Article content

It’s been a beloved winter pastime for untold generations of children, but tobogganing is coming under threat in cities across the U.S. and Canada.

Dubuque, Iowa, is set to ban toboggans in nearly all its 50 parks. Other cities, including Des Moines, Iowa; Montville, New Jersey; Lincoln, Nebraska; and Columbia City, Indiana, are following suit by restricting certain runs or posting signs warning people away.

We apologize, but this video has failed to load.

tap here to see other videos from our team. Try refreshing your browser, or Tobogganing under threat in U.S. and Canada: Cities instituting bans after sledding injuries lead to lawsuits Back to video

“We have all kinds of parks that have hills on them,” said Marie Ware, Dubuque’s leisure services manager. “We can’t manage the risk at all of those places.”

In Canada, Hamilton has restricted sledding on pain of a hefty fine for almost 15 years; a change.org petition demanding the city “LET US TOBOGGAN!!!!” has garnered more than 1,000 signatures since Nov. 19.

In Toronto, a bylaw has pushed kids off Etobicoke’s Centennial Park Ski Hill for the past several years, deeming it too dangerous. Particularly icy weather conditions will also prompt warnings in Edmonton and elsewhere.