Kids’ pleas fail to lift street hockey ban

April 26, 2011 00:04:00
Paul Moloney
URBAN AFFAIRS REPORTER
Hockey-loving kids failed to convince a city committee to scrap the ostensible ban on street hockey, but full council will be asked to legalize the iconic urban Canadian pastime.

Councillors on the public works committee agreed with staff Tuesday to keep the status quo — with a rarely enforced street hockey ban to protect the city from legal liability in case a player is hit by a car or otherwise injured.

But they expect the ban to be enforced only when players are being a nuisance and not yielding to cars, said committee chair Councillor Denzil Minnan-Wong. “For 98 per cent of the time, kids understand the unwritten rules for playing hockey on the street: You don’t play on a busy road and you don’t get in the way of cars,” he said.

“You stop playing when you have to and pull the net over to the side when a car comes. Everyone knows the term ‘Game on’, immortalized by Mike Myers. It’s an accepted custom.”

Councillor Josh Matlow, who is not on the committee and has argued for a lift on the ban, was undaunted. He has submitted a motion for the May 17-18 council meeting that Toronto look at allowing parents to volunteer to take legal responsibility for games on their street.

“I think Toronto council should have some confidence in our parents, because the kids are going to play anyway. They feel criminalized by this bylaw,” Matlow said.

A staff report on the subject largely came down on the side of the status quo, and by simply receiving the report, public works left things as they are.

A group of ball hockey players had come down to city hall with a petition containing 128 names in support of street hockey.

“Hockey’s our sport as Canadians,” said Andrew Polanyi, 13. “We should be able to play our sport” — especially in Toronto, where it’s hard to find a place to play.

Ball hockey should be considered acceptable when ice hockey season is over, said Xander Anderson, 13. “When kids can’t get on the ice and it’s summertime, you should be able to go outside on the road with a ball and stick and just play.”

Polanyi said some neighbours oppose the activity and have threatened to call police. But Minnan-Wong said a police response is appropriate only to address a serious problem.

“There are only a few instances when ball hockey players don’t exhibit a level of courtesy, and some level of intervention is necessary by the police,” he said.

“And when that happens, the police need the law to make sure the roads remain safe and residents’ rights are protected. Without those rules, those few individuals who spoil it for the rest of us can do what they want.”

With files from David Rider