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Home runs are back in play at a west-end ball diamond in Toronto.
For the last five years, a sign at MacGregor Park has warned that home runs, hard balls, aluminum bats, competitive play and overhand pitching are all prohibited at the park.
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The sign made headlines last August, when pictures of it were shared on social media, but the “no home run” rule has been in place since 2019 due to a low-rise condominium that sits at the edge of the park.
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Construction of “Enigma on the Park” was completed in 2016 by Aragon Properties and the condo features a distinct chevron pattern, along with an apparent distaste for baseball.
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But the City of Toronto says that following “a number of safety and physical changes to the park,” including installing netting and planting trees, beer league legends will once again be able to go yard.
“Unfortunately, the signage installed in 2019 stated no home runs were permitted, however, with the new changes at MacGregor Park, we understand there is a redundancy around that rule listed on the existing sign,” a city spokesperson told CTV News Toronto.
The old sign has since been removed and a new sign is on the way, according to Jennifer Keesmaat, Toronto’s former chief planner.
On Sunday, Keesmaat posted to X urging ballplayers to “ignore” the sign.
“It was written in error, by a hapless bureaucrat. Swing for the fences. Always!” she posted.
On Monday, Keesmaat followed up, stating that “someone in Parks (department) has been directed to take down this damn sign (which was Council’s wish, when it was first brought to their attention). Should be down imminently.”
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The home run ban also caught the eye of Shopify CEO and Toronto resident Tobi Lutke.
“Those who make the rules here want to literally disallow competitive high level play and home runs. And it’s not just field games, it’s everywhere. They want Canada to just aim for bronze,” he posted to X this week.
Former Toronto mayoral candidate and city planner Gil Penalosa also weighed in on X, writing that the “City has tolerated too many years a parks & rec. department proudly being ‘the NO department’.”
“Should be ‘the YES department,’ everywhere, focused on promoting health and happiness for all ages, abilities, backgrounds,” he added.
Last year, the city also reversed course on a controversial sign at a popular off-leash dog park that read “do not allow your dogs to bark.”
The sign at St. Andrew’s Playground Park near Spadina Avenue and Adelaide Street West also stated that “excessive barking will not be tolerated.”
The sign wasn’t up for long before it was removed, with a city spokesperson later telling CityNews Toronto that the sign did “not meet city standards.”
“Although the sign was placed at this location with the intention of helping users of the off-leash area and neighbouring residents coexist harmoniously, we recognize that the information did not meet the mark,” said Magdalena Stec, Strategic Public and Employee Communications.
“The city will be reviewing its sign approval process to ensure clear communication in future signs.”
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