WARMINGTON: In this real-life horror movie, there’s no sports or fun legally allowed – Toronto Sun

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In basketball, they would call this foul and send the player to the line for a free throw.

But in the weird COVID world, the nets are covered and people are technically not supposed to even go out of their house.

Unless you are making a movie. Or hitting the LCBO or pot shops.

Big box stores are OK too. Somebody has convinced the leaders the coronavirus hates basketball and tennis courts. Skateboard parks. Golf courses and beaches.

When you have a Hollywood film crew allowed to shoot a TV show at the same location the kids are forbidden to shoot some baskets at, you the know politicians have lost the plot.

This was the scene at the Angus Glen Community Centre in Markham on Sunday.

Theatre of the Absurd, said Raoul Baumgartner, who witnessed this pandemic madness.

They can film the TV show Reacher there. But no basketball.

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This is beyond unconscionable and reprehensible, said Baumgartner.

Its the kind of double standard happening everywhere in the GTA during these dark times of eroding freedoms. The lasting effect of the Orwellian locking down fun may be as difficult to clean up as the trauma from the coronavirus.This is a real-life horror film you couldnt have comprehended let alone write just 17 months ago.

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The image that award-winning Canadian Press photographer Frank Gunn captured at Woodbine Beach Saturday of a Toronto Police officer scurrying away a member of Canadas beach volleyball team paints the picture of this disturbing time. Like the basketball court next to a film set, this scene was just metres from ActiveTO, which was letting people cycle, rollerblade or skateboard on Lake Shore Blvd.

Sophie Bukovec, and players who just play for fun, deserve an apology because these efforts dont seem to be stopping the spread of COVID-19, but they are stopping freedom.

Out at the community park in Milton on Sunday, a security officer was kicking kids out of the skateboard park, next to the basketball courts with garbage bags over the hoops, before bringing in a bylaw officer who remained stationed next to a rented sign indicating the skate park is closed until further notice. They were polite about it but some of the kids and their parents still seemed upset.

The kids, after all, cant go to school to see their friends. have a birthday party, play organized sports. have music lessons, get a proper haircut or see their grandparents. Their younger brothers and sisters are OK to be on the playground on the same piece of land but they get to just stand there and obey.

Suddenly they are coming against authority when they are not painting graffiti or doing anything wrong. They just want to have some fun that is now against the law. Its hard for them because there is no fence around this park so its difficult to resist.

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But even fences dont always work, as Toronto Sun photographer Ernest Doroszuk found out this weekend at a downtown city tennis court which was busy with people getting around the lock and getting out to play. Ernest also found Toronto skateboard parks with kids and thankfully there was no one there to stop them.

Sadly, in Mississauga, they still have pieces of wood fastened over the hoops, which meant the courts were mostly empty.

With a few exceptions, for the most part police and bylaw officials have shown patience and discretion in what is a very difficult task for them. No one should mouth off to them or be rude because they are doing their jobs in a tough time. If there is any heat, it should be peacefully and calmly directed toward the premier and the mayors who have the power to open back up the sports courts and end the silly enforcement of them.

They should do it today. Its a slam dunk!

jwarmington@postmedia.com

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WARMINGTON: In this real-life horror movie, there's no sports or fun legally allowed - Toronto Sun