Toronto Mayor John Tory says he hopes the city council can strike a “balance” on the issue of a pandemic program that will allow residents to walk and bike along a major road in the far west during hours on weekends.
At its next meeting on June 15, the City Council will receive a report on the program, ActiveTO, from the city’s director general of transportation services. The report is expected to specifically examine the closure of Lake Shore Boulevard West.
Correspondence to consider is a June 6 letter from Toronto Blue Jays CEO Mark Shapiro asking the board to rule out the closure of Lake Shore Boulevard West for ActiveTO because it says it makes it difficult for baseball fans, especially from outside. -from the city, to go to the games at the Rogers Center on weekends.
Tory said Saturday that the board will look closely at the benefits and impacts of the program and this particular closure.
“The Council will receive a report outlining the benefits of the ActiveTO program, how many people have been cycling and walking, skateboarding and walking the roads we have made available some weekends,” Tory told reporters.
“But they will also receive information about the impact it has had on traffic, in some neighborhoods, in some businesses, that the Toronto Blue Jays are a business that will be back in business after two years.”
ActiveTO involves the closure of many major roads for recreational purposes. According to a description of the city’s program, major roads along popular trails are closed to create more space for walking and biking while residents can stay physically away.
Since the city launched the program in May 2020, thousands of residents have enjoyed the wide open space the program offers.
Baseball fans show up here during the opening of the Toronto Blue Jays’ home in April 2022. (Frank Gunn / The Canadian Press)
Tory expressed sympathy for Shapiro, saying that many people’s online response to his letter was odious and found it unfortunate.
“I found it very sad that Mr. Shapiro wrote a letter simply outlining the views of his business and the fact that he has 30, 40, 50,000 people coming to a game and the abuse he received from people online for dare to give his opinion, “he said.
“My job is to take all the evidence from people who love ActiveTO like me. And I understand why people like it and those who have to vote and those who have neighborhoods and those who have business and balance all that. right answer. That’s what we’re doing, “Tory said.
“Mr. Shapiro just wrote a letter stating his point of view. And I think in our country we should welcome people who do that and take their responsibility seriously. “It simply came to our notice then.
Public transportation is “not an option” for many fans, says the CEO
In his letter, Shapiro asked the council not to vote in favor of the extension of ActiveTO on Lake Shore Boulevard West.
“We recognize that ActiveTO played a crucial role in encouraging people to go out and move again, at a time when entertainment options were limited; however, the location of this program in 2022 drastically affects the ability of fans to ‘access to the field on summer weekends, when baseball is the city’s main attraction.’ Shapiro wrote.
“Many of our fans travel to the Rogers Center from outside the GTA, and taking public transportation is not an option. Out-of-town fans are often unaware of ActiveTO and don’t know how to allocate extra travel time.”
Shapiro said local fans have also experienced “significant” traffic delays on days when ActiveTO is in effect on Lake Shore Boulevard West because traffic has stopped on downtown routes.
“As a sports organization, we support people who go out and be active, but Toronto has many options and routes to use, while our fans don’t. Don’t vote to close Lake Shore Boulevard West.”
On Saturday, cyclists gather at the corner of Remembrance Drive and Lake Shore Boulevard West on the designated bike lane next to the roadway. (Dale Manucdoc / CBC)
Joe Mihevc, ward councilor for Ward 10 Spadina-Fort York, said he sees both sides of the issue. He said ActiveTO has been well received and well attended by the public, but said the public also wants to support the Blue Jays and help them have a successful season.
“Well, my bias as a public health person would be towards ActiveTO. However, it’s also true that the Blue Jays don’t play every day,” he said.
The city should encourage Blue Jays fans to leave the car at home, he said. And the city should encourage people to sponsor downtown restaurants after baseball games, he added.
“People don’t just go to a baseball game,” he noted. “Then they go for a walk downtown. Then they go to a restaurant and then they can go to a pub. They could go see some friends. That’s part of Toronto, too. And we need that tourism dollars as much. As everyone does, especially as part of the pandemic recovery. “
ActiveTO “a great success,” says the lawyer
David Simor, director of community relations and stakeholders at Open Streets Toronto, a non-profit organization that makes it easy to close streets to cars for recreational programming, said ActiveTO has been “a great success.” when it comes to involving people in physical activity.
“I think the question should be, where can we do this program where it will have the most impact and benefit for the greatest number of Torontonians?”