12-03-2021, 09:56 PM
(12-02-2021, 11:17 PM)tomh009 Wrote:(12-02-2021, 09:33 PM)dtkvictim Wrote: I visit or go through victoria park just about every single day outside of winter (and even then most days). There are a handful of days each year (some of which you highlighted) which I personally find unpleasantly crowded. However, there are many, many more days throughout the year that I think are very close to being crowded. And with the amount of nearby housing coming online, I don't think we're far off from a crowded reality, even if we aren't there today.
I think it all depends on (1) time of day, (2) the part of the park, and (3) one's definition of "crowded".
We walk the park almost every day after dinner. For the last two months or so, there are generally very few (or no) people on the trails. In the summer, there are people, sure, but we generally don't have any trouble doing the social distancing (2m or so). To me, that's not unpleasantly crowded. (The kids' play area certainly is busy in the summer, though.)
Now, you may be using a different part of the park, or at a different time of day. Or else your "crowdedness threshold" is just way lower than mine.
You are right on all three points. My comment is exclusively about after 5pm, or afternoons on the weekend, or in other words the peak. I would wager that the park at peak times has more people than the rest of the day combined - that is to say, the majority of park users are experiencing the peaks. But to clarify my position, I think the peaks are only an issue on days above 15-20 degrees or so.
My "crowded threshold" is almost certainly lower than others. I go to the park every day to relax and de-stress, and people are the antithesis of that for me.
Dan is also right, cycling through the park during busy times is a much worse experience than walking through the park.