High Park Closure to Vehicles and Removal of Parking Spaces

Councillor Perks declares that High Park is always accessible because the Spring Road Parking Lot is open seven days a week.

This parking area is situated in the South Eastern corner of the Park, it has 21 Parking spaces 3 of which are Disabled Spaces. This parking lot is often used by the residents of Parkside Drive as their overflow parking, therefore drastically reducing this number. High Park used to have 560 Parking Spaces...

At Spring Road there is a curb cut to allow access onto the sidewalk, however unfortunately the sidewalk runs out after 300 yards and becomes a dirt track, then just grass, and there is no curb cut at this point to move people to the roadway. In addition this area is subject to flooding year round and is very icy in the winter months. (See attached pictures).

This  600 yard walk from the parking only leads to the entrance to The Jamie Bell Playground, a further  1200 yards will take you part way into the Zoo to see the adorable Highland Cattle Calves .

So  just to enjoy that much of the park, one would have to walk  2km...

Spring Road Parking is a long way from most of the main venues in the park and should one wish to visit the many other venues, i.e. Nature Centre, Childrens Garden, Grenadier Cafe, Colborne Lodge, Hillside Gardens, Grenadier Pond or even use a washroom, then a steep hill has to be climbed.

Without vehicle access and Parking, High Park is not accessible to thousands, since the introduction of the changes in 2023 it has become a ghost park in the winter and a place for only the young and healthy during the warmer weather.  All of the venues operating in the Park have lost attendance, Volunteers will not or cannot walk the distances to assist in events. Young Families miss the Jamie Bell Playground and Splash Pad, Seniors and Disabled go where they are welcome, not shut out.

We heard at the General Government Committee meeting on May 12 that the new accessible vehicle will not be able to have a stop at the Spring Road parking area as it will not be able to turn around.  Once again demonstrating that this area is not suitable for those with accessibility needs.

 Please visit and see for yourselves that High Park needs to be opened up for all again and restore the Parking Now...

Diane Buckell 

High Park Access For ALL....Now with over  TWENTY_FIVE THOUSAND Signatures for ACCESS