Item - 2011.PE2.2
Tracking Status
- This item was considered by Parks and Environment Committee on March 28, 2011. The Parks and Environment Committee has referred this item to an official or other body without making a decision. Consult the text of the decision for further information on the referral.
PE2.2 - Banning Hazardous Kite String Materials and Regulating and Enforcing Kite Fighting Activities in All City Parks
- Decision Type:
- ACTION
- Status:
- Referred
- Wards:
- All
Committee Decision
The Parks and Environment Committee refered the item to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consider the issue of regulating kite fighting and banning hazardous kite strings in City parks.
Origin
Summary
Recently I've been contacted by a number of local residents and the Principal of a local school concerned about the proliferation of dangerous kite strings in their area due to kite fighting activity:
"I am writing to inform you that one of our teachers discovered several lengths of kite string in our school yard. We back onto a City of Toronto park which is also accessed by Macklin Public School.. . the string is used for fighting kites and contains ground glass. If it should become entangled around a child’s feet, it could cause a serious injury."
Paula Chambers
Principal, Divine Infant Catholic School
Given that the goal of kite fighting is to sever an opponent's kite string, it's entirely foreseeable that allowing this type of activity to go unchecked in City Parks will result annually in thousands of metres of hazardous kite strings being strewn throughout our parks, streets, other public lands and private properties in our populated urban areas where they can easily injure people, kill wildlife, damage private property and impede parks maintenance.
My goal in this matter is not stop people from enjoying the recreational past time of kite flying, or necessarily even kite fighting, but rather to ensure that kite flying activities in City parks are conducted in a responsible manner that respects the rights of property owners, the safety of Torontonians and the health of local wildlife.
Background Information
https://www.toronto.ca/legdocs/mmis/2011/pe/bgrd/backgroundfile-36660.pdf
Motions
Refer the item to the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to consider the issue of regulating kite fighting and banning hazardous kite strings in City parks.