Regent Park hosts Sunday In The Park Festival on Zoom

By Adonis Huggins
(Adonis is a journalist with the Focus Media Arts Centre)

Sunday in the Park is an annual event that takes place usually in the month of August in Regent Park. Typically it is the biggest festival held in the community.  Each year the Sunday in the Park festival features music, culture, food, raffles, games and fun activities, for all ages.

This year, due to concerns about Covid -19 and consideration of social distancing, it was decided to hold the 30 Anniversary of Sunday In The Park... virtually....and in September.

Lead by a steering committee comprised of community members, this year’s 30th Anniversary of Sunday in the Park took place on September 19, 2021, by Zoom. The online event featured information on COVID-19 from speakers from the Regent Park Health Centre which included Q&A about vaccination. Break-out rooms were also held for trivia games where residents could win prizes. The event included the playing of an RPTV videos about the the history of Sunday in the Park as told by long-time community member Deany Peters and Sureya Ibrahim. Two viewing stations were set up for TCHC and Market seniors in the community and despite been held over Zoom, community caterers provided 300 meals to registered families.

Despite all the planning, the 2021 Virtual Sunday in the Park did not go well. Last minute changes resulted in the cancellation of planned entertainment that was to be provided by the FOCUS Media Arts Centre. The food which was supposed to be prepared at the Paintbox Bistro was moved to Fred Victor Centre at 40 Oak and unfortunately no one bothered to tell staff there. Furthermore, the kitchen area had to be shared with another cooking program resulting in confusion. That’s not all TCHC staff who were supporting the seniors reported that the seniors attending the viewing stations were bored by the COVID information and that they did not understand the games.

In an evaluation review of the event by the Steering Committee, most members felt that, with the exception of the food, the 2-hour event was largely a failure.
 
One of the perceived reasons for holding Sunday in the Park on-line was the inability to obtain a permit for the Big Park from the City of Toronto. This however proved to be untrue as a week prior to Sunday in the Park the Emancipation Proclamation Festival organized by Joanne Warner on September 12th, it was held in the Big Park with blessings from the City. A motion to apply to the City to hold another in-person