Simcoe Day fun in Vaughan!
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Your guide to summer activities in the city this long weekend
There are many fun activities to enjoy in Vaughan near or from the comfort of home this Simcoe Day. If you don’t know where to start, let the City of Vaughan be your guide to all things parks, trails and virtual programs!
Park amenities
The City’s parks offer a wide variety of outdoor activities for all ages to enjoy during the long weekend and beyond, including:
- baseball fields
- basketball courts
- bocce courts
- off-leash dog park
- outdoor exercise equipment
- playgrounds
- skateboard parks
- soccer fields
- splashpads
- tennis and pickleball courts
- trails
- Uplands Golf and Ski Club
- volleyball courts
All washroom facilities in parks are open. Visit vaughan.ca/PlayVaughanLocal for a complete list of City park locations and hours of operation for splashpads.
Trails and neighbourhood walks
Spend time in nature on any of Vaughan’s trails and neighbourhood walks. Choose from 12 different trails throughout the city: Jersey Creek Neighbourhood Walk, Mackenzie Glen Neighbourhood Walk, Maple Nature Reserve Nature Walk, Marita Payne Neighbourhood Walk, North Maple Regional Park Nature Walk, Peter Rupert Neighbourhood Walk, Rainbow Creek Neighbourhood Walk, Riverwalk Neighbourhood Walk, Sonoma Heights Neighbourhood Walk, Sugarbush Nature Walk, Vellore Neighbourhood Walk and William Granger Greenway Nature Walk. There are trails for people of all ages, abilities and comfort levels to explore. Visit vaughan.ca/GreatWalks for more information and maps of the City’s most popular trails or check out the Parks and Trails webpage for an interactive view of all trails and parks throughout Vaughan.
The City’s Great Walks of Vaughan walking trail guide (PDF) and Great Walks of Vaughan map legend (PDF) are also available.
StoryWalk
Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) and the City’s Public Works portfolio brought the library outdoors this year with StoryWalk – a global program that promotes literacy, health and exercise in communities around the world. As citizens walk along select City trails, they will discover large panels showcasing colourful pages of nature-based children’s books. With each step, the story unfolds one page at a time in this immersive and interactive experience.
StoryWalk is available at Lawford Park, Nort Johnson District Park, Mackenzie Glen District Park, Sugarbush Heritage Park and Marita Payne Park. For more details, visit VPL’s StoryWalk webpage.
The City urges everyone to continue to do their part to help stop the spread of COVID-19 while visiting outdoor facilities and amenities.
York Region Public Health asks residents to take the following public safety steps:
- Wash your hands thoroughly and often.
- Practice respiratory etiquette.
- Avoid touching your face with unwashed hands.
- Wear a face mask or covering when inside public places and when physical distancing cannot be maintained.
- Clean high-touch surfaces often.
- Get vaccinated.
- Download the COVID-Alert app.
- Monitor yourself for symptoms of COVID-19 and seek assessment and testing if necessary.
Vaughan Public Libraries virtual activities
Even though all Vaughan Public Libraries (VPL) locations are closed on Monday, Aug. 2, VPL’s fully digital library service is frequently enhanced to engage and educate citizens of all ages from home. Available at vaughanpl.info/VPL_at_home, the web hub features a variety of free online resources, including eBooks and audiobooks, films and television programs, music streaming services, e-learning courses, bilingual materials and more. Additional content, such as virtual storytimes, is also available on VPL’s Instagram.
Recreation Services virtual resources
Enjoy free summer-themed virtual recreation resources for all ages and abilities – from the comfort of home! Activities include cooking fresh and easy summer recipes, acting, singing and dancing, creating nature-inspired crafts, learning first aid skills so you’re water and sun-smart, staying school-ready with educational activities, and much more. For more information, visit vaughan.ca/recreation.
Fireworks
As outlined in the City’s Fireworks By-law 142-2006 (PDF), the only days citizens may set off consumer fireworks without a permit are Victoria Day and Canada Day. For details, visit vaughan.ca/fireworks. To report an instance of illegal fireworks, call Access Vaughan at 905-832-2281 or email accessvaughan@vaughan.ca.
Programs, services and facilities
For more on City programs, services and facility hours today, please read this recent public service announcement.
Simcoe Day in Vaughan
This marks the second year the City of Vaughan will formally recognize the August Civic Holiday as Simcoe Day. Vaughan Council officially renamed this day in honour of John Graves Simcoe – the first Lieutenant-Governor of Upper Canada and a leading proponent of the Act Against Slavery – on June 16, 2020.
Those who feel unwell, and believe they have symptoms related to COVID-19, should contact York Region Public Health at 1-800-361-5653 or Telehealth Ontario at 1-866-797-0000. For additional information and resources on COVID-19, visit York Region's website at york.ca/COVID19.
To receive the City’s latest updates as they happen, sign up for the City Update eNewsletter at vaughan.ca/CityUpdate and follow the City’s Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn channels.
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