Petition to allow alcohol in Collingwood parks
With summer around the corner, Collingwood resident Jonathan Hillis wants to loosen alcohol restrictions in local parks.
"Seeing that Toronto had a successful pilot and are now looking to make it a permanent fixture in their parks, it made me think, why can't we do it here in Collingwood," says Hillis.
Hillis started a petition to get the town to consider allowing open alcohol in its public parks, and so far, it's received over 320 signatures.
"I think it's going to also allow us to get out and be more active as well. Getting friends together and go to a Park, have some fun, play some volleyball or soccer and then maybe sit down and have a drink," he says.
Hillis recommends that the pilot take place at the town's major parks, including Sunset Point Park, Millennium Park and Fisher Fields.
Mayor Yvonne Hamlin says it would be a big decision for the community but is open to discussion.
"If there's interest in moving it forward, we would have to and want to get input from two main sources for us. One is our staff and also our community," says Hamlin.
While the mayor says she understands why it would be a fun initiative, she must consider the pros and cons.
"I guess I'm always looking at what are the problems that could come and how do we prevent them and I'm so thinking about safety," she adds.
Still, Hillis believes that Collingwood could set an excellent example for other municipalities considering the same thing.
"We just have some responsible folks that will know how to really show the youth what responsible drinking looks like and just really be able to come together as a community out at these parks, support one another and have some fun," he says.
Hillis notes that once he gets a few more signatures on the petition, his next step is to meet with council members. He will either submit a written proposal in May or attend an in-person deputation in June.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
'A beautiful soul': Funeral held for baby boy killed in wrong-way crash on Highway 401
A funeral was held on Wednesday for a three-month-old boy who died after being involved in a wrong-way crash on Highway 401 in Whitby last week.
'Sophisticated' cyberattacks detected on B.C. government networks, premier says
There has been a "sophisticated" cybersecurity breach detected on B.C. government networks, Premier David Eby confirmed Wednesday evening.
Police handcuff man trying to enter Drake's Toronto mansion
Toronto police say a man was taken into custody outside Drake's Bridle Path mansion Wednesday afternoon after he tried to gain access to the residence.
Biden says he will stop sending bombs and artillery shells to Israel if they launch major invasion of Rafah
U.S. President Joe Biden said for the first time Wednesday he would halt shipments of American weapons to Israel, which he acknowledged have been used to kill civilians in Gaza, if Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu orders a major invasion of the city of Rafah.
Canucks claw out 5-4 comeback win over Oilers in Game 1
Dakota Joshua had a goal and two assists and the Vancouver Canucks scored three third-period goals to claw out a 5-4 comeback victory over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 1 of their second-round playoff series Wednesday.
Nijjar murder suspect says he had Canadian study permit in immigration firm's video
One of the Indian nationals accused of murdering British Columbia Sikh activist Hardeep Singh Nijjar says in a social media video that he received a Canadian study permit with the help of an Indian immigration consultancy.
Pfizer agrees to settle more than 10K lawsuits over Zantac cancer risk: Bloomberg News
Pfizer has agreed to settle more than 10,000 lawsuits about cancer risks related to the now discontinued heartburn drug Zantac, Bloomberg News reported on Wednesday, citing people familiar with the deal.
Quebec premier defends new museum on Quebecois nation after Indigenous criticism
Quebec Premier Francois Legault is defending his comments about a new history museum after he was accused by a prominent First Nations group of trying to erase their history.
U.S. presidential candidate RFK Jr. had a brain worm, has recovered, campaign says
Independent U.S. presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. had a parasite in his brain more than a decade ago, but has fully recovered, his campaign said, after the New York Times reported about the ailment.