, they're having amusive together, and we privation radical to bask themselves successful our parks and socialize. I mean, that's a steadfast society," helium said. 

Matlow's question follows a March unit study connected the city's intoxicant successful parks aviator project. The study recovered it to beryllium a occurrence truthful far, with minimal disruption and affirmative feedback from residents. 

Exploring much nutrient options

Now, Matlow wants Toronto to spell further and bring itself successful enactment with different ample cities astir the satellite by expanding nutrient options successful parks.

"Often you tin person it successful a spot that's due with immoderate cafe tables, radical watching, it's a amusive spot to bent retired and spot friends," helium said. 

Matlow utilized Bryant Park successful New York City arsenic an example, wherever an outdoor cafe hosts an after-work blessed hr and a assortment of food. 

"I don't privation the metropolis managing our parks. I privation the metropolis being visionaries. I privation america to look astir the world, look for champion practices that are moving and past follow them here."