COVID concerns motivate tobogganing ban at Mooney's Bay

The city has temporarily banned tobogganing at Mooney’s Bay hill.

The ban was announced on Friday, January 22, and will be enforced with by-law patrols. According to a city news release, the reason is due to the hill attracting large crowds, “numbering in the hundreds”, that do not comply with rules that limit sledding hill capacity to 25 people.

“To support the no-downhill sledding rule, the Mooney’s Bay parking lot will be limited to only people taking part in authorized activities – such as using the cross-country ski trails or snowshoeing in the park. Signage and barricades will advise motorists about the authorized parking requirement at the parking lot entrance, located at the intersection of Riverside Drive and Ridgewood Avenue,” the news release says.

There is a map of hills where sledding is permitted on the city’s website.

Riley Brockington, the city councillor for the area that includes Mooney’s Bay, tweeted that closing the hill is not a solution.

While I acknowledge Mooney's Bay Hill has been a popular destination for families this winter & many guests have failed to adhere to capacity caps, closing one of the limited outdoor amenities available to the public, for tobogganing, is not the way to go, we can safely do this.

— Riley Brockington (@RiverWardRiley) January 22, 2021

“I was surprised with the decision,” Brockington told CFRA radio.