A parent-first East End guide

Leslieville With Kids: Playgrounds, Pools and Easy Family Walks

Playgrounds, pools, libraries and the details that decide whether an outing works: washrooms, water play, indoor backups and what to check before you leave.

Kids don't care where Riverside ends and Leslieville begins. Parents do care where the closest washroom is. This guide follows the way families actually use the east end: one park, one snack and one reliable fallback at a time.

This guide covers Riverside, Leslieville and nearby Riverdale, from Broadview to Greenwood, with one additional library stop farther east on Gerrard.

By Dundas East Campaign · Published July 15, 2026 · Last verified July 15, 2026

What kind of day are we having?

We only show an amenity when a current City, library or venue-controlled source confirms it. A missing badge means “not verified,” not “no.”

Showing 17 of 17 places

Places worth knowing

Some are quick after-school stops. Others can carry an entire afternoon. Use the filters to find the playground, washroom, indoor backup or treat that fits the day.

  1. Riverside

    Joel Weeks Park

    10 Thompson St

    1
    PlaygroundBasketball court

    A compact Riverside starting point with a playground and basketball court, a few blocks north of Queen.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  2. Leslieville

    Jimmie Simpson Park

    870 Queen St E

    2
    PlaygroundBall diamondSports fieldTennis courtsOutdoor dry padPicnic areaAdjacent indoor poolRecreation-centre washroom during facility hours

    The useful all-weather anchor: outdoor play in the park, with a recreation centre and indoor pool next door.

    The washroom is in the recreation centre during facility hours; it is not listed as a park washroom.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  3. Leslieville

    John Chang Neighbourhood Park

    50 Colgate Ave

    3
    Playground

    A small neighbourhood playground on Colgate that works well as a quick stop rather than an all-day destination.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  4. Leslieville

    Morse Street Playground

    76 Morse St

    4
    PlaygroundOutdoor ping-pongPublic washroom beside playground

    A compact playground with one of the details parents value most: a City-listed washroom beside the play area.

    City-listed washroom hours are 9 a.m.–10 p.m., subject to service changes.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  5. Leslieville

    Leslie Grove Park

    1158 Queen St E

    5
    PlaygroundOutdoor ping-pongPublic washroom

    A Queen East park with a playground and City-listed washroom.

    Planned construction: The City currently expects the playground to close in fall 2026 and reopen in spring 2027. The schedule is subject to change. A mini-splash pad is planned but is not currently open.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  6. Leslieville

    Hideaway Park

    23 Audley Ave

    6
    PlaygroundDog off-leash areaOutdoor dry pad

    A tucked-away playground close to the part of Dundas that motivates this campaign. Choose a marked or signalized crossing; this guide does not recommend crossing Dundas at Audley or Dagmar.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  7. Leslieville

    Matty Eckler Playground

    953 Gerrard St E

    7
    PlaygroundOutdoor ping-pongAdjacent indoor poolRecreation-centre washroom during facility hoursWi-Fi

    Pair the playground with the recreation centre when the weather turns or an indoor swim is the better plan.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  8. Greenwood-Coxwell

    Greenwood Park

    150 Greenwood Ave

    8
    PlaygroundPublic washroomOutdoor poolBall diamondSports fieldPicnic area

    The biggest all-season option in the core guide: playground, pool, fieldhouse washroom and room to change plans without changing parks.

    Pool and washroom operations are seasonal or subject to facility alerts.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  9. Riverdale

    Riverdale Park East

    550 Broadview Ave

    9
    PlaygroundPublic washroomOutdoor poolSports fieldsTennisTrackFitness equipmentPicnic areas

    The western edge of the guide and the option with the most room: playground, pool, fields and a City-listed washroom.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  10. Riverdale

    Withrow Park

    725 Logan Ave

    10
    PlaygroundPublic washroomSports fieldsTennisOutdoor fitnessPicnic areas

    A larger Riverdale park for families who want space, a playground and a confirmed public washroom in one stop.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  11. Riverdale

    Riverdale Library

    370 Broadview Ave

    11
    Wheelchair-accessible entranceFree Wi-Fi

    A reliable free rainy-day backup. Check the branch page for current hours and programs.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  12. Leslieville

    Jones Library

    118 Jones Ave

    12
    Wheelchair-accessible entranceFree Wi-Fi

    A free indoor fallback near Gerrard. Check current branch hours before leaving.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  13. Little India

    Gerrard/Ashdale Library

    1432 Gerrard St E

    13
    Wheelchair-accessible entranceFree Wi-FiOutdoor space

    A free indoor option toward the eastern end of the guide.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  14. Leslieville

