Some city parks could close early this weekend

The City of Ottawa is stopping short of Mayor Jim Watson's idea for a blanket park curfew of 8 p.m., opting instead to close only a handful of large parks at 9 p.m. in an attempt to curb illegal gatherings and only if the area councillor agrees toit.

Starting this weekend, anywhere from six to a dozen parks could be shut down at 9 p..m. two hours earlier than city parks aresupposed to close.

City staff haven't identified which parks could close early, although Watson has singled out Vincent Massey and Mooney's Bay parks as the scenes of partying, which is not only illegal during the stay-at-home order, butisparticularly concerning considering the record number of new COVID-19 cases that Ottawa is currently experiencing.

• Key COVID-19 numbers in the Ottawa area today
• Ottawa's mandatory mask bylaw extended until Aug. 26

The city will advise the public and put up signs in the parks ahead of any closures, officials promised.

"We found a reasonable approachin terms of dealing with problematic areas, yet not dropping the hammer and restricting people from using our parks," city manager Steve Kanellakos told reporters Wednesday.

"I will remind people that a year agoall parks were shut down, and the situation wasn't as severe as it was now," he said. "[Now], maybe a couple of parks will have two hours less. I don't think that's unreasonable after what we saw last weekend."

• Watson calls for 8 p.m. park curfew to stop crowds from gathering

On Tuesday, the mayor told CBC's Ottawa Morning that the city receivedmore than 420 calls over theweekend about illegal gatherings in parks,Airbnb rentals andchurches. Watson said his "blood did boil"when he saw photos ofempty beer bottles littering Vincent Massey Park, which is run by the National Capital Commission (NCC).

Watson had asked city staff to look at closing all city parks by 8 p.m., but a number ofcouncillorsbalked at the idea, arguing it would limit access to green space for apartment and condo dwellers, as well asthe city's homeless, while also potentially driving illicit gatherings indoors.

City may close some parks early to stop social gatherings

4 years ago

Duration 0:44

City manager Steve Kanellakos says the city is planning to close a handful of parks at 9 p.m. to curb illegal gatherings, a measure that stops short of the mayors previous suggestion of an 8 p.m. closure for all parks.

City eyeing problem parks

In a CBC email survey of council members Wednesday, most said late-night gatherings inparks aren'ta major problem in their wards, and that closing parks earlier should be a last resort. In fact, many indicated they're more concerned with large gatherings in parks and other public spaces during the daytime.

Nevertheless, the city's senior management is now eyeing parks where there have been complaints of late-night rowdiness, and will deploy "park ambassadors" to remind people about the earlierclosure.People will still be allowed to walk, cycle or otherwise move through the affected parks after 9 p.m., but not hang outthere.

The earlier closure will allow bylaw officers to intervene before things get out of hand,according toAnthony DiMonte, the city's general manager of emergency and protective services.

"We're not arriving at 11 o'clock when it's dark, when the crowds are there, when the rowdiness has begun," he said."When we get a complaint and it's just after 9:00 and we're arriving, we're able to intervene in a different environment."

Watson told reporters Wednesday that he supports this approach, which he called "a very good compromise."

He encouraged residents of Ottawa to keep using their neighbourhood parks for exercise, reminding them to keep within their household groups, as per the province's rules.