The Open Streets experiment on Bloor and Yonge Streets has gotten off to a curious and somewhat sparsely populated start. The first of two closings took place today (Sunday, August 17, 2014) between 8 a.m. and 1 p.m. As few as they were, those on foot had to watch out for bicycles and the occasional skate boarder. There was clearly no traffic control. Cyclists swung from one side of Bloor to the other. A woman heading south on her bike traversed the intersection at a speed of perhaps 30 km/h. The purpose of the street closure was hard to find. In the Starbucks on Yonge just north of Bloor the baristas were bemoaning the lack of business. “It’s so slow,” said one. Out on the street, a few couples and families walked mostly on the sidewalks looking a little bemused by the empty thoroughfare. A lively band played to a handful of onlookers outside Zara on Bloor. Nonetheless, with all the hoopla preceding it, Open Streets was de rigeur for mayoral candidates. Sarah Thompson and her workers were dressed in cheery red and white. They hustled potential voters fairly aggressively but found limited opportunities. Olivia Chow and John Tory made an appearance. Kristyn Wong-Tam, (Ward 27) was present. It is an open question if any of today’s open streeters, even those on bicycles, made it from end to end of the blocked off roadway. The much ballyhooed “connection” of neighborhoods seemed moot.
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•Yonge St. closed between Belsize and Manor
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•No Allure |
Yonge Street will be closed all weekend between Belsize Drive and Manor Road so that the large crane used to help build the Allure Condominium can be removed. The closure has business owners steaming. Miguel Cardinal of Aut Lit bed linens says his business will suffer. The crane has been on location for the best part of two years to finish the structure of the Allure. It appears Josh Matlow (Ward 22) tried to help. He told the Toronto Star he was able to negotiate a “pause” after merchants received notice from the developer and All Canada Crane Rental Corp. informing them of a planned closure last weekend. “I was able to work quickly on this and at least improve their communications. But in the future this should never happen again,” he said. It is however a frequent but seldom thought-of peril for retailers on City streets. There is an uncountable number of reasons why business may be effectively halted or slowed ranging from re-painting lines on street to a movie shoot. Many retailers suspect that some contractors and organizers prefer to give less notice as long as their permits and licenses are in order because more notice creates more resistance from store owners. Toronto Star