Priority Access to Grassroot & Community organization at the Regent Park Athletic Grounds

Priority Access to Grassroot & Community organization at the Regent Park Athletic Grounds

Started
June 22, 2022
Signatures: 338Next Goal: 500
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Why this petition matters

Started by Change Needed

The Regent Park community has been subject to the effects of gentrification over a number of years and counting. One of the many issues that the community is dealing with is access to space.

The Regent Park Athletic Grounds was created by MLSE in 2016 to give Regent Park residents access to an artificial grass field. Fast forward to 2022, the City’s Park, Forest and Recreation department (PF&R) has created barriers for our grassroot and community organizations to obtain permits within Regent Park. Which in turn have forced our youth to travel to sports facilities in communities that are hours away.

The communication between PF&R has indicated that the times of 9am - 8pm is considered community time, while 8pm - 10pm has been set aside for city wide permits. PF&R has also placed a restriction on community permits during "peak hours" from 4pm - 8pm. Unfortunately, big corporations that are "grandfathered in" are allowed to request permits during "peak hours". These organizations would be allowed to create programs that the City has deemed priority sports (cricket, lacrosse, frisbee, etc.) at the Regent Park Athletic Grounds. Which in turn leaves the more common and accessible structured sports (soccer, basketball, etc.) that cater to lower income communities without a space to run programs.

Our goal is to ensure priority access for Grassroot and /or Community organizations. More Specifically, the organization that are on the forefront working with at-risk, low-income, racialized and/or immigrant youth. In an effort to provide programs within the communities which youth can attend without the risk of harm, getting lost, increased travel expenditures, etc...With the cities outdated permitting system and multiple rules and regulations that need to be followed, community will never be priority. Which is why we need "Community Run Spaces", to ensure that our residents get priority access.

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Signatures: 338Next Goal: 500
Support now
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