Oshawa staff have tightened permit rules for Memorial Park without a council vote. The change could shut out long-running community events.
Ward 4 Coun. Derek Giberson plans to ask council on Monday to “reaffirm” the downtown park as a public gathering space. His motion also seeks to pause the new criteria and ensure the annual Labour Day Picnic goes ahead in the park this year.
Why are community events being denied at memorial park in oshawa?
Event organizers have received emails saying “the criteria has changed” for what can be permitted at Memorial Park. The email states criteria were created “to preserve the heritage, dignity, and align with the park’s commemorative and cultural significance.”
Under the criteria, permits would be limited to “heritage and memorial ceremonies that focus on or involve the War Memorial/Cenotaph” and “performing arts celebrations and activities” held at the McLaughlin Bandshell. The email adds: “Permits will not be issued for general use of the open park space.”
Giberson says the policy shift is blocking a wide range of community-oriented events that historically used the site. “Under the new rules, the annual Labour Day Picnic hosted by the Durham Region Labour Council would not meet the criteria to be hosted in the park. Same for numerous other community-oriented events,” he said.
He argues the park’s role has always extended beyond ceremonies and stage programming. “These are exactly the kinds of events that bring our downtown to life,” Giberson said.
What councillor derek giberson is asking council to do monday
Giberson’s motion will need a two-thirds vote “just to be heard,” he said. If council agrees to consider it, the motion calls for three actions.
First, it would “reaffirm Memorial Park as a public gathering space open to booking a broad range of community events.” Second, it would set aside the new restrictions until a review happens and council “has weighed in.” Third, it would direct that the Labour Day Picnic proceed at Memorial Park in 2026.
Giberson links the issue to downtown foot traffic and local institutions. “People come for the celebration and they stay,” he said, pointing to stops along King Street, the Canadian Automotive Museum, and nearby shops.
Which events have been affected, including durham region remembers
One event denied a permit is Durham Region Remembers, a candlelight vigil that honours community members who have been murdered. Organiser Lisa Freeman says she has held the memorial at Memorial Park for the past four years.
“The City of Oshawa has rejected my memorial event from being held at Memorial Park this year, stating it ‘doesn’t fit their criteria,’” Freeman said. She said she was told the permit would be denied because she hires local musicians to play at the event.
Freeman, who is also president of CUPE Local 4788 in Oshawa, says the late-May vigil draws support services to one place for people grieving or seeking help. Durham Region Remembers offers “compassion, connection, and help to those who need it most,” she said.
“I believe this decision is unfair,” Freeman said.
The City of Oshawa has rejected my memorial event from being held at Memorial Park this year.
What memorial park has been used for historically
Memorial Park was established in 1924, and Giberson calls it a “vital and central public space” that has hosted a cross-section of Oshawa communities. He points to concerts at the bandshell and Remembrance Day ceremonies at the cenotaph, alongside major festivals and markets.
The park also anchors events that spill into the downtown core, including Fiesta Week street festival programming, family activities during Kars on King, and the Bright and Merry Market, Giberson said. The new criteria, as written in the email, would prohibit “general use of the open park space,” which is where many of those activities land.
Giberson also tied the park to Oshawa’s labour history, citing the 1937 General Motors strike. He said 4,000 workers used the park during the strike, which he says helped secure rights with national impact.
What happens next at oshawa city council
Council is set to meet Monday, when Giberson will try to bring his motion forward. He says the city should facilitate use of the park “in positive ways that bring people to downtown Oshawa.”
In the background, the dispute lands in a broader conversation about how municipalities permit public spaces and balance commemoration with community use. The City of Oshawa’s parks and facilities rules sit within Ontario’s municipal framework set out by the province, including the Municipal Act, 2001.
For residents watching downtown programming across the region, the issue also overlaps with how cities stage seasonal events. Ontario Citizen recently tracked spring listings in London Ontario events and family programming in Waterloo Region and Guelph, both of which lean heavily on accessible public spaces.
Similar permitting disputes have flared in transit spaces, too, including public safety concerns raised after a GO Train assault at Rouge Hill. Organisers and cities often point to public confidence and clear criteria when deciding where people can gather.
Giberson’s motion, if heard and adopted, would put council on record about whether Memorial Park should remain bookable for a broad mix of community events. The next test comes with a two-thirds vote on Monday.