    Sprouts — Growing Bodies & Minds

    183 Carlaw Ave

    14
    Indoor play and activity facility for ages 0–7

    The paid, purpose-built rainy-day option. Check venue-controlled hours before leaving.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  16. Leslieville

    Ed’s Real Scoop

    920 Queen St E

    16
    Ice creamGelatoSorbet

    Ice cream, gelato and sorbet near the middle of the Queen Street route—and a convincing reason to leave the playground.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

  17. Leslieville

    Sweet Bliss Coffee & Bakehouse

    1304 Queen St E

    17
    Baked treats

    A small Queen East bakehouse for the final snack. Check its limited hours before promising it to the kids.

    Official source Directions Report a change

    Verified July 15, 2026

The question every parent asks first: where are the washrooms?

City washroom hours and service status can change. These locations were confirmed in Toronto's washroom dataset on July 15, 2026. Check the City listing before making a special trip.

If it rains, pivot here

Libraries are the most reliable free backup. Sprouts is the paid, purpose-built option. The recreation centres split the difference when an indoor swim fits the day.

The promise that gets everyone home

Bonjour Brioche

812 Queen St E

Pastries, coffee and takeaway a short walk from Jimmie Simpson Park.

Official source

Ed’s Real Scoop

920 Queen St E

Ice cream, gelato and sorbet near the middle of the Queen Street route—and a convincing reason to leave the playground.

Official source

Sweet Bliss Coffee & Bakehouse

1304 Queen St E

A small Queen East bakehouse for the final snack. Check its limited hours before promising it to the kids.

Official source

Need something more substantial? Explore Burger Alley.

Three outings that make sense

Editorial combinations, not safety-certified routes. Travel time depends on pace; use marked or signalized crossings.

Riverside reset

Joel Weeks Park → Jimmie Simpson Park or indoor pool → Ed’s Real Scoop

Outdoor play with an all-weather fallback and a treat nearby.

Open directions

Playground and pastry

Morse Street Playground → Leslie Grove Park → Sweet Bliss

Two compact playground stops and a baked-treat finish. Check Leslie Grove’s construction status first.

Open directions

Rainy-day two-stop

Matty Eckler Recreation Centre → Jones Library

An indoor swim and a free library backup. Check both schedules before leaving.

Open directions

Getting to the park is part of the day

One missing crossing changes how families move through the neighbourhood.

Hideaway Park sits beside a roughly 400-metre stretch of Dundas East with no protected crossing between Jones and Pape. Families already move between parks, schools, libraries and homes here. A protected crossing near Dagmar would make one of those everyday trips more direct and more predictable.

Ask the City for a crossingSee the evidence

How this guide was built

Parks and amenities come from current City of Toronto facility data. Washroom details come from Toronto's public washroom dataset. Pool and water-play status should always be checked against current City pages.

Library details come from Toronto Public Library. Business details come from business-controlled websites. Missing badges indicate an unverified fact, not the absence of an amenity.

Businesses cannot pay for inclusion or favourable placement. This guide is desk-researched and does not claim first-hand testing. Conditions, schedules and amenities can change.

Report a change to the guide

Change log

July 15, 2026: initial guide assembled from City, library and venue-controlled sources.

Frequently asked questions

Which Leslieville parks have public washrooms?

Morse Street Playground, Leslie Grove Park, Greenwood Park, Withrow Park and Riverdale Park East have City-listed public washrooms. Jimmie Simpson and Matty Eckler recreation centres have washrooms during facility hours.

Where can children swim indoors in Leslieville?

Jimmie Simpson Recreation Centre and Matty Eckler Recreation Centre have indoor pools. Check current City schedules and service alerts before leaving.

What can families do in Leslieville when it rains?

Libraries are the most reliable free backup. Sprouts is the paid, purpose-built option. The recreation centres split the difference when an indoor swim fits the day.

Is Leslie Grove Park playground open?

The City currently expects the playground to close in fall 2026 and reopen in spring 2027. The schedule can change, so check the official project page before making a special trip.

Does every playground have water play?

No water-play assumption is made. We show water or swimming only when a current official source confirms it. Morse Street has no water-play badge, and Leslie Grove’s planned mini-splash pad is not currently open.

Are these routes stroller accessible?

We do not make a guide-wide accessibility claim. Where an official source confirms an accessible entrance or facility, we show it. Contact the facility directly for specific access requirements.

You planned the outing. Now help improve the walk.

Ask Toronto Transportation Services to study a protected crossing on Dundas East near Dagmar.

Send the prewritten 311 request Review the petition

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