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posted October 5, 2004
October, 2004: The Scientologists' Park "Calvacade"
When the weather is warm the park is full of picnics. Only the really big ones get formal permits from City Hall, so when park staff got a form saying the Church of Scientology was coming for a "calvacade," they figured there'd be a lot of people. But it turned out this was no picnic. On the day of the event, September 18, a dozen people came and set up a big yellow tent at the Dufferin Street edge of the park, right by the main entrance into the mall, with the opening facing the street. We were puzzled. What was a "calvacade" and why would it be set up right where all the traffic was?
The tent had messages on the part that faced the street, asking questions along the lines of "are you worried about what the future will bring?" But it didn't say "Church of Scientology" on it. Although the permit had mentioned food, the tent seemed to be just tables with booklets and pamphlets laid out on them, and information people who welcomed anyone going in to take a look. Then a sound system was set up between the tent and the bus shelter, and a small band, including - to our amazement - one of the city parks managers, started to play and sing golden oldies like "The lion sleeps tonight." They had very good voices and they sang for hours -facing toward the street and the bus shelter, which was always crowded with shoppers from the mall. Then at the end of the afternoon they all packed up the tent and left.
It seems that this event, which turned its back on the park, was not really a park event as such. It was more like a crusade or an ad campaign targeting a busy street. Except that there is a by-law against promoting religions in parks.
Maybe that by-law is outdated. At a time when ad campaigns are more and more being invited into public space, if Pepsi and Nike can promote their wares in parks, why not have an ad for a brand of religion? Now the fact is, there's also a provincial law against making a pitch too near a bus stop (the "Safe Streets Act," to prevent panhandling to a captive audience). But then again, TTC passengers already have no choice about looking at ads (for jeans or mouthwash) on every inch of sellable TTC space. The Scientology people have just taken it the next logical step: a religion ad, pitched from under the maple trees.