Tobogganing

[TK4]

Spoil sports -
The City of Toronto has added 45 tobogganing hills to their list of prohibited park locations, due to conditions that have been deemed “hazards” to the slope.
In a statement, the city said that, “tobogganing is not permitted at some hills because of hazards obstructing the slope, which render the hill unsafe for tobogganing.”
East Lynn Park was one of the parks that was assessed using the city’s toboggan hill inspection program, which was implemented in 2017. The process deemed the park unsafe due to “several permanent obstacles and safety hazards onsite, including a staircase, wading pool, field house building, light poles and trees.”
According to the city, the program ensures that highly-used toboggan hills are inspected regularly by staff, with signage posted with the risks of activity outlined. The city also says the number of prohibited and designated toboggan hills is “dynamic”, and the number could change year-over-year depending on site conditions.
There are 29 designated toboggan hills in 27 park locations across the city, which have been inspected to have “a clear path from the top of the slope to the bottom, without any obstacles or hazards such as trees, ditches, trails or fencing, etc.” They are also regularly inspected for hazards to ensure user safety.
Tobogganing is permitted at any location where it is not posted as prohibited under bylaw, however tobogganing at non-designated sites is considered “use at own risk” by the city.
A full list of hills that are deemed to be safe by the city, as well as safety tips, can be found online at toronto.ca/tobogganing.

 

[GreyGhost]

My most painful tobogganing injury was at one of the "safe" parks. Riverdale park on my stomach on a wooden sled. Really flat light. Right at the bottom, someone had apparently built a decent size jump. No way to avoid it by the time I saw it. Landed on the edge of the sled and hurt some ribs quite badly. Not sure if they were broken or bruised, physical activity was paused for a few months due to pain. At no point did I consider suing the city. Stupidity has taken over.

 

[crankcall]

I think more people get clobbered by other sledders and tobaggans than run into trees and posts .


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[Ash]

My elementary school installed swings with large metal poles at the bottom of our tobogganing hill. It was also the age when the slide was bare unpainted steel, like a frying pan in the sun. But we did have gravel underneath our jungle gym instead of concrete at least, so we weren't complete barbarians.

The jungle gym was one of those hemispherical steel ones, so I now have a sudden urge to watch Mad Max Beyond Thunderdome:

 

[mimico_polak]

While I think it's idiotic to do this, and have a 'hill inspection program' I see this is as nothing more than a CYA exercise.

People will get injured on CoT property, and then will turn around and sue anyone and anything under the sun because they fail to take responsibility for their actions.

IMO, this is CoT being able to say 'see...we designated it a non-toboggan zone and they did it anyway. We're not paying.'

 

[GreyGhost]

While I think it's idiotic to do this, and have a 'hill inspection program' I see this is as nothing more than a CYA exercise.

People will get injured on CoT property, and then will turn around and sue anyone and anything under the sun because they fail to take responsibility for their actions.

IMO, this is CoT being able to say 'see...we designated it a non-toboggan zone and they did it anyway. We're not paying.'

One municipality that went down this road planted trees randomly all over the hill. Basically turned it into a death trap in the quest for safety. Lets be honest, kids are going to toboggan at the closest hill whether or not there are trees. Telling a toronto kid to go 5 km away to an approved hill is laughable.

 

[TK4]

IMO, this is CoT being able to say 'see...we designated it a non-toboggan zone and they did it anyway. We're not paying.'

What are they going to do - write tickets to 5 year olds ???

 

[FullMotoJacket]

East Lynn Park was one of the parks that was assessed using the city’s toboggan hill inspection program, which was implemented in 2017. The process deemed the park unsafe due to “several permanent obstacles and safety hazards onsite, including a staircase, wading pool, field house building, light poles and trees.”

Wow. The sketchy stuff we tobogganed down as kids would give someone on TO's inspection program a heart attack.

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[GreyGhost]

Wow. The sketchy stuff we tobogganed down as kids would give someone on TO's inspection program a heart attack.

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Meanwhile, I stand beside a poorly placed tree beside the kids toboggan hill to deflect them if things are going wrong.

 

[TK4]

Meanwhile, I stand beside a poorly placed tree beside the kids toboggan hill to deflect them WHEN things are going wrong.

Fixed that for ya...

 

[GreyGhost]

Fixed that for ya...

I said if because I haven't had to intervene yet. Another parent used their leg to deflect away from the tree while on the toboggan with the kid and broke their heel. Six months off work. No lawsuits.

 

[85K100]

A chainsaw will fix that for ya.

 

[GreyGhost]

A chainsaw will fix that for ya.

Not my land. Taking out the tree would require climbing it, topping it and then dropping the stem. I'd rather leave it alone and teach kids to pay attention. Paying attention instead of expecting the world to be sanitized for your safety is an important lesson.

 

[sburns]

Wow. The sketchy stuff we tobogganed down as kids would give someone on TO's inspection program a heart attack.

Yeah, same with Thomson Park, which is on the ok list. There is a hill there that will dump you right into the river. I guess that is ok though.

 

[crankcall]

if thing to teach any kid toboganning is the roll off bail out, you can see it coming , your know your going to hit it , roll the F off . You'll get some snow scrapes and snow up the back of your jacket , but not a concussion or spinal injury. Dum parents .

 

[GreyGhost]

Yeah, same with Thomson Park, which is on the ok list. There is a hill there that will dump you right into the river. I guess that is ok though.

I'll take a tree over the river.

Quebec provincial police suspend search for girl who fell into river on Dec. 22 - Montreal | Globalnews.ca

The child has been missing since Dec. 22, when she fell into the Mistassibi River in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que. while sledding with her mother near the riverbank.

globalnews.ca

This was the "solution" in QC that failed spectacularly. No fence is far better than a bad fence as it gives people a false sense of security.

EDIT:

What a spectacularly dumb place to toboggan.

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Find local businesses, view maps and get driving directions in Google Maps.

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[Wingboy]

Broke my scapula into 3 pieces when i was about 20 on a closed ski hill in the Don Valley.
Lesson learned? ER nurses don't like intoxicated people with broken bones.

 

[sburns]

I'll take a tree over the river.

Quebec provincial police suspend search for girl who fell into river on Dec. 22 - Montreal | Globalnews.ca

The child has been missing since Dec. 22, when she fell into the Mistassibi River in Dolbeau-Mistassini, Que. while sledding with her mother near the riverbank.

globalnews.ca

Yikkies
Ok maybe it's more like a stream, but sucks going home with soaked winter clothes, but still fun as a kid not to get into the water by trying to get to the other side.

 

[hdsomeday]

Do the signs actually say 'No Tobogganing'?

Since a sled is NOT a toboggan its ok to sled down the hill?

Do they still sell saucers??

 

[TK4]

Do the signs actually say 'No Tobogganing'?

Since a sled is NOT a toboggan its ok to sled down the hill?

Yes
No