Toronto, Don't Lock Children Out of the Gym!
Toronto will play host to the prestigious Pan American games in 2015, an honor predicted to cost the city over a billion dollars. But Toronto's commitment to physical fitness might be only skin deep.
In budget talks, the city has considered charging for ALL formerly free children's recreation programs at 21 priority recreation centers, according to the Toronto Star. In theory, the money levied in recreation fees goes to the city's "Welcome Policy" which subsidizes recreational programs for people living in poverty.
In reality, though, the Welcome Policy ties up would-be participants in endless red tape, forcing them to stand in long lines and undergo arguably humiliating application procedures.
Tell Toronto to keep its free programs free and make the Welcome Policy more welcoming for the sake of children all over the city.
Studies show that exercise and play are vital to a child's health and social development. That being the case, it is crucially important that you should keep free recreational programs in place that encourage children and young people to run, swim, and develop their athletic abilities. It would be particularly hypocritical to shut down free recreational programs when you have been named the host city for the upcoming Pan American games. Please keep recreation in Toronto available to everyone, and improve the application process to the Welcome Policy, so that it is more welcoming and easier to navigate.
