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As Toronto’s municipal election bears down on us, a survey result shows Ward 4 candidates have differing views over the future of High Park and the city’s decision to ban cars. Seven of 10 candidates for city council responded to the questions, and four candidates expressed that they were against full road closures.
High Park Access, a volunteer group, says they sent out the survey to all Ward 4 councillor candidates asking their plans in stopping the city’s decision to make High Park a fully car free zone.
The survey asked if the candidates support “full road closures at all times as the long term strategy for travel network improvements in High Park?” It also asked for their goals to make the park more accessible.
The City of Toronto first approved the High Park Movement Strategy (HPMS) in April 2023 wherein cars are banned from the park on holidays and weekends. The city is currently looking into permanently banning cars from entering the boundaries of the park. Coun. Gord Perks, who is retiring from his position this year, has been a champion of the ban for years.
High Park Access has shown its opposition to HPMS. “HMPS has no Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities (AODA) plan, no capital plan and no schedule,” said Marshall Leslie, the director of High Park Access in an email to OTR.
“Banning vehicles will immediately impact and limit access for people who have mobility challenges, families with young children and organised youth activities,” said Leslie. “Over the medium to long term it will strangle attendance and participation at concessions, the zoo, the amphitheatre, sporting and cultural events. It is an equity issue.”
Park visitors have also shown their concern over the future of the space.
“I drop my kid off at the park for his sporting activities in my car, I can not imagine doing it without my car, it feels too difficult,” said Marie Waldron, a Ward 4 resident. “I hope whoever is the next councillor, prevents the city from banning cars in the park.”
On the other hand, some visitors have also expressed their delight over a car-free space.
“It is high time we fully ban cars from this park, the amount of times I have almost been hit by a car while cycling is alarmingly high,” said Jazib Goreja, a Ward 4 resident.
The biggest challenge for a permanent car ban at High Park is park accessibility. High Park currently has 24 accessible parking spaces located inside the grounds.
“You really have to consider allowing private vehicles into a public park, especially if they are bringing in people who might have difficulty in terms of access,” said Christopher De Sousa, a professor in the School of Urban and Regional Planning at TMU.
According to Toronto Police Services Traffic Collisions data, there have been no reports of serious injuries nor any fatal collisions in High Park since 2022.
High Park Access is asking Ward 4 candidates to suspend the implementation of HPMS and redo public consultations for making the park more accessible.
“The HPMS is a failure. Parks & Recreation has had four general managers in three years and Urban Forestry was taken away from the Parks and Recreation division,” said Leslie.
Reporter, OTR, F2026.
