As Toronto gears up for the Thanksgiving holiday long weekend, residents should be aware of a number of planned road closures revolving around the now-extended ActiveTO programming.
Initially planned to finish the last weekend of September, the popular weekend closures have provided space for thousands of people to be physically active, physically distance from one another, and contribute to the overall wellbeing of Torontonians.
The closure routes run adjacent to some of Toronto’s busiest and most popular trails where people can walk, run and bike, and, the city says, the programming has helped to reduce virus spread over the summer months. Late last month, the City announced data that showed an average of approximately 18,000 cyclists used the Lake Shore West closure on warm summer days.
Considerations that went into extending the program include recent changes in public health advice to limit contact and remain six feet, as much as possible, from those in a different household, as well as forecasted warm weather for the early part of October.
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For this Thanksgiving long weekend, October 10 at 6 am until October 12 at 11 pm, the following three major road closures will be in place:
Residents planning to use those roads should access them by bike, or as a pedestrian, as nearby parking is limited and there is no onsite parking available. The parking lots at Sunnyside Park, Budapest Park and Sir Casimir Gzowski Park -- along Lake Shore Boulevard West -- will be closed during ActiveTO closures. Overnight parking is not permitted in these lots, so any vehicles should be moved before midnight tonight.
Finally, residents should note, ActiveTO weekend closure locations are subject to change based on nearby road restrictions and closures and other considerations.
From May to September, the City of Toronto delivered at least one ActiveTO major road closure location on approximately 20 consecutive weekends. In January, officials will report back on lessons learned from the programming, including the impacts on traffic, and in consultation with residents and businesses, recommendations will be made for modifications to the program for 2021.
