City of Toronto weekend update on cooling centres, amenities and ActiveTO
TORONTO, ON., July 18, 2020 — This weekend, while 24 regions in Ontario have entered Stage 3, Toronto remains in Stage 2 of reopening and continues to safely and gradually reopen amenities for people to enjoy this summer. A number of City-run facilities will be open this weekend including 14 cooling centres to help residents contend with the oppressive heat.
Residents visiting community recreation centres and other reopened facilities are advised to continue to follow Toronto Public Health’s advice to stay home when they are ill, wash hands often, practise physical distancing and wear a face covering or mask in all indoor public spaces.
As of July 7, masks or face coverings are required in all indoor public spaces, excluding those who cannot wear a mask for medical reasons, children under the age of two, and other accommodations.
COVID-19 continues to circulate in Toronto and everyone is reminded of the public health guidelines designed to keep everyone safe.
City opened 14 Emergency Cooling Centres during Heat Warning
Yesterday, Environment and Climate Change Canada declared a Heat Warning for Toronto, which started today and extends to Monday, July 20. Extreme heat is associated with negative health impacts ranging from heat stress to heat stroke and death. During periods of hot weather, the safety of all residents is the priority.
The City of Toronto has opened 14 Emergency Cooling Centres (ECCs) for the duration of the Heat Warning. Please note that the ECC Parkdale location has changed from the Parkdale Library to Masaryk-Cowan Community Recreation Centre, 220 Cowan Ave. The ECC at Wallace-Emerson Community Centre is no longer open in order to make additional space for CampTO.
All the centres will operate during Heat Warnings only, from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m., except Metro Hall, 55 John St., which is open 24 hours during Heat Warnings.
It is mandatory for the public to wear masks or face coverings, with some exceptions, at all ECCS. A mask will be provided at the ECC to those without a mask who want to enter.
Ways to beat the heat in Toronto, cooling centres
An interactive map is available to help those who need to locate an ECC, as well as other cool spaces, such as swimming pools, including those with extended hours, wading pools and splash pads near them. Tips to protect yourself from the heat are available at on the City’s website.
Extended hours at City pools and splash pads
Torontonians can cool off at all of the City’s 140 splash pads and 56 outdoor swimming pools that are now open, with the exception of Earlscourt Park/Giovanni Caboto Pool which is undergoing repairs. The City’s 100 wading pools continue to open on a location-by-location basis. In order to allow for physical distancing, the capacity at outdoor pools will be significantly reduced to 25 per cent. Swimmers will be limited to 45-minute sessions to allow for cleaning.
To help residents cool off during the Heat Warning, the following six outdoor pools will be open, weather permitting, until 11:45 p.m. Sataurday and may continue to operate with extended hours until the Heat Warning is cancelled:
- Alex Duff Pool, 779 Crawford St.
- Earlscourt Park/Giovanni Caboto Pool, 1369 St. Clair Ave. W.
- McGregor Park, 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
- Monarch Park, 115 Felstead Ave.
- Parkway Forest, 55 Forest Manor Rd.
- Smithfield Park, 175 Mount Olive Dr.
- Sunnyside Park/Gus Ryder Pool, 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
Beaches
Toronto beaches are open, including the four Toronto Island Park beaches. Lifeguards supervise swim areas from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. daily. Rouge Valley Beach remains closed. For more information on the City’s beaches visit toronto.ca/beaches.
It can be unsafe to swim even at designated swimming beaches, for 48 hours after a rainfall due to the possible presence of high levels of bacteria that could pose a risk to human health. Details:
Toronto Public Health posts water quality reports for local beaches online at app.toronto.ca/tpha/beaches.html.
Restricted evening parking at beaches to address prohibited activities
The City 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, setting off fireworks, drinking excessively and leaving large amounts of litter behind. As COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community, residents visiting a beach or park must practise physical distancing and avoid crowding.
Parking restrictions are in place at Toronto beaches on Friday, Saturday and Sunday evenings. Parking restrictions will be in place at the following beaches starting at 7 p.m. on Friday:
- Marie Curtis Park
- Humber Bay West Park
- Cherry Beach
- Bluffer’s Park
Toronto Police will be present at all parking lot entrances. Vehicles leaving beach parking lots after 7 p.m. will be able to do so freely.
Some Restaurants not obeying provincial orders
Toronto restaurants and bars continue to be open for delivery, takeout and outdoor dining only. Customers can only be inside a restaurant or bar to access an outdoor dining area (i.e. walk through to a back patio), pick up food, pay or use the washroom; while within the enclosed public space, customers and employees must be wearing a mask as required by the establishment’s mask policy and the City’s Mask or Face Covering Bylaw.
