Weekend events with road closures in Toronto

City of Toronto Media Relations has issued the following:
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News Release:  May 28, 2014

Weekend events with road closures in Toronto

Three special events in Toronto this weekend will involve road closures. Residents and visitors are encouraged to come out and enjoy these events. Businesses in the areas affected are open to pedestrian traffic but some roads will be closed to vehicles.

Festivals and other special events are important to the city, injecting hundreds of millions of dollars annually into Toronto’s economy, and they are enjoyed each year by local residents.

In addition to road closures related to special events, a significant amount of road work is taking place in the city. People are encouraged to take public transit as a greener, faster and more affordable way of getting to their destinations.

Those who need to drive in the general vicinity of special events should allow extra time to get to and from their destination. A more complete list of events and road work is available at http://www.toronto.ca/torontostreets/.

Family Fun Fit, Kids of Steel Triathlon (bike race) The westbound lanes of Kingston Road from Danforth Avenue to Birchmount Road will be closed on Saturday, May 31 from 8 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Maya’s March
Conlins Road from Ellesmere Road to Military Trail will be closed on Sunday, June 1 from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m.

Becel Heart and Stroke Ride for Heart
• The Gardiner Expressway will be closed from Carlaw Avenue to the Humber Bridge and the Don Valley Parkway will be closed from Highway 401 to the Gardiner Expressway on Sunday, June 1 from 2 a.m. to 2 p.m. for this event.
• During the event, an alternative route for motorists for the Gardiner Expressway will be Lake Shore Boulevard and for the Don Valley Parkway, it will be Bayview Avenue, Leslie Street or Don Mills Road.

This release is also available on the City's website at http://bitly.com/TTJtPO.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. Toronto is proud to be the Host City for the 2015 Pan American and Parapan American Games. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us @TorontoComms.

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Media contact: Steve Johnston, Strategic Communications, 416-392-4391, sjohnsto@toronto.ca

Parkland Wayfinding Strategy

Parks, Forestry & Recreation is developing a Parkland Wayfinding Strategy in 2014-2015. The core objective of the Parks Wayfinding Strategy is to produce a signage and information system that is consistent, accessible, engaging, and predictable. It is an opportunity to reduce visual clutter in parks, and encourage the use, enjoyment and discovery of parks and ravines by residents and visitors.

As part of the engagement process, they are organizing a number of "pop-up" consultation events. The objective of this consultation is garner, through spontaneous dialogue and interaction and through observation of park use, information on how communities interact with their parks. Parks, Forestry & Recreation will be at Berczy Park on Friday June 13 from approximately 10am - 1pm, and at the Toronto Island Ferry Terminal on Saturday June 14 from approximately 3pm - 6pm. 

For more information:

Janette Harvey

Natural Environment Specialist

City of Toronto - Parks, Forestry & Recreation

Natural Environment & Community Programs

Office: (416) 392-1339

Fax: (416) 338-1069

Mailing Address:

550 Bayview Ave, Bldg 12, Suite 406

Toronto ON

M4W 3X8

51 Division Open House & BBQ, Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 51 Parliament Street (at Front Street East)

News Release

Media Advisory, 51 Division Open House & BBQ, Saturday, May 24, 11 a.m. to 2 p.m., 51 Parliament Street (at Front Street East)

Friday, May 23, 2014 - 12:00 PM
51 Division:  416-808-5100

The 51 Division Community Police Liaison Committee is hosting an Open House and BBQ free to members of the community on Saturday, May 24, from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. The event will be hosted at 51 Division located at 51 Parliament Street (at Front Street East).

The event will feature:

- the Toronto Police Coppertones band

- guided tours of the station every 20 minutes

- complimentary hot dogs and pop

- Mounted and Police Dog Services officers with their horses and dogs

- Emergency Task Force officers and their equipment

- 51 Division CPLC Community Hero Awards 2014

All are welcome to attend.

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Kevin Masterman, Corporate Communications, for Sergeant Sin Chiu, 51 Division

Arrest in violent convenience store robbery, Dervan Lewis, 21, faces 10 charges

Toronto Police Service News Release

Arrest in violent convenience store robbery, Dervan Lewis, 21, faces 10 charges

Friday, May 23, 2014 - 4:53 PM
Hold Up:  416-808-7350

On Tuesday, May 20, 2014, officers responded to a call for robbery in the Jarvis Street and Gerrard Street East area.

It is alleged that:

- at 7:50 a.m., a man walked into a convenience store in the Sammon Avenue and Coxwell Avenue area

- he stole an item and was confronted by the store clerk

- he assaulted the store clerk, punching him several times about the face

- he left the store and got into a taxi cab

- he became aggressive with the taxi cab operator

- he ordered the driver out of the cab, punching him about the face numerous times

- the driver fled the vehicle, taking the car's electronic starter

- the man stole the cab and drove to the Don Valley Parkway and Highway 401 area

- the cab stalled due to the missing electronic starter

- a concerned citizen stopped and offered him a ride to the gas station, thinking that he had just broken down

- the citizen was ordered to leave his car and the man then drove it away

- the man then drove to a gas station in the Jarvis Street and Wellesley Street East area

- he entered the store and began gathering numerous items

- he was confronted by the store clerk as he attempted to leave without paying

- he punched the clerk several times about the face, knocking the clerk to the ground

- a patron witnessed this assault

- the man approached the patron and poured a can of soda over her head

- the suspect fled the area southbound

- he then walked into another convenience store in the Jarvis Street and Gerrard Street area

- he became aggressive towards patrons and staff, stealing various food items

- he was approached by the store clerk and asked to leave

- he punched the clerk, striking him several times about the face

Dervan Lewis, 21, of Toronto was arrested and charged with:

1) Robbery
2) Robbery
3) Theft of Motor Vehicle
4) Theft of Motor Vehicle
5) Robbery
6) Theft under
7) Assault
8) Assault Police Officer
9) Assault Police Officer
10) Assault

On Wednesday, May 21, 2014, he appeared in court at Old City Hall, room 101.

Anyone with information is asked to contact police at 416-808-7350, Crime Stoppers anonymously at 416-222-TIPS (8477), online at www.222tips.com, text TOR and your message to CRIMES (274637), or Leave A Tip on Facebook. Download the free Crime Stoppers Mobile App on iTunes, Google Play or Blackberry App World.

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Constable David Hopkinson, Corporate Communications, for Staff Inspector Mike Earl, Hold Up

Cabbagetown Tree Tour June 1, 2014

OPEN HOUSE - George Street Outreach Pilot Project