HIGH PARK is getting further and further away from us

BY NATMED  Oct 9, 2023

A few days ago, as usual, I went to HIGH PARK with a few friends after I got off work to celebrate the birthday of one of them. When we drove to the north gate and prepared to enter the park, we suddenly found that the two-lane road that could be entered and exited had become a closed lane, and there was only a single lane for cars out and a double bicycle lane. It reminds people of an incident that caused an uproar a month ago, when two groups of people who supported and opposed changing the status quo clashed at the entrance of the park. Eventually, the police arrived at the scene to maintain order. Finally, I learned that HIGH PARK is gradually turning the park into a non-motorized vehicle area in accordance with established policies. I just didn’t expect them to move so fast. (I really hope the Toronto subway extension lane can be  so quickly!) We were stunned on the spot. We looked at the cars coming out and guessed that we might be able to get in through the east gate, so we drove towards the east gate. While driving on PARKSIDE Road on the east side of the park, I kept an eye on the notorious speed camera (ASE) for fear of accidentally being photographed. After being nervous all the way, we finally entered the park gate smoothly. I couldn’t help but sigh in my heart, it’s really not easy to visit HIGH PARK!

Thinking back to a few months ago, our family took a trip to Vancouver. We rented a car and drove around STANLEY PARK three times, thoroughly exploring the park. Watching the tourists playing, having fun and enjoying life in the park, I really envy them from the bottom of my heart that they have such a lovely park for the surrounding residents to enjoy. We stopped randomly in the park, took photos, and had a lot of fun.

From this, I thought, since it is also one of the top natural parks in the area, why is there such a big difference? Vancouver’s STANLEY PARK is very famous locally, and people all over the world know that even if they have a few hours of layover in Vancouver, my friends and their families love visiting STANLEY PARK. Can you imagine what would happen if motor vehicles were also banned? The equally famous Toronto HIGH PARK is now planning to gradually turn the city’s prestigious park into a non-motorized zone. Since then, people can only ride bicycles or walk in and out, and all motor vehicles are prohibited. In this case, it is indeed convenient for the surrounding residents, but have you considered people living elsewhere in the Greater Toronto Area? How did they get here? We all know how difficult it is to find parking on the roadsides around the park. If the hundreds of existing parking spaces in the park are eliminated, drivers will inevitably park on the roadside outside the park, which will add a lot of trouble to surrounding residents. Also, there are many sports venues in the park, so how to get there? Do I need to take the subway or bus to the park and then walk in? One can’t help but wonder, “Are the people who plan to do this just too selfish?”

I remember that when I first immigrated here, it was early 2003. It was freezing cold, with heavy snowfall, biting wind, and freezing weather. After more than half a year of hard work, we finally have a firm foothold here. In autumn, temperatures get cooler and leaves change color. We know that HIGH PARK is the best place to enjoy maple leaves every year, so our family came here because of its reputation. I drove to the park parking lot from the east end of Toronto. As soon as I got out of the car, I was stunned by the beautiful scenery in front of me. My eyes were filled with orange and red, and the trees were dyed red in layers. Although twenty years have passed, the scene at that time is still vivid in my mind and unforgettable. Later we brought our visiting parents here to play, and they all left us with wonderful memories.

As time goes by, the scenery remains the same, but it only becomes harder and harder for people to play. Why is it like this? Is it because there are cars traveling in the park that it affects the safety of visitors in the park? ! I have talked about this with colleagues around me, and most people’s reaction is that they want to maintain the status quo and oppose such changes, which will only benefit the residents around the park and be detrimental to other residents in the Greater Toronto Area. What’s more, they sounded fierce and waved their fists and asked: “Are the city’s public leisure and entertainment venues really going to become some people’s back gardens?”