Toronto park's parking rule change blocks accessible permit holders

A small change to parking rules next to Dufferin Grove Park has created a large problem for people with mobility disabilities. The city recently removed the right of accessible parking permit holders to park on Dufferin Park Avenue, a roughly 20-metre street that runs east off Dufferin Street.

For 25 years, Erella Ganon has volunteered with Friends of Dufferin Grove, a community group that coordinates park activities. She organizes the weekly potluck, manages social media posts, and represents the park on the Toronto Community Police Liaison Committee. Without nearby parking, her mobility issues mean she'll have to give up the work. "I can't continue representing the park if I can't come to the park," she said.

In February, Councillor Alejandra Bravo proposed the changes to improve the street. The city received requests to increase parking for residents and event organizers needing to load and unload equipment. Both the north and south sides of Dufferin Park Avenue were previously no-parking zones, but accessible permits override most parking restrictions. The changes, approved by council at the end of April, opened the south side to limited public parking. The north side became a no-stopping zone — a designation that accessible permits cannot override.

Ganon discovered the change on July 2 when she arrived to find the signs had changed from "No Parking" to "No Stopping." "It was heartbreaking," she said. An April 15 staff report on the changes made no mention of the impact on disabled drivers, though it considered pedestrians, cyclists, and park staff.