HOW-TO: HOST A CAMPFIRE IN THE PARK

Transcription

1 HOW-TO: HOST A CAMPFIRE IN THE PARK Version 2014

2 CONTENTS 1. WHY SHOULD I HOST A CAMPFIRE IN THE PARK? WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? HOW DO I GET STARTED? WHAT WILL I NEED? HOW DO I GET A PERMIT AND INSURANCE? HOW DO I GET THE WORD OUT? WHAT DO I DO ON EVENT DAY? WHO ELSE HAS DONE THIS? EVENT PLANNING CHECKLIST....BACK

3 WHY SHOULD I HOST A CAMPFIRE IN THE PARK? There s something about the flicker of fire that draws people together, creating intimate spaces that are perfect for sharing stories and meeting both new and old friends. Luckily, many City of Toronto parks have fire pits that can be permitted for use by the community. Campfires are a relaxing way to bring light, warmth, and energy to a park in the colder months, but it s a perfect activity any time of the year. Who doesn t love sitting around a crackling fire on a clear night, listening to someone play the guitar? It s also a great activity to pair with another event, like a skating party with hot chocolate. 1

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5 WHO SHOULD I CONTACT? You ll want to reach out to a few key people who can help answer your questions and connect you with others in your community. CUSTOMER SERVICE PERMIT CALL CENTRE You can request fire pit permits over the phone and get more information by calling PARK SUPERVISOR Contact your park supervisor to discuss details such as access, site amenities, when you expect to arrive, and fire safety plans, such as a source for water and sand for putting out the fire. PARK FRIENDS GROUP There are over 100 park friends groups in almost every ward in Toronto, so there may be one for your park. Reaching out to a park friends group is a great way to connect with residents who are committed to animating and caring for their local park. To find a full listing of park friends groups visit 3

6 HOW DO I GET STARTED? USE A DESIGNATED FIRE PIT Not every park has a fire pit, so be sure to check the listing on the city s website to find a fire pit in a park near you. Visit ( TOparkfirepit) for a listing of parks with fire pit facilities and designated sites. KNOW THE FIRE PIT RULES Fires must be out by 10 p.m. Fires are not allowed when a smog alert has been declared, when wind speeds exceed 25 kilometres per hour, or when rain, fog, or weather conditions keep smoke from dispersing. USE A NON-DESIGNATED FIRE PIT If you choose a park without a designated fire pit, the location must be approved by Toronto Fire Services and the Park Supervisor first. Contact the Customer Service Permit Call Centre who will then provide you with a Toronto Fire Services Form and Parks Protocol Form to complete. Your permit will only be issued once Toronto Fire Services and the Park Supervisor approves. 4

7 WHAT WILL I NEED? PERMIT AND INSURANCE See page 6 for more details. FIREWOOD You must bring your own firewood. Make sure the wood is dry and suitable for your needs (hardwood is better for cooking than softwood, for example). For your safety, do not use construction debris or pressure treated wood. OTHER SUPPLIES Most fire pits do not have supplies such as a small shovel or pails for sand and water for putting out the fire, so bring these from home. Most parks have a source for sand and water, so be sure to check with your park supervisor. Otherwise bring them from home. Bring a blanket in case you need to smother flames on a person. Consider bringing some chairs or asking others to bring chairs. FOOD Light cooking is allowed in the fire pit, but not messy or heavy foods such as hamburgers. Things you may want to make are s mores (marshmallows, chocolate, and graham crackers) and hot dogs on skewers. 5

8 HOW DO I GET A PERMIT AND INSURANCE? GETTING INSURANCE You must have insurance to use a fire pit. If you don t have your own you can get insurance through the City of Toronto. Insurance costs depend on the number of people who will be at your fire pit. COSTS Permit Under 25 people: $ to 100 people: $79.58 Insurance Under 25 people: $27 26 to 100 people: $54 If you are permitting an undesignated fire pit the cost is $79.58 regardless of the amount of people. Costs are accurate as of 2014, but may increase. Visit ( bit.ly/toparkpermits) to check for current costs. OBTAINING A FIRE PIT PERMIT Reserving a fire pit books it for the specified time of your event. Permits are non-refundable once issued. There are no rain dates allowed. Permits must be applied for at least 48 hours in advance. But if you already have a date in mind you can reserve it several months ahead of time. You can obtain a permit by calling the Customer Service Permit Call Centre at Permits can be processed by phone with a credit card, but they can also be processed by scanning or faxing the permit form. You can also visit City Hall or the Etobicoke, North York, or Scarborough Civic Centres to pay in person. Permits will not be issued to the client until the permit has been signed and paid for through the City of Toronto. 6

