The City of Toronto is launching a new online registration and booking system for recreation, parks, museums and cultural centres.

Visit Online Registration and Booking to learn more about the new system and how to prepare for the transition. 

If your gathering or event includes:

  • the sale or service of alcohol;
  • serving food to the public;
  • amplified sound (speakers, megaphone);
  • structures or other more complicated elements;

your booking is not simple and requires a Special Event Booking.

You can book ice time, pools, courts, fields or other recreation facilities for birthday parties, social events or to just to play a game with friends or family.

Read General Booking Terms and Conditions and Online Booking Information for etiquette and other rules

How to Book

Online

Book a tennis court, arena or sports field online if you need it within the next 14 days. If the location or date you are looking for is unavailable online, follow the instructions below.

Other Ways to Book

  1. Find a location on our facility listings or map
  2. Call Client Services – Park Bookings to see if the facility is available for your preferred date and time.
  3. Complete the one-time space use form and submit it to the Client Services team
  4. Pay your fees to complete the booking. Depending on:
    • the type and rating of the facility
    • the age and residency of participants
    • if your booking is in prime time or not

    booking fees range from free to $400 per hour.

Ice Availability

You can search for available ice time online during the season. You can also use Additional Ice time for Sale listings for both seasonal and spot booking. Other forms may be required.

Search Additional Ice time for Sale

Arts, music and movie nights in Toronto’s parks can be booked for free, and these bookings can be completed in less than a week if you are booking one of our pre-approved locations.

Anyone can book an arts, music or movie night.

If you are a grassroots organization/collective/artist and your event is:

  • one performance or one event with multiple performances
  • won’t draw more than 250 people
  • doesn’t include regulated activities (e.g., selling or serving food)

you might be eligible for an Arts and Music in the Parks free permit. Otherwise, you may require a Special Event Booking.

To Book an Art, Music or Movie Night in a Park

  1. Complete the Arts and Music at Parks Application
  2. Email the application to PFRArtsandMusic@toronto.ca

    Please wait until you have confirmed your booking before advertising your event. A $29.00 cancellation fee will apply to all events cancelled with less than one week’s written notice.

    The permit may be subject to additional fees, such as Insurance, Hydro, Noise Exemption or others.

    Recommended Deadlines

    • Minimum of three weeks before the event date
    • If a Noise Exemption permit is required, a minimum of two months before the event

    Insurance

    You are required to have insurance. A one-time insurance policy is available through City of Toronto for music events and movie nights. These range from $25 to $100 and is based on the number of participants.

    Rules

    • You may sell your music, art or related promotional items or collect donations passively during booked events
    • You may only use a generator to amplify acoustic music and the noise of the music and/or the generator must follow Noise By-law regulations.
    • Signage and sponsorship are allowed for events booked in parks. Some additional rules apply. Talk to Client Services for more information.
    • Read General Booking Terms and Conditions for etiquette and other rules

    You need to make a booking with our team if you:

    • are planning a picnic, birthday party or other social gatherings in a park that involve more than 25 people, or
    • you want to ensure you have a specific area of a park designated for your gathering
    • you want to bring your own BBQ

    These bookings can include:

    • designated picnic areas
    • picnic shelters
    • designated firepits
    • outdoor ovens – visit the Outdoor Oven section further on this page for more information
    • personal barbeques

    Booking Timeline

    • Select fire pits are available to book throughout the year
    • Regular season: May to September

    Start booking your 2025 permits for Picnics and BBQs on February 14, 2025.

    How to book a Picnic, Firepit or BBQ

    Two ways to book:

    • Book online for some picnic and firepit locations
    • Call Client Services for all bookings and for help finding available locations. All picnic and firepit locations can be booked by phone

    Pay the applicable fee to confirm your booking. An insurance fee may also be required.

    Designated Firepits and Non-designated Firepits

    If there is a designated firepit in your park, it is inspected by Fire Services every year and can be booked easily.

    If your park does not have a designated firepit, an additional form, inspection and fee will be required.

    Rules

    Indigenous Sacred Fires

    Access to land for ceremonies is an inherent right of Indigenous Peoples. First Nations, Inuit and Métis community members can notify the City of their intention to hold a Sacred Fire and Toronto Fire Services will conduct a safety check in advance. Learn more about Sacred Fires and how to access them.

    Please be respectful of sacred fires taking place, and do not interrupt or take photos/video without permission.

    There is no availability for 2024 party bookings.

    Party bookings for January to March begins November 18, 2024.

