Two of Downtown Toronto's most important thoroughfares were transformed into "paved parks" over the weekend, as Open Streets TO returned for another year with the first of two events meant to foster physical activity and community involvement. The August 16th event featured a number of activity hubs scattered along Bloor Street from Spadina to Parliament, and along Yonge Street from Bloor to Queen, while for much of the day, vehicular traffic was entirely replaced by pedestrians and cyclists. 

Street hockey and cycling on Yonge at Dundonald, image by Marcus Mitanis

In Matt Cohen Parkette at Bloor and Spadina, the hub offered demos of different bike varieties, low-carbon street games, an unstructured-play jungle gym, and Zumba classes, while urban geeks and members of the community could get involved in a public planning consultation, as well as a Draw Your Neighbourhood event hosted by the Ryerson Association of Planning Students.

Map of the August 2015 Open Streets TO event, image courtesy of Open Streets TO

To the east, pedestrians were treated to musical performances, or could sit down at a Play-Me piano, or enjoy music class demos in the area surrounding the Royal Conservatory of Music near Bloor and Bedford.

"Play-Me" piano near the Royal Conservatory of Music, image by Marcus Mitanis

The Downtown Yonge hub featured activities including a try-it-out DJ booth, science experiments, a bike service clinic, and other family-friendly activities.

Downtown Yonge activity hub, image by Marcus Mitanis

The Yonge and Wellesley hub offered bocce ball, slow-bike races, as well as yoga, road hockey, and art installations.

Slow bike races in the Yonge and Wellesley activity hub, image by Marcus Mitanis

The St. James Town hub included a mobile dental clinic, flash mob dances, button making, arts & crafts, Rangoli street painting, a walking challenge, and healthy food colouring, while the nearby Bloor and Sherbourne hub offered dance space, face painting, chess, dominoes, and street hockey.

A few blocks away at Bloor and Ted Rogers Way, the Bloor East Neighbourhood Association and City Planning took advantage of the increased community presence, and held an Open Streetscape charrette.

Open Streets TO will return once again on Sunday, September 6th, from 9AM to 1PM. While the westernmost point for the August event was Spadina, the September event will be extended further west, to include the Bloor and Christie area.