City parks and amenities are now closed, only walk-throughs permitted

Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, the City of Ottawa has declared all city parks and park equipment closed until further notice.

Walking through the park while respecting social distancing is allowed, but gatherings of any kind are prohibited. Signs will start appearing in parks within the next few days; priority for initial posting will be given to the busiest parks that have play amenities like play structures, sports courts and skate parks. The closure of parks is also being communicated on Ottawa.ca and through social media.

Additional information on safe ways to practice social distancing in outdoor spaces, including sports fields and ball diamonds, city parks and outdoor spaces, can be found below.

 Sports fields and courts

The amenities and spaces that are closed for use include:

Public sports fields – including those located at recreation facilities

  • Ball diamonds
  • Basketball and tennis courts

These types of spaces and amenities encourage group gatherings and usage, which go against the physical (social) distancing measures being used to flatten the spread of the COVID-19 virus.

Play structures and park equipment

The closures apply to all play and park equipment, this includes:

  • Play structures
  • Swings
  • Slides
  • Climbers
  • Adult fitness stations
  • Benches and picnic tables
  • Skateboard parks Off-leash dog enclosures

Park and play equipment also encourage multiple users. More importantly, the surfaces are not being cleaned and could potentially spread the COVID-19 virus.

Walk-throughs permitted – maintain physical (social) distancing

While the parks are closed, you are able to walk through them. Safe park practices that are permitted includes running, walking or jogging through the park, while keeping a two-metre distance from others – which is equal to the length of a hockey stick. You can also walk your dog through the park where this is allowed, while respecting the established leashing requirements for the site.

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