    Party Bookings

    Bookings are available on Saturday and Sunday only during the times indicated in the following Packages. Packages are $216.18 each. Prices are subject to change without notice.

    Alternate times are not available.

    Package 1

    • 4 p.m. to 5 p.m. playground time
    • 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. party room time

    Package 2

    • 5 p.m. to 6 p.m. playground time
    • 5 p.m. to 7 p.m. party room time

    How to Book a party

    Call the Flemingdon Community Centre at 416-395-6014.

    Rules and General Information

    • Private parties are limited to 20 children maximum
    • Parties must be booked 14 days in advance
    • The party room has a capacity of 40 people
    • Children must be accompanied by a parent or caregiver who is at least 16 years of age at all times
    • Tables and chairs are available in the party room for your use
    • Payment of permit fees can be made by credit card at the time of booking. Confirmation of booking will be faxed or emailed to applicants for a signature and must be returned within the timeline outlined by staff
    • Permit holders are responsible for ensuring guests bring and wear socks while in the playground and follow all rules

    To book a gymnasium, kitchen or multi-purpose room in your local community recreation centre:

    1. Find a location by using our recreation centre listing or recreation centre map
    2. Contact the recreation centre directly to confirm availability and to book the space
    3. Pay your fees to complete the booking. Depending on
      • the type and rating of the facility
      • the age and residency of participants
      • if your booking is in prime time or not

      booking fees range from free to $400 per hour.

    The listing for each centre includes contact information, as well as a facilities tab that outlines the rooms, kitchens, gymnasiums and other facilities available for booking.

    Kidstown Water Park is closed until 2025 as it undergoes improvements.


    Kidstown is the only water park operated by the City of Toronto and has three picnic areas for birthday parties and other events.

    Each picnic area seats 25 people.

    Application Timeline

    • Season: mid-June to the Sunday of Labour Day weekend
    • Booking time slots:
      • 10:30 a.m. to 1 p.m.
      • 1:30 p.m. to 4 p.m.
      • 4:30 p.m. to 7 p.m.

    How to Book

    Go online and choose the Picnics & Firepits tab to find Kidstown booking options.

    If you need more information please call Client Services – Park Bookings.

    Outdoor ovens can be reserved by groups hosting an event or program or by individuals for their own use.

    Application Timeline

    • Available all year round, from 10 a.m. to 8:30 p.m.
    • The application must be completed at least 1 week in advance of the booking date
    • Payment must be paid in full for the booking being completed

    How to Book an Outdoor Oven

    1. Complete the Outdoor Oven in a City Park application
    2. Contact Client Services – Park Bookings or call one of the numbers listed in the Locations with Outdoor Ovens section
    3. Book your event
    4. Pay

    Payment

    Visit Booking Fees for Social Gatherings for all fees.

    General liability insurance naming the City of Toronto as an additional insured, with a minimum of $2 million coverage, is required. If the applicant does not have this insurance, they may be able to purchase coverage. Visit Booking Fees for Social Gatherings.

    Payment is required in full before a permit will be issued.

    Locations with Outdoor Ovens

    Using the Outdoor Oven

    At least one member of the group who attends the event must be trained on the proper use of an outdoor oven. If you don’t want to operate the oven at their event, you can hire staff at your own cost to operate the oven.

    If food will be served and/or sold to members of the public, you must meet all safe food preparation and handling requirements set out by Toronto Public Health.

    Read General Booking Terms and Conditions for etiquette and other rules.

    Photography in Parks

    Visit Wedding Ceremonies and Commercial Photography in Parks for information on booking photography sessions in parks and conservatories.

    Photography in Community Centres or Other Recreation Facilities

    Contact the location directly. Visit Recreation Centres for a listing of all community/recreation centres.

    Rules

    City parks, conservatories and recreation centres are shared spaces that are meant to be enjoyed by all. Please make sure you respect the privacy, safety and accessibility of other patrons while you are capturing that perfect shot.

    Advanced booking is required for commercial or formal photography like

    • extended photoshoots
    • wedding photography

    where the set-up, equipment or staging requires exclusive use of space or inhibits the use of the space by other visitors.

    Without a booking, City staff may ask you to leave if they feel you are interfering with the use of the facility by other visitors. Read General Terms and Conditions for etiquette and other rules.

    Applications open as early as August, and close at the end of September.

    How to Book

    1. Call Client Services at 416-396-7378 to:
    2. Complete the application form and email to PFRCustomerService@toronto.ca with a map of the preferred location
    3. Staff will contact you to complete the booking and request the booking fee