Toronto city council votes to reverse ban on tobogganing at 45 hills

Toronto will reverse a ban on tobogganing at 45 hills in city parks, council decided on Wednesday.

Council made the decision 21 to 3 at its meeting on Wednesday. Coun. Brad Bradford, who represents Beaches-East York, moved the motion and Mayor Olivia Chow seconded it.

Council will direct city staff to take down signs prohibiting tobogganing at the 45 hills and install new signs warning about the potential risks of the activity. The new signs will also let Toronto residents know where they can find designated tobogganing hills that the city inspects regularly and maintains.

Council also decided to direct the acting general manger of its parks, forestry and recreation division to put back hay bales that used to be placed at hills where tobogganing had been prohibited.

"We all understand how important this is to our communities," Bradford told council in its chambers.

"Sometimes, city council, as elected officials, we need to stand up and really advocate hard for our communities, even if that puts us in a different position than perhaps the staff perspective. That's okay. We're all professionals. We work together," he added.

"At the end of the day, I want to make sure our communities are places for families where people can have fun and have access to the outdoors in a safe and accessible way. We're going to get there with this."

City staff told councillors that there are three categories of tobogganing hills in Toronto: hills designated for tobogganing, hills considered grey zones that are not inspected or maintained for tobogganing, and hills where tobogganing is prohibited.

There are 28 designated tobogganing hills and 45 prohibited hills. There are 57 parks with grey zone hills.

If city staff still need to close a tobogganing hill in an emergency situation, they will still be able to do so through an existing bylaw, Bradford said after proposing an amendment to the motion that later passed.

Council also decided that it will ask the province to work with municipal governments to work to amend legislation that addresses municipal liability from the use of city property for recreational activities.

Coun. Paula Fletcher, who represents Toronto-Danforth, said she appreciated the debate.

"I think that we have learned a lot and I hope that staff have learned a lot," she said.

Councillors went into a closed session to ask questions of staff about liability before making a decision.