After years of debate and the success of the Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program, people are finally allowed to legally drink in select green spaces in Toronto.
This past year, the Pilot Program allowed for personal alcohol consumption temporarily in 27 parks starting August 2, 2023.
The public response to the program was overwhelmingly positive, with over 90 per cent of people who visited one of the pilot parks marking that they were satisfied when responding to the city’s online survey about it.
As of the evening of April 18, city council voted to immediately and permanently allow drinking in 44 parks, writing it into Toronto’s Municipal Code.
Several councillors opposed the new policy, raising health and safety concerns related to consuming alcohol, and others worried the legalization would divert customers from local bars and pubs who were still trying to recover from COVID.
However, the new policy was approved in a 20-4 vote, and at least one park in every ward of the city will be included in parks you can legally drink at. Some wards may have as many as seven parks included in the policy.
Of course, there are still rules to abide by, including alcoholic beverages must not be consumed within the boundary of an outdoor swimming pool or deck, within the boundary of a designated toboggan hill, or within the boundary and a 2 metre radius surrounding a playground safety surface or playground equipment, wading pool basic or splash pad, skateboard park, or outdoor ice rink.
Currently, these are the parks you can legally drink in:
- Ashtonbee Reservoir Park, 21 Ashtonbee Road
- Bert Robinson Park, 400 Caledonia Road
- Botany Hill Park, 277 Orton Park Road
- Campbell Avenue Playground and Park, 225 Campbell Avenue
- Cedarvale Park, 443 Arlington Avenue
- Christie Pits Park, 750 Bloor Street West
- Cloverdale Park, 85 Shaver Avenue South
- Confederation Park, 250 Dolly Varden Boulevard
- Corktown Common, 155 Bayview Avenue
- Dieppe Park, 455 Cosburn Avenue
- Dovercourt Park, 155 Bartlett Avenue
- Dufferin Grove Park, 875 Dufferin Street
- Earlscourt Park, 1200 Lansdowne Avenue
- East Lynn Park, 1949 Danforth Avenue
- East Toronto Athletic Field, 175 Main Street
- Eglinton Park , 200 Eglinton Avenue West
- Etobicoke Valley Park, 615 Horner Avenue
- Fairfield Park, 90 Lothian Avenue
- Grand Avenue Park, 1 Grand Avenue
- Greenwood Park, 150 Greenwood Avenue
- Hillcrest Park , 950 Davenport Road
- Home Smith Park, 4101 Dundas Street West
- June Rowlands Park, 220 Davisville Avenue
- Lee Lifeson Art Park, 45 Princess Avenue
- McCleary Park, 755 Lake Shore Boulevard East
- McCormick Park, 66 Sheridan Avenue
- Milliken Park, 4325 McCowan Road
- Monarch Park, 115 Felstead Avenue
- Morningside Park, 390 Morningside Avenue
- Neilson Park – Scarborough, 1555 Neilson Road
- North Bendale Park 40 Erinlea Crescent
- Oriole Park – Toronto, 201 Oriole Parkway
- Queen’s Park, 110 Wellesley Street West
- Riverdale Park East, 550 Broadview Avenue
- Riverdale Park West, 375 Sumach Street
- Roundhouse Park, 255 Bremmer Boulevard
- Scarborough Village Park, 23 Gatesview Avenue
- Sir Winston Churchill Park, 301 St. Clair Avenue West
- Skymark Park, 3500 Don Mills Road
- Stan Wadlow Park, 373 Cedarvale Avenue
- Thomson Memorial Park, 1005 Brimley Road
- Trinity Bellwoods Park, 790 Queen Street West
- Underpass Park, 33 St. Lawrence Street
- Wallace Emerson Park, 1260 Dufferin Street
- Withrow Park, 725 Logan Avenue