A person sits near to a sign notifying the public of the start of a pilot project by the City Toronto to allow drinking alcohol in public parks, in Trinity Bellwoods Park, in Toronto on Aug. 2.Chris Young/The Canadian Press
A city report says a pilot project that allowed Torontonians to sip on beer, wine and other booze at select parks for a few months last year was a success and can safely become a permanent fixture if council votes in favour of it.
The evaluation report from city staff says few issues arose at the 27 parks where locals were allowed to legally consume alcohol from August to October last year and almost everyone who took advantage of the opportunity reported being highly satisfied in a survey.
City staff say a majority of survey respondents also reported feeling safe at parks where drinking was briefly allowed, there was no increase in hospital emergency department visits due to alcohol, no spike in calls to police, and those who chose to drink at a park were considerate of those around them.
The report, which will be discussed at a city council meeting next week, says the temporary Alcohol in Parks Pilot Program cost taxpayers a little more than $60,000 to implement.
The report says that if council votes in favour of making the project permanent, staff recommend at least one park in every ward be designated for drinking.
City staff also recommend that any additional park designated as a safe space for drinking must follow certain criteria, including that the size of the park should be at least 0.015 square kilometres, it should not be across from schools, and it should not be on the waterfront.