JasonParis
Moderator
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.
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.