toronto sport fields reopening

Toronto is reopening outdoor sport and multi-use fields across the city

Grab your soccer balls and baseball bats, Toronto, because the city is set to reopen all 170 outdoor sport and multi-use field locations for team training by tomorrow.

Mayor John Tory made the announcement at the city's press briefing Monday afternoon, and he said several restrictions will be in place to ensure the fields are used safely and responsibly.

"With the City of Toronto moving into Stage 2 of the provincial reopening, Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff have worked to quickly open many of the City's outdoor recreation amenities including, but not limited to, fields that serve soccer, softball, lacrosse, baseball and cricket," reads a news release from the city.

"Both the types of activities and the number of people allowed on the field will be restricted to further contain the spread of COVID-19."

Many of these fields are reopening as early as today, and the issuing of permits for outdoor sports facilities and multi-use fields will resume this week. 

In order to ensure physical distancing is maintained by those using the fields, capacity will be significantly reduced to just 10 people per field. This includes participants and coaches as well as parents and guardians. Additional spectators are not allowed onto the fields.

Scrimmages and games are also not permitted on fields at this time, even in the course of training or among teammates. The city says activities that are likely to result in individuals coming within two metres of each other must also not be practised or played on the field.

And while the fields themselves are reopening, pavilions, clubhouses, change areas and lockers remain closed due to provincial orders.

The city is encouraging players to use individual equipment wherever possible, and they say permit holders should ensure that any provided equipment is cleaned between each use.

Toronto Public Health is also requiring permit holders to maintain attendance records in order to facilitate contact tracing should it be necessary.

Anyone looking for information about booking and permits for outdoor recreation facilities should look at the city's website.

"While Toronto's athletes can't yet participate in scrimmages or games, it's important that athletes have an opportunity to train this summer season," said city councillor and chair of the infrastructure and environment committee, James Pasternak, in the release.

 "We know that the closure of these facilities caused a great amount of discomfort and disruption to local communities, so I'm glad the sport and multi-use fields are opening, even though it's with limited capacity."

Lead photo by

Terry Alexander


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