Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade Road closures

Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade Road closures

Friday, July 29, 2016 - 4:05 PM
Corporate Communications:  416-808-7100 

The 49th annual Toronto Caribbean Carnival Parade is scheduled to take place on Saturday, July 30, 2016. The parade starts in Exhibition Place at approximately 10:30 a.m. and proceeds out onto the parade route, southbound on Newfoundland Drive, westbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West. 

A smaller portion of the parade will proceed to Parkside Drive while the Mas Bands will be turning back into Exhibition Place at British Columbia Road. It is anticipated that the parade will be concluded by approximately 8 p.m. 

The traffic conditions in the downtown area, Lake Shore Boulevard West, the Queensway, Queen's Quay, and the Gardiner Expressway are expected to be very heavy.

ROAD CLOSURES
The festival will require numerous road closures and restrictions which will lead to delays and congestion in the immediate area of the parade.

Road closures for this event take effect starting Saturday, July 30, 2016, at 1:30 a.m. until Sunday, July 31, 2016 at approximately 6 a.m.:

- Westbound, Lake Shore Boulevard West from Strachan Avenue to Parkside Drive
- Eastbound, Lake Shore Boulevard West from Colborne Lodge Drive to Strachan Avenue and
- Dufferin Street south of Springhurst Avenue.

The following Gardiner Expressway ramps will be closed at 12:30 a.m., on Saturday, July 30, 2016: 
- Eastbound Gardiner Expressway exit to Jameson Avenue; 
- Jameson Avenue and British Columbia Road entrance ramps to Eastbound Gardiner Expressway and
- Westbound Gardiner Expressway to Dunn Avenue exit ramp.

RESTRICTED ACCESS POINTS
In order to assist with the safe movement of traffic and to provide for as little disruption as possible to residents, the following streets will have restricted access for vehicles:
- Dufferin Street south of King Street West
- Dowling Avenue south of King Street West
- Stadium Road south of Lake Shore Boulevard West
- Queen's Quay West, west of Bathurst Street
- Springhurst Avenue west of Jameson Avenue and
- Springhurst Avenue east of Jameson Avenue

Other streets, although not restricted to vehicles, will be strictly enforced for parking infractions. Those streets are bounded by south from King Street West, east of Colborne Lodge Drive, and west of Bathurst Street.

BATHURST STREET CLOSURE
Vehicle access west of Bathurst Street on Fleet Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West may be closed after the parking lots at Ontario Place and Exhibition Place Lots are full. This closure will be determined by need.

TTC

To Exhibition Place Area or the Parklands on the south side of Lake Shore Boulevard West:

From Dufferin Station, take the 29E Dufferin Express bus southbound to the Dufferin Gate Loop;

From Bathurst Station, take the 511 Bathurst Express bus* southbound to Fort York Boulevard/Fleet Street and walk 5 to 10 minutes;

From King or St. Andrew stations, take the 504 King streetcar westbound to King Street/Strachan Avenue and walk 5 to 10 minutes;

From Union Station, take the 509 Harbourfront streetcar westbound to Fleet Loop and walk 5 to 10 minutes, or take the 121 Fort York-Esplanade bus westbound (board bus at street level at Front Street and Bay streets) to Fort York Boulevard/Fleet Street and walk 5 minutes;

*Note: Buses are currently replacing streetcars on this route due to construction. As PRESTO is not yet available on all buses, customers should carry tokens, tickets or cash in case the vehicle that arrives is not PRESTO-equipped. Buses that replace streetcars are Proof-of-Payment.

ONTARIO PLACE PARKING ACCESS
All access to Ontario Place will be through Remembrance Drive at Lake Shore Boulevard West/Strachan Avenue. Vehicles exiting Ontario Place will do so at the same location and will travel eastbound on Lake Shore Boulevard West only.

DISABLED PARKING
Disabled Parking will be located at the Enercare Centre within the CNE grounds.
Enter via Manitoba Drive/Strachan Avenue then south on Canada Boulevard. Valid disabled parking permit must be shown.

TOWING POLICY
All vehicles including tour buses, parked illegally on:
- Lake Shore Boulevard West (including the grassed area)
- Bathurst Street
- Fleet Street
- King Street West
- Queen Street West
- Roncesvalles Avenue
- Dufferin Street
- The Queensway and
- Gardiner Expressway
will be tagged and towed

Vehicles parked illegally in the Parkdale Avenue and Stadium Road areas will be tagged and towed.

The Gardiner Expressway is a restricted access highway which will be patrolled to ensure that vehicles are not parked adjacent to the parade route and pedestrians do not enter the highway area. Drivers who choose to stop or drive in a manner that puts other road-users at risk will be subject to strict enforcement.

Due to the large number of visitors and continuous events that occur with the festival, intermittent road closures may occur throughout the downtown core in the evenings and nights of Friday, July 29, 2016 to Sunday July 31, 2016 in the interest of public safety.

Historically, Yonge Street and the Entertainment District access has been restricted in the evenings and overnight.

It is recommended that you make yourself aware of alternative routes before heading into the downtown or Entertainment District areas to avoid delays.

Please download the Toronto Police Service Mobile App for iOS or Android.

For more news, visit TPSnews.ca.

Constable Craig Brister, Corporate Communications, for Constable Tee Chase, Public Safety - Special Events