9 HOW DO I GET THE WORD OUT? It s important to let your community know about the campfire through many different avenues to make sure you get a good attendance. You can t advertise your campfire until your permit has been approved. ONCE YOU HAVE YOUR PERMIT, YOU CAN: Create flyers and leave them at local stores, schools, churches, libraries, and community centres. Consider contacting your local councillor to see if it can be placed in the councillor s newsletter. Use social media such as Twitter and Facebook. If your park has a park friends group established, check to see if you can send out a notice using their mailing list. CONSIDER ADDING OTHER ACTIVITIES If you already host an annual or weekly event, such as a winter skating party or a summer farmer s market, considering pairing the campfire activity to increase attendance. Consider attaching a story-telling, acoustic music, or small cooking activity with your campfire. 7

10 WHAT DO I DO ON EVENT DAY? SET-UP/TEAR-DOWN Take a picture of the fire pit before and after use to ensure the space is left in good condition or better. You need two buckets of water and one bucket of sand on hand to put out the fire. However, in the winter you need two buckets of water and one bucket of snow. FIREWOOD To make it easier to put out your fire at 10 p.m., stop adding new wood to the fire by 9:30 p.m. at the latest. EXTINGUISHING YOUR FIRE Smother the coals first by putting sand on them, followed by water. Stir the coals with a stick or shovel to ensure that they are all extinguished. Add more sand as required. Make sure the coals and ashes are cool to the touch. When the fire is out, scrape up the coals, ashes, and unused firewood and remove them from the site. FIRE SAFETY TIPS In the winter, keep the water buckets nearby the fire so they don t freeze, but not too close to melt your buckets. Use a shovel or fire poker to turn logs or rearrange the fire in order to dampen it or build it up. Never leave a fire pit unattended. Be mindful of small children and pets near the fire. Keep a safe distance and be careful of long sticks when poked into the fire. 8

11 WHO ELSE HAS DONE THIS? Dufferin Grove Park can help provide fire safety training through their campfire program. To book a fire safety training session check the schedule by visiting ( or by ing dufferinpark@gmail.com to reserve a spot. If you have questions about the campfire program, call Dufferin Grove Park at There is an orientation twice a week for the campfire program (Tuesdays at 6 p.m. and Saturday at 12:30 p.m. at the rink clubhouse, rain or shine). Sessions last for 30 minutes. 9

12 EVENT PLANNING CHECKLIST Version Find a park with designated fire pits 2. Book your fire pit at Obtain permit and insurance 4. Go over the permit contract and safety conditions 5. Contact your park supervisor for more information 6. Attend a free campfire training session at Dufferin Grove Park 7. Buy firewood and other supplies 8. Advertise or promote the campfire to your friends, neighbours, and park friends group 9. Clean up the fire pit before and after the event 10. Enjoy! TORONTO PARK PEOPLE is an independent charity that brings people and funding together to transform communities through better parks by: CONNECTING a network of over 100 park friends groups WORKING with funders to support innovative park projects ORGANIZING activities that bring people together in parks RESEARCHING challenges and opportunities in our parks HIGHLIGHTING the importance of great city parks for strong neighbourhoods BUILDING partnerships between communities and the City to improve parks WCKITCHEN FAMILY FOUNDATION Made with the support of the WC Kitchen Family Foundation Charitable Registration Number: RR0001 Toronto Park People 401 Richmond St. W., Ste. 119 Toronto, ON M5V 3A8 info@parkpeople.ca parkpeople.ca We would like to thank City of Toronto Parks, Forestry & Recreation staff for their work in reviewing this guidebook. If you have a comment or suggestion for how this guidebook could be improved in the future please write to info@parkpeople.ca