Concerns raised about illicit activity at Sunnypoint Park

By Faiza Amin

Sunnypoint Park offers a lot of privacy, with the high trees and forested areas, but neighbours are concerned that makes it the ideal place for illicit and illegal activities.

Residents tell CityNews the Scarborough park has been the meeting place for groups congregating in the area, having sex and partying late into the night. Empty cans and bottles of alcohol, condom wrappers and other items can be seen scattered throughout the site located near the Scarborough bluffs.

“People aren’t using the park because they’d be intimidated by a group of 10 to 12 young kids,” Martin Williams, who lives by the park, tells CityNews.

Williams explains several vehicles would be parked on the side of the road with at least a dozen youths walking into the park holding beer packs. Other neighbours also share Williams’ concerns, adding that the park has been home to these types of activities for years now.

“As the weather gets warmer, it’s getting worse,” Williams explains. “It’s at lunch time, it’s in the evening, and they speed by my house.”

The area’s councillor, Gary Crawford, says these activities aren’t just causing a nuisance, they’re also a public safety concern.

“Speeding at night, youth and individuals drinking and driving … There’s been a number of accidents, some fairly serious that happened in the area,” the Ward 36 councillor tells CityNews Sunday evening.

Councillor Crawford is hosting a community meeting Monday night to discuss what can be done to drive away the unwelcome activity in and around the park. Staff from the parks department, the conservation authority, transportation services and Toronto Police will be attending the meeting.

“We’re going to be looking at opportunities to listen to the community but also look at ways we can try to resolve this issue,” said Councillor Crawford.

The councillor is already considering several solutions, including, having more lighting in the park, removing growth from the forested area to make the area less private, and looking at what can be done to increase surveillance in the park.

The meeting is scheduled for 6 p.m. at 1 Eastville Ave on Monday evening.

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