SUDS IN THE SUN

Councillor asks city staff to study whether craft beer would make sense for Toronto parks,

The chair of the city’s parks committee wants to see Torontonians buying and drinking beer in our green spaces.

Mary-Margaret McMahon learned about Philadelphia’s popular Parks on Tap program at a recent conference in Minneapolis. She has put forward a motion on Friday’s parks committee agenda asking city staff to study how the idea would work in Toronto.

“I think it’s an exciting opportunity,” she told Metro. “People are drinking in parks anyway.”

Philadelphia’s program brings a craft beer truck to a different park each week throughout the summer. The truck effectively turns part of the park into a beer garden. Proceeds go to support local park initiatives.

“It’s been extremely popular,” said Elizabeth Moselle, associate director of business development for Fairmount Park Conservancy, which helps run the program.

Moselle explained that Parks on Tap gives people a reason to explore new parts of the city and to think about creative uses for public spaces.

While Ontario has strict regulations on the distribution and consumption of alcohol, the city has tried to promote its flourishing craft beer scene in recent years.

Local beer columnist Robin LeBlanc, co-author of the Ontario Craft Beer Guide, is “cautiously optimistic” about the beer truck proposal. But based on the city’s recent history, she has her concerns, too.

“We have a reputation for not going through with these amazing ideas,” she said. But LeBlanc is happy the city is at least talking about creative ideas. “Even if it loses, that idea is out there.”