Clarington to install ‘use at own risk’ signs at popular local tobogganing hills

Clarington is replacing signs prohibiting tobogganing on local hills with new signage telling people they may use the hills but “at their own risk.”

A news release from the municipality said they were making the change “following some confusion” in the community.” Nearby Oshawa recently banned tobogganing in all but two sanctioned hills because of a death of a young girl in Ottawa a few years ago and because of rising insurance and maintenance costs.

Last fall Clarington received an audit report from the Durham Municipal Insurance Pool outlining safety concerns and liability considerations for hills in Durham Region that had been deemed as popular destinations for winter activities such as tobogganing.

Following the audit, signs were installed at eight Clarington parks to highlight safety concerns related to tobogganing.

Staff will prepare a report and draft a policy to identify which Clarington hills could meet the safety recommendations outlined in the audit and can be feasibly implemented as ‘sanctioned’ toboggan hills for the 2023-24 winter season.