Toronto/Tommy Thompson Park /Cherry beach regulation
Hello, kitesurfers
This massage is regarding the practice of kiteboarding within the sheltered embayment’s of Tommy Thompson Park (located on the Leslie Street Spit, Toronto).
Periodically kiteboarders enter the sheltered embayment’s of the park. Kiteboarding within these embayment’s (particularly Embayment A, Embayment B and East Cove – See attached map) causes significant detrimental impacts to the wildlife present. During the winter these sites are an important area for waterfowl to seek shelter. Unfortunately when a kiteboarder enters the embayment all of the birds are scared off (expending vital energy) and do not return for a significant period of time if at all.
Additionally, during the warmer months these embayment’s are adjacent to sensitive breeding colonies for a number of bird species. As you can imagine, the presence of kiteboarders within this area is very disruptive to birds – causing stress, scaring birds off of nests and resulting in unattended (and subsequently predated) nests, and discouraging ground nesting among colonial water birds.
Tommy Thompson Park is listed as both a City of Toronto Environmentally Significant Area as well as an Important Bird Area. These designations are largely due to the fact that the park offers such ideal sheltered habitat to waterfowl and colonial waterbirds. As such we are very concerned by the effect of kiteboarding on these species.
Please stay out of the embayment’s at TTP? We know that kiteboarders love the outdoors so I’m sure they appreciate the importance of not harming wildlife in a precious urban wilderness like Tommy Thompson Park.
Thank you for your attention to this matter.
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