Simm Leads Successful Effort to Permanently Designate the Official Clothing‑Optional Zone at Hanlan’s Point Beach

In 2002, Peter A. Simm led the successful campaign to convince Toronto City Council (and its relevant committees) to make permanent the official designation of the clothing-optional zone at Hanlan's Point Beach on Toronto Island. This took little effort, as the zone was already widely recognized as a resounding success. (See media reports below.)

Previously, Simm had written a highly influential brief to Council which was adopted by a staff report that convinced Council to implement his idea of creating the zone in 1999. The zone had initially been created as a one-year pilot project, which, at Simm's behest, was renewed for an additional two years in 2000.

The clothing-optional zone at Hanlan’s Point Beach has become a popular recreational feature enjoyed both by Toronto residents and by tourists. The zone is mentioned as a Toronto attraction in 27 mainstream tourist guides, including official City publications and most travel guidebooks. It is also mentioned in 15 non-tourist books and numerous media articles, and was the subject of a clue on the popular TV quiz show, Jeopardy! (Apr. 7, 2015).