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Following a successful return last month, Open Streets TO is back again this weekend, where people traffic will replace car traffic as portions of Bloor and Yonge become temporary "paved parks" with plenty of programming. This Sunday, September 16, over 3.5 kilometres of Bloor Street—from Montrose to Sherbourne—and over 2 kilometres of Yonge Street from— Bloor to Queen—will be closed to vehicle traffic between 10:00 AM and 2:00 PM, repurposing the roadways into free recreation space for the second time this summer.
A number of programmed activities are on tap this Sunday, with the festivities being sponsored by real estate developer CentreCourt. Toronto Animal Services will be hosting the "Bloor Street Dog Walk" starting at Bloor and Sherbourne; Live Green Toronto will host a "Family Fun Zone" at Bay and Bloor; the Royal Conservatory of Music will offer a public piano to play at Avenue and Bloor; athletic games & para-athletics equipment will be offered at Bathurst and Bloor; sports and fitness activities are planned for Yonge and Wellesley; a bike tune-up station with Muskoka Chair seating is coming to Yonge and Shuter.
Most notably, the City will host a pop-up park with a mass participation yoga class at Yonge and Bloor. A partnership between Open Streets, the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division, and Come Alive Outside, the 5,000 square-foot grass parkette will feature programming and activities meant to demonstrate how parkland can activate urban spaces. This proved to be quite a popular space during last month's Open Streets celebration. Below, a timelapse video shows the creation and subsequent use of this space during the August event.
Last month's event drew approximately 60,000 participants, and with cooler temperatures expected for the weekend, even greater numbers could show up to enjoy this Sunday's Open Streets celebration.
You can learn more about Open Streets TO, and even get involved by visiting their site. Want to get in on the discussion? Let us know what you think in the comments section provided below.
