TORONTO – The City of Toronto has enacted a number of measures to help slow the growth of COVID-19. There is a mandatory mask-wearing regulation in place.
Heading into the weekend, Mayor John Tory is announcing new measures that impact public spaces including public beaches and parking lots.
The City states that over the last several weekends, Toronto has seen a significant increase in the number of people at Toronto beaches late into the evening who are not practising physical distancing, or who are setting up DJ equipment, lighting bonfires, drinking excessively and leaving large amounts of litter behind.
Starting July 10, 2020, parking restrictions will be in place at Toronto beaches starting at 7 p.m. on Friday, Saturday, and Sunday evenings.
COVID-19 continues to circulate in Toronto and while Stage 2 of reopening has given residents greater opportunity to get outside, there remains a public health risk of spreading the virus to others.
Parking restrictions will be in place at the following beaches starting at 7 pm EDT on Friday, July 9, 2020:
- Marie Curtis Park
- Humber Bay West Park
- Cherry Beach
Other parks and beaches along the waterfront already have restricted access to parking on weekends due to ActiveTO road closures along Lake Shore Boulevard. Parking at Bluffers Park will close at 7 pm on Saturday and Sunday. Toronto Police will be present at all parking lot entrances.
Large, mobile signs will be strategically placed across the waterfront to advise those coming to the beach that parking is restricted. Vehicles leaving beach parking lots after 7 p.m. will be able to do so freely.
Bylaw officers and Toronto police will have a highly visible presence at beaches and parking lots, together with Toronto Fire, to ensure that crowds and bonfires and other prohibited activities, such as fireworks, do not occur or are dealt with quickly should they occur. Parking enforcement will also have a significant presence this weekend, with tagging and towing of illegally parked vehicles in the vicinity of beaches where parking is restricted.
Bonfires of any type or size are not permitted in City parks, including beaches. Organized parties involving DJs, including amplification of sound, are also prohibited. Drinking and partying at beaches well into the night, with crowds not adhering to physical distancing orders that remain in place, puts people at risk and has also resulted in a significant amount of litter being left behind. The City says that litter ruins the enjoyment of the beach for those who arrive in the morning, despite the best efforts of City crews to clean up.
