During a recent school soccer tournament I attended with my students, a concerning incident occurred at Earlscourt Park on St. Clair Ave and Caledonia Rd in Toronto. Over two days, as schools gathered for the tournament, a man was seen taking pictures and videos of the girls and attempting to lure them away. This unsettling experience has brought to light a significant safety issue – the design of the public bathrooms at the park.

Currently, the women's bathroom is only accessible by passing through a gender-neutral bathroom. This arrangement poses a potential safety risk, particularly for females of all ages, as it provides an opportunity for individuals with harmful intentions to hide or wait within the gender-neutral space. Recently, a 35-year-old man was arrested for attempting to lure female students in this very location, highlighting the urgent need for change.

I personally felt unsafe using these facilities due to the inherent design flaw. It is imperative that we address this issue to protect the safety and well-being of all visitors, especially young women and girls. By implementing separate entry doors for the women's bathroom at Earlscourt Park, we can create a safer environment and prevent any potential threats.

The ideal solution involves restructuring the entry points to the bathrooms to eliminate the need to pass through one bathroom to reach another. This straightforward modification could be crucial in safeguarding park visitors from any future incidents.

Please join me in urging the City of Toronto to take immediate action and modify the bathroom entryways at Earlscourt Park. Sign this petition to demand a safer environment in one of our community's valued recreational spaces. Together, we can ensure that every visitor feels safe and secure when using public facilities.