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Rob Ford: Charity gives city clogged arteries

JasonParis

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Charity gives city clogged arteries, Ford says
Sat, February 2, 2008
Toronto Sun
By ZEN RURYK, CITY HALL BUREAU CHIEF


The time has come for Toronto council to seek alternatives to closing two major expressways for an annual charity event, says Councillor Rob Ford.

Next week, the city's works committee will look at shutting down the Don Valley Parkway and the Gardiner Expressway for this year's Ride for Heart charity event Sunday, June 1 -- as well as on Sundays in June in 2009 and 2010.

"It really upsets a lot of people," Ford said. "I don't think anybody is against charity. I know I'm not. It does raise a lot of money, but it does inconvenience thousands of people."

The proposed closures for the Heart and Stroke Foundation of Ontario's event would be 2 a.m.-2 p.m. and shut the Gardiner from Humber River to the DVP and make the DVP off-limits to motorists from the Gardiner to York Mills Rd.

Ford yesterday questioned why the event couldn't be moved to Exhibition Place.

'MAJOR ARTERIES'

"I don't see why they have to close down major arteries in the city," he said. Ford said the closures hurt businesses because they discourage people from going downtown.

Councillor Glenn De Baeremaeker, chairman of the works committee, lauded the event, saying organizers pay costs associated with turning the expressways over to cyclists and in-line skaters.

"We've learned from the past where we had five events in downtown Toronto all on the same day -- and it was congestion. People did get stuck in traffic," he said. "What we've done now ... is that (city) staff are saying once we issue this permit to the Heart and Stroke Foundation on that day, we're not issuing other downtown permits that would cause traffic congestion."

He said the event will be publicized so motorists know about the closures.

More than 12,000 cyclists and inline skaters turned out last year for the 20th anniversary of the charity event.
 
I "sort of" agree with him too in this case. Although, I think the experience of being on a traffic-free FGE/DVP with thousands of others probably has a real cachet in the fund-raising world.
 
Indeed. I don't think as many people would be eager to ride in circles around the CNE grounds rather than have the opportunity to ride on the Gardiner.
 
You could agree with Ford on the grounds that closing the DVP may trigger bad enough traffic elsewhere that someone gets stressed out and has a heart attack...but if that has happened in real life, I'm sure Ford would have blabbed about it.
 
Lame! I can't think of a better way to promote proper health than to open up a highway to bikes. Circling endlessly around the Ex wouldn't be the same. For one Sunday morning a year, I'm sure that those affected can manage to take Don Mills or Leslie downtown.
 
Lame! I can't think of a better way to promote proper health than to open up a highway to bikes. Circling endlessly around the Ex wouldn't be the same. For one Sunday morning a year, I'm sure that those affected can manage to take Don Mills or Leslie downtown.

No, we can't. There. :D
 
There's also real value to the life of a city when it gets an opportunity to break from the routine and experience a unique re-interpretation of one of its key components, such as our highways.
 
I agree. Part of the point of the ride taking place on the expressways is to cause a disruption into the normal flow of things to get people to pay more attention and think about it all.

Of course with Rob Ford, the thinking part doesn't work.

42
 
Oh, good. Why stop there? We should force people to do more thinking. Let's cut electricity to the entire city for a day. Water for another day. No garbage collection would surely raise awareness about waste management. Rotating outage of TTC would make people appreciate our drivers more. I mean I am sure "those affected can manage to" can walk, can't they? Better yet, let's try no David Miller for a day. :D
 
what's the big deal? it's sunday. people shouldn't be driving on the expressways & going shopping anyways. they should be in church comparing clothes and dumping cash in the collection plates hoping to strike it big on the god lottery.

:p
 

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