Toronto residents can take advantage of many activities the City of Toronto will offer during the coming Labour Day long weekend, though most City operations, including recreation centres, will be closed on Monday, September 2. TTC transit service will operate on its holiday service schedule on Labour Day Monday, with the subway starting at 6 a.m.
Fun in the water
The following 10 outdoor swimming pools will be open from noon to 5 p.m. on Labour Day as well as operating on their regular hours Saturday and Sunday:
• Alex Duff Memorial Pool, 779 Crawford St.
• Donald D. Summerville Olympic Pools, 1867 Lake Shore Blvd. E.
• Grandravine Outdoor Pool, 23 Grandravine Dr.
• Heron Park Outdoor Pool, 292 Manse Rd.
• McGregor Park Outdoor Pool, 2231 Lawrence Ave. E.
• Pine Point Outdoor Pool, 15 Grierson Rd.
• Riverdale Park East Outdoor Pool, 550 Broadview Ave.
• Sunnyside-Gus Ryder Outdoor Pool, 1755 Lake Shore Blvd. W.
• Parkway Forest Outdoor Pool, 59 Forest Manor Rd.
• West Mall Outdoor Pool, 380 The West Mall
Other City outdoor swimming pools, and the City’s wading pools, will close for the summer season at 4 p.m. on Sunday, September 1. All indoor swimming pools will be closed on Labour Day. Splash pads will operate on Labour Day and will be open daily until September 15.
The City’s swimming beaches will be open and supervised on Labour Day from 11:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m., weather and beach conditions permitting. More information about beaches is available at http://www.toronto.ca/beaches and https://www.toronto.ca/explore-enjoy/parks-gardens-beaches/beaches/beach-safety/.
Parents are reminded to supervise children at all times when they are in and around water. More information about swimming is available at http://www.toronto.ca/swim.
Toronto Island Park: Toronto’s largest downtown park is a great place to walk, cycle, picnic and view the City’s skyline during the long weekend. Visitors to Toronto Island Park are encouraged to plan ahead by finding out about the park’s attractions at http://www.toronto.ca/islands. Ferry tickets can be bought in advance at http://www.toronto.ca/ferry to save time at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal (located at the foot of Bay Street).
Golf: All five City-run golf courses will be open, offering holiday rates, on Labour Day. Fling golf is also available at the Dentonia, Humber, Scarlett Woods and Tam O’Shanter golf courses. Fling golf can be played alongside golfers and is scored the same way as golf. Instead of hitting the ball with a golf club, players fling the ball with a fling stick. More information about golf hours and locations is available at http://www.toronto.ca/golf.
Tennis: Many of Toronto’s municipal tennis courts will offer public hours on September 2, varying by location. There is no fee to play during public hours. Tennis players are asked to share the courts by limiting their play time to half-hour intervals if others are waiting to use the courts. Details about tennis court locations and scheduled public hours are available at http://www.toronto.ca/tennis.
Farm in the city: Home to domestic farm animals representative of a turn-of-the-century Ontario farm, Riverdale Farm is open from 9:15 a.m. to 5 p.m. and admission is free. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/zoo, by calling 311 or at http://www.riverdalefarmtoronto.ca.
Zoo in High Park: Toronto’s oldest zoo houses animals such as bison, llamas, highland cattle and reindeer. The High Park Zoo is open daily, with free admission, from 7 a.m. to dusk. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/parks/zoo.
Conservatories: You can check out the flowers at Allan Gardens Conservatory and Centennial Park Conservatory this long weekend. Both conservatories will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. on Labour Day. Admission is free. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/conservatories or by calling Allan Gardens Conservatory at 416-392-7288 or Centennial Park Conservatory at 416-394-8543.
Bike and skate parks: Skateboarders and bike riders in Toronto who want to practise their moves have many options. The City maintains several bike and skate parks across Toronto, with something for everyone. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/rec.
Toronto museums
The City’s 10 Toronto history museums will be open on Saturday and Sunday of the long weekend, with the exception of the Market Gallery, which is closed Sundays. Two museums, Fort York and Spadina Museum, will be open on Labour Day Monday (as well as on Saturday and Sunday). The 10 museums’ hours of operation and activities vary by location. More information is available at http://www.toronto.ca/museum-events.
On Monday, Fort York National Historic Site and its visitor centre (250 Fort York Blvd.) will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. and will feature tours and ongoing exhibitions. Spadina Museum (285 Spadina Rd.) will be open from noon to 5 p.m. Regular admission applies at both sites.
Toronto Zoo
The Toronto Zoo is offering peak-season hours during Labour Day long weekend, from 9 a.m. to 7 p.m., with the last admission at 6 p.m. Visitor highlights include the newly opened Kangaroo Walk-Thru, Splash Island giant splash pad, daily animal shows in the Waterside Theatre, and Keeper Talks. International Vulture Awareness Weekend takes place on September 1 and 2. More information about the zoo’s features are available at http://www.torontozoo.com.
Other municipal services
City administrative offices and service counters (including the federal Service Canada counter at Toronto City Hall), City-operated child care centres, Children’s Services district offices and the City Archives at 255 Spadina Rd. will be closed on Labour Day (September 2).
City of Toronto frontline emergency services and other 24-hour services such as 311 Toronto will operate throughout the long weekend.
Toronto is Canada’s largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of more than 2.9 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world’s most livable cities. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/cityoftoronto, on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto or on Facebook at http://www.facebook.com/cityofto.
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