Centre For Local Research into Public Space (CELOS)
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You are on the [cover page] of folder [Permits]Permits
See also Park Permits Policy
Parks By-law, Chapter 608 of the Toronto Municipal Code
§ 608-11. Organized gatherings, special events, festivals and picnics. While in a park, no person shall: A. Unless authorized by permit, hold a picnic, organized gathering or special event for more than 25 persons; B. Interfere with a picnic, organized gathering or special event authorized by permit; or C. Move park furniture from an area to another area to accommodate their picnic, organized gathering or special event.
Permits: a little history
John Sewell says that while he was Mayor, the city negotiated the first shared-use agreements with schools. That meant there were suddenly many more recreation centres. It must mean there were many new staff and also much new building. I asked Mr.Sewell what they had in mind when they added so many centres and he said they just thought people should have more places to do recreation, since they seemed to want that. I asked whether he and his colleagues were concerned about training kids for the Olympics, and he said, not in the slightest. They just wanted more gyms and pools and activity rooms available for people. I asked him if maybe they overbuilt and he said, no. But he said that Toronto had by then already had a philosophy of free access to parks and recreation for everyone for a hundred years. There was no talk of charging anyone.
Same bureaucracy, different rules
Here is an enlightening table comparing two different approaches to permits in the same bureaucracy: Film versus live theatre permits