One-Time Booking of Parks & Recreation Facilities
If your gathering or event includes:
- the sale or service of alcohol;
- serving food to the public;
- amplified sound over 85 decibels;
- structures or other more complicated elements;
your booking is not simple and requires a Special Event Booking.
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,
These bookings can include:
- designated picnic areas
- picnic shelters
- designated fire pits
- outdoor ovens
- barbeques
Application Timeline
- Season: May to September 30, from 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- Start booking: January
How to book a park or facility for your social gathering
Two ways to book:
- Book online – picnics and firepits only
- Call customer service at 416-392-8188 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday to find an available location and to provide your information
Pay the applicable fee to confirm your booking. An insurance fee may also be required.
Important information
- Fire pit bookings can be completed easily if there is a designated fire pit in your park. These are inspected by Fire Services every year. If your park does not have a designated fire pit, an additional form, inspection, and fee will be required.
- Outdoor ovens are available for booking all year long.
- Only charcoal or briquettes may be used in the permanent barbeques located in Toronto’s parks.
Take photos to capture the beauty of the space and the memories of your visit!
If you are planning formal photography like a photo shoot, wedding photography or other commercial photography, booking in advance is recommended. If you don’t book in advance you may be asked to leave by City staff, particularly if the photography and equipment prevent the use of the facility by other visitors.
How to book a park or facility for photography
- Contact our customer service team at 416-392-8188 to find out if your preferred location, date and time is available
- Complete the Parks Commercial Photography Application application
- Provide a map of the location/site where you plan to set-up
- Provide proof of 3rd party liability insurance naming the City of Toronto as an additional insured
- Pay the fee for the location, which ranges from $60 to $240 per hour. See formal photography fees for more information.
On November 1 of each year, Toronto’s pumpkins shine brightly for one last night in parks across the city.
Bookings for 2018 Pumpkin Parades will be accepted beginning in September. Booking your local park for a Pumpkin Parade is free for not-for-profit and community groups, Business Improvement Areas and City Councillors.
Insurance
Pumpkin Parades require insurance. If your organization or community group does not have insurance, it can be purchased through the City when you make your booking for a fee:
- 0-100 people/pumpkins: $27
- 101-500 people/pumpkins but under 1000 pumpkins: $54
For more information, please call:
- Carol Lord at 416-397-9982
- Paula Simms at 416-338-3940
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.
To book an art, music or movie night in a park
- Complete the Arts and Music at Parks Application
- Email the application to PFRArtsandMusic@toronto.ca
Please wait until you have confirmed your booking before advertising your event. A $28.00 cancellation fee will apply to all events cancelled with less than 1 week written notice.
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.
Important things to know
- 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 music and the noise of the music and/or the generator does not exceed 85 decibels.
- Signage and sponsorship are allowed for events booked in parks. Some additional rules apply. Talk to customer service for more information.
To book a gymnasium, kitchen or multi-purpose room in your local community recreation centre:
- Find a location by using our recreation centre listing or recreation centre map
- Contact the recreation centre directly to confirm availability and to book the space
- 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.
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.
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
- Find a location on our facility listings or map
- Call customer service to see if the facility is available for your preferred date and time
- 416-396-7378
- Operating hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday
- Complete the one-time space use form and submit it to the customer service team
- 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.
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 8 a.m. to 10 p.m.
- The application must be completed at least six weeks before the event
- Payment must be paid in full for the booking being completed
How to book an outdoor oven
Be prepared
You must contact the local site supervisor to review any requirements for your booking. This includes what tools you’ll need, if any tools are available, if staff need to be hired, how much firewood you’ll need and more.
- Christie Pits Park: 416-338-2614
- Edithvale Park: 416-395-6164
- Regent Park Community Recreation Centre: 416-392-5490
- Sorauren Park Fieldhouse: 416-338-2614
Book
- Call customer service to find an available location and to provide your information
- 416-392-8188
- Operating hours: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Monday to Friday
- Pay the applicable social gathering fee to confirm your booking. Insurance is also required. Payment is required in full before a permit will be issued.
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. You can meet this requirement by reading the Outdoor Oven in a City Park Training Guide.
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.
Insurance
Applicants must have general liability insurance naming the City of Toronto as an additional insured, with a minimum of $2 million coverage. If the applicant does not have this insurance, they may be able to purchase coverage through the Parks, Forestry and Recreation Customer Service Unit.
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
- Pay $99.91 including HST per booking
If you need more information please call 416-392-8188, and select option 2.
