ryerson raccoon pool

Toronto raccoon shuts down Ryerson swimming pool

Earth's most-innovative little critter continues to surprise and delight the people of Toronto with its undeniably adorable (albeit sometimes inconvenient) urban antics.

A raccoon who clearly gives no effs about what you think found a new spot to nap at Ryerson University on Wednesday: on top of a sign that's on top of a door that leads into a theatre, gym and learning space.

Due to the animal's presence, the school was forced to close off Kerr Hall North, Ryerson Theatre, and the Recreation and Athletics Centre's swimming pool area.

Ryerson University Recreation wrote on Twitter around 9:30 a.m. that it was closing off the area for safety reasons — presumably referring to the safety of both humans and the raccoon.

It wasn't until around noon that RU Recreation announced the raccoon's safe removal from the premises.

"Update: our raccoon friend is gone and the RAC back turnstile is good to use again," wrote the recreation centre on Twitter. "For now."

No word on where the woodland creature was taken, but he did appear to be enjoying that makeshift sign hammock — and if I know raccoons (which I do), he'll be back.

Lead photo by

Ryerson Recreation


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