Media Advisory - Open Streets, City of Toronto and CentreCourt Come Together to Create A Pop-Up Park on Downtown Toronto Streets

Witness a time lapse video of the creation and activation of a park in one minute here

TORONTO, Sept. 14, 2018 /CNW/ - Once again this Sunday, people traffic will replace car traffic as the streets become "paved parks" where people of all ages, abilities, and social, economic and ethnic backgrounds can get active and connect with their community and each other. Open Streets Presented By CentreCourt, the country's largest free recreation program, is back and Torontonians are invited to come together with their friends, neighbours and community leaders for a wide range of exciting and interactive hubs and activities, all while celebrating healthy lifestyles and underpinning the importance of inclusion.

Inspired by a world-class program that improves healthy behaviour, the second Open Streets in 2018 takes place this Sunday, September 16, between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m. This program repurposes existing public assets – namely our iconic streets – and provides access to free recreation space (on portions of Bloor and Yonge), focusing attention on the importance of physical activity.

Last month's Open Streets event drew over 60,000 participants and saw a Pop-Up Park, replete with grass, at Yonge and Bloor. The park was a partnership between Open Streets, the City of Toronto's Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division and Come Alive Outside and it will be back again this Sunday. This Pop-Up Park is a demonstration of how Parkland can activate spaces, bring Torontonians together and provide greenspace. The activities, programming and engagement on 5,000 square feet of grass will facilitate important discussions around the challenges and opportunities the City of Toronto faces in growing and enhancing Toronto's Parkland which is explored in its Parkland Strategy.

Open Streets is presented by CentreCourt. CentreCourt is a real estate company focused on the development of high-rise residential communities and has over 5,000 homes in various stages of development across the GTA. CentreCourt takes great pride in the positive impact its developments have on their homeowners and their communities.

The full Open Streets route runs along Bloor Street (East/West from Montrose Avenue – just west of Christie Street – to Sherbourne Street) and along Yonge Street (North/South from Bloor Street to Queen Street).

Media Availability

When:	SUNDAY, September 16
	11:30 a.m. – 1:00 p.m. – B-Roll opportunities
	11:45 p.m. – 12:15 p.m. – Spokespeople available for interview
Where:	Intersection of Yonge and Bloor
Who:	David Simor, Open Streets
	Kristyn Wong-Tam, Councillor, Ward 27
	Matthew Cutler, City of Toronto, Parks, Forestry and Recreation Division
	Mitch Gascoyne, Vice President, Development, CentreCourt

Photo and Interview Opportunities Available

Additional activities will include, among others:

• Bloor and Sherbourne: Bloor Street Dog Walk by Toronto Animal Services (starting at noon, passing by Yonge & Bloor at approximately 12:10 pm and ending at Bloor and Spadina)
• Bloor and Yonge: City of Toronto Pop-Up Open Streets Park, Lululemon mass participation yoga class (11:00 am to 11:45 am) and the Official Bike Ride of Open Streets TO (12:00 pm to 12:30 pm)
• Bloor and Bay: Live Green Toronto "Family Fun Zone" including real hands on eco-activities such as making seed balls, taking the Smart Commute "slowest bike race challenge" and spinning the Pollinator Wheel of Fun
• Bloor and Avenue: Royal Conservatory of Music – piano on Bloor Street available for free play
• Bloor and Bathurst: Athletic games & para-athletics equipment to try, interactive food games & herb planting, pop-up coop shop, planning activity about waterfront revitalization
• Yonge and Wellesley: Zumba, yoga, street hockey, basketball, voting hop scotch and button making
• Yonge and Shuter: Bike tune-up station, Muskoka Chair seating area, a sidewalk chalk station and skipping

A full list of activity hub locations along the route can be seen here.

SOURCE Open Streets TO

Media contact: Jamie Deans, [email protected], 647-284-7710