The City of Toronto is removing a sign at a west-end park after it received community backlash for its controversial rules surrounding baseball.
The sign is located at MacGregor Playground, near Bloor Street West and Lansdowne Avenue, and outlined a list of strict rules. This includes banning the use of hardballs and aluminum bats, prohibiting competitive/high-level play and home runs, and only allowing underhand pitching.
The sign received major criticism from Torontonians who were shocked by the stern rules at a baseball diamond.
“I don’t think Toronto gets the game of baseball. Maybe it’s just me,” one X user said.
“Is this actually real? If so, the City of Toronto has lost its mind,” another user said.
“To be clear: Baseball is not allowed. At a baseball diamond,” another user commented.
The sign was installed following complaints from residents at Enigma Lofts built in 2017 who say the balls were breaking windows and damaging the building, according to media reports.
In 2019, the city installed protective netting in the ball diamond’s outfield to catch potential home run balls.
On Tuesday morning, a city spokesperson confirmed to CityNews that the no home run rule is no longer necessary due to the protective netting.
Monday evening, Toronto’s former Chief Planner Jennifer Keesmaat says that someone in the city’s Parks and Recreation Division has been told to remove the sign imminently.