The City has received many complaints regarding restaurants and bars not following physical distancing requirements, as well as illegally offering customers indoor dining. Enforcement officers from Municipal Licensing & Standards, Toronto Public Health, Toronto Police Service, and the Alcohol and Gaming Commission of Ontario will be teaming up to increase inspections of liquor-licensed establishments in the city this weekend to address businesses that, despite widespread efforts to educate them on public health requirements to keep their customers, employees and the public safe, continue to disobey provincial orders.
Bylaw officers, Toronto Police and Toronto Fire will have a highly visible presence at beaches and parking lots to ensure that crowds and bonfires and other prohibited activities 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 are not permitted on beaches. Likewise, organized parties, with excessive drinking, and DJs with amplification of sound, are also prohibited. Bylaw enforcement officers and Toronto Police will issue tickets related to bylaw infractions, including littering, and people are asked to take their garbage with them so it can be disposed of properly. Any overflowing bins or litter hot spots should be reported to 311.
For up-to-date information on extended pool hours, pool locations and regular operating hours, call 311 or visit toronto.ca/swim.
What you can and can not do at City parks
Most amenities in City parks are now open. Playgrounds and outdoor exercise equipment remain closed. As COVID-19 continues to circulate in the community, residents visiting a beach or park must practise physical distancing and avoid crowding.
The City’s outdoor sport and multi-use fields are now open for training and permits are being issued to organizations for the remainder of the 2020 summer season.
Toronto Island Park public ferry and beaches
The public ferry service recently resumed operations at 50 per cent capacity with COVID-19 guidelines and procedures in place to protect passengers and staff. Tickets are limited to 5,000 per day. Visitors must purchase tickets online in advance. Passengers are required to wear masks or face coverings. To reduce crowding, visitors are encouraged to travel outside of peak times of 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. (from the ferry terminal to the island), and 3:30 to 6:30 p.m. for the return trip.
Lifeguards supervise the four Toronto Island Park swimming beaches. Services and amenities that are open at Toronto Island Park include washrooms, a splash pad, a first aid station, William Meany Maze, some food and beverage outlets and disc golf. Other Toronto Island Park public and commercial amenities, including Centreville, park playgrounds and boat rentals, remain closed under the current Province of Ontario emergency orders.
Public washroom facilities
Park washrooms are open to the public. In addition, the City has opened a number of facilities with showers, washrooms and drinking water for all individuals in need of these services. More details including health guidelines for washrooms are available on the City Services webpage. Residents using public washrooms should maintain a distance of two metres or six feet from others at all times while waiting in line and wash hands or use hand sanitizer.
ActiveTO road closures, cycling network and Quiet Streets
The following ActiveTO major road closures will be in place this weekend, from Saturday, July 18 at 6 a.m. to Sunday, July 19 at 11 p.m.:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (eastbound lanes only) from Windermere Avenue to Stadium Road. As a result, the eastbound Gardiner Expressway off ramp to Lake Shore Boulevard West (exit #146) will also be closed
- Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only) from Leslie Street to just south of Woodbine Avenue (Kew Beach Avenue)
- Bayview Avenue from Front Street East to Rosedale Valley Road, and River Street from Gerrard Street East to Bayview Avenue
Residents planning to use these roads should access them by bike or as a pedestrian as nearby parking is limited and there is no onsite parking available. Parking lots at Sunnyside Park, Budapest Park and Sir Casimir Gzowski Park will be closed all weekend during ActiveTO closures. Overnight parking is not permitted in these lots and any vehicles should be moved before midnight on Friday.
More than 60 kilometres of Quiet Streets are available to local residents throughout the city this weekend. More information, including an online map of all locations, can be found on the ActiveTO webpage: toronto.ca/activeTO.
Curb lane closures will be in place this weekend to accommodate new cafés/patios for CaféTO locations throughout the city.
Martin Goodman Trail closure
Next week, the Martin Goodman Trail will be closed from 8:30 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. on July 20 and 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. on July 21. Detour signage will be installed to direct cyclists.
St. Lawrence Market
The St. Lawrence Market continues to operate with enhanced precautions under the advisement of Toronto Public Health. The South Market is open Tuesday to Friday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. and Saturdays from 5 a.m. to 4 p.m. The Saturday Farmers’ Market indoor and outdoor areas are open weekly from 5 a.m. to 3 p.m. The Sunday Antique Market remains closed until further notice.
The use of a face mask or face covering is required at the St. Lawrence Market Complex and entrance screenings are conducted for customers and all personnel entering the market. Please remember to bring your face covering for your trip and wear it at all times at the St. Lawrence Market Complex. Customers are reminded that even when wearing a mask or face covering, keeping physical distance from others and washing your hands often are the best ways to help stop the spread of COVID-19. For more information visit stlawrencemarket.com .
Looking ahead: Gardiner Expressway closure
Next weekend, July 25-26, will see a closure on the Gardiner Expressway between the Don Valley Parkway to Jarvis Street as crews work to shift the construction work zone. Full details will be announced on Monday, July 20 however drivers are advised to plan ahead if travelling downtown next weekend.
SOURCE City of Toronto
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