Group of city councillors oppose idea of new curfew at Ottawa parks to limit gatherings

A group of five Ottawa city councillors are speaking out against a proposal which would see local park curfews moved up to 8 p.m., in order to limit gatherings during the provincial COVID-19 stay-at-home order.

The idea of the curfew, being floated by Mayor Jim Watson, follows reported gatherings at large city parks last weekend, including at Mooney's Bay, where the mayor says there were not only large groups of people drinking, but vandalism and a stabbing.

A letter signed by councillors Catherine McKenney, Jeff Leiper, Mathieu Fleury, Rawlson King, and Shawn Menard on Tuesday, April 13, acknowledges the mayor's proposal, but says the curfew could cause “undue harm to many residents.”

We have requested that the issue of an 8pm City park curfew be placed on tomorrow’s Council agenda for discussion. Here is the letter from @JLeiper @ShawnMenard1 @rawlsonking @MathieuFleury and me. pic.twitter.com/PTBIZscKvO

— Catherine McKenney (@cmckenney) April 13, 2021

The letter states that making parks unavailable at an earlier hour “will take away the only public space available to the thousands of multi-residential rental and condo buildings which offer no private outdoor space, and takes space away from those who are currently unhoused.”

The mayor's proposal is expected to be discussed at city council's meeting, Wednesday, April 14.

“We wanted to ensure that it came to council and that we were able to have discussion around the need for it, and around the impacts,” says McKenney, city councillor for Somerset Ward. “We want to be able to have that public discussion and hear from experts.”

As it stands, City of Ottawa parks have a curfew of 11 p.m.

Instead of a new park curfew, the five councillors are lobbying to see all essential workers vaccinated against COVID-19, all residents in “true infection hot spots” vaccinated, and messaging to the provincial government to get paid sick leave for workers.