Toronto park called out for 'unacceptable' and 'unusable' condition
A Toronto park has been called out for its "unacceptable" state by a local city councillor, saying that a key component of the public space has been rendered "unusable."
Ward 12 Toronto—St. Paul's councillor Josh Matlow penned a lengthy letter to the City's Parks and Recreation department on Monday to voice concerns about a lack of maintenance at the playground of Fairbank Memorial Park.
The over nine-acre public space on Dufferin St. between Eglinton and St. Clair is home to a baseball diamond, a basketball court, a children's playground and two outdoor pools, but it's the playground area that has drawn specific concern from Matlow.
In a letter to the General Manager of Parks and Recreation, Matlow writes that "Due to flooding and erosion, the playground becomes unusable every time it rains."
"Residents have told my office that this has been an ongoing problem for years, with little or no action from the city. Many families and children rely on this playground, and they expect better," wrote Matlow.
"Barriers and pylons have also been left by parks staff, scattered around the playground. For residents, this is a visible sign of neglect, and it erodes their confidence that the city is paying attention," wrote Matlow, adding that "Loose barriers are also a hazard for young children."
Matlow explained in his letter that his office has been in contact with Parks Capital staff, "who have informed us that they will be submitting a request for this work through a future capital budget. I ask that you support this request and prioritize it in the 2027 budget."
In the meantime, the council also asked the Parks department to "identify interim measures to keep the playground usable until the capital project is complete."
Matlow acknowledges "a large storm-sewer remediation project currently underway by Toronto Water" as a factor in planning remediation of the playground, and hopes the City can find a way to incorporate upgrades into the plan.
The councillor argues that "We should hold ourselves to a high standard as a city," and stresses concern "that this issue was allowed to deteriorate to the point where an important community playground became unusable."
Matlow asks the Parks Department to provide "an explanation of why it was not addressed sooner, and what the division will do to address this issue going forward."
