Weekend need to know: Canada Day, reflection, TTC/road closures

It’s a short, business week for most and Toronto is celebrating Canada Day in-person once again. CityNews has gathered a list of where to watch fireworks and other festivities.

Keep in mind, there are road and TTC closures during the long weekend along with regular holiday closures on Friday. Scroll below for details.

There’s other events going on in the city as well including the last weekend for Toronto Jazz Festival, an outdoor cinema at Distillery District and Union Summer returns to Union Station.

Six Nations of the Grand River is also encouraging everyone to wear orange on July 1 to remember the children lost to the residential school system and to honour the survivors.

Need to know: Reflecting on Canada’s history

Six Nations of the Grand River has stated they will once again not be recognizing Canada Day.

Similar to last year, the First Nation is encouraging everyone to wear orange to remember the children lost to the residential school system.

The First Nation said that rather than a day of celebration, July 1 can be a day of somber reflection and renewed commitments to furthering reconciliation.

“Although I understand that July 1 is typically a day of celebration for many, I ask that people use this day as an opportunity to reflect on what it means to be Canadian while First Nations people in this country continue to bear the scars of the residential school system,” stated Elected Chief Mark Hill.

“We were very touched by the support we received last year and would be pleased if that overwhelming sense of solidarity could be extended to this year’s July 1 as well.”

Community members are reminded there are resources available if they are in need of support:

• Six Nations 24/7 Mobile Crisis Line: 519-445-2204 or 1-866-445-2204
• Six Nations Mental Health and Addictions: 519-445-2143 (Monday-Friday, 8:30 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.)
• 24/7 National Indian Residential School Crisis Line: 1-866-925-4419

Fireworks and festivities

Ashbridges Bay

Fireworks will go off at 10 p.m. on July 1, rain or shine.

The display can be seen on the boardwalk from Coxwell to Victoria Park Avenues.

The TTC will be increasing service on the 22 Coxwell, 92 Woodbine South and 501 Queen to accommodate those travelling to and from Ashbridges Bay Park for the fireworks display.

Shuttle buses will also operate between Woodbine and Coxwell subway stations both ways via Woodbine Ave, Lakeshore Blvd. East and Coxwell Ave.

Mel Lastman Square

Mel Lastman Square will host Canada Day programming from 2 p.m. to 10 p.m. with live music, dance performances and family-friendly activities.

Fireworks will conclude the event at 10 p.m.

Organizers say the day “will feature moments of reflection alongside the opportunity to celebrate the things people love about Canada.”

The TTC 97 Yonge bus route will be diverting from 11 a.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 1, to accommodate the events at Mel Lastman Square.

Those travelling to and from the festivities can board North York Centre Subway Station on Line 1.

Thompson Memorial Park

Thompson Memorial Park will have live entertainment, face-painting and fireworks taking place at 10 p.m. in Milliken Park.

Downsview Park

Festivities at Downsview Park will include free activities, live entertainment and food trucks.

The day will conclude with a firework display at dusk.

Events for the day kick off 4 p.m. and end at 10:30 p.m.

Those going to Downsview Park can take TTC Line 1 to Downsview Park Station, but should note that the 101 Downsview Park route will be suspended from 3 p.m. to 11:59 p.m. on July 1.

East York’s Canada Day parade

East York’s annual Canada Day parade featuring marching bands will begin at Dieppe Park at 10:30 a.m.

The parade will move east along Cosburn and Woodbine Avenues and end at Stan Wadlow Park, with a firework display happening at 10 p.m.

There will be other all-day celebrations at the park from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m.

The TTC 70 O’Connor, 87 Cosburn, 91 Woodbine and 93 Parkview Hills bus routes will be diverting between 8 a.m. and 11:30 a.m. to accommodate the parade.

Ontario Place

Ontario Place will be having events all weekend including a free concert featuring local Indigenous artists in Trillium Park on July 1 from 2 p.m. to 5 p.m.

The concert is hosted by Carolyn King, founder of The Moccasin Identifier Project.

Musical performances include Manitou Mkwa Singers and the Mark Laforme Band.

Other free events are happening all weekend long at Ontario place including daily screenings at Cinesphere, outdoor yoga classes in Trillium Park and the Lake Shore Inflatable Waterpark.

Weekend ‘policing plan’

Toronto police say they have a plan in place on Canada Day for the city’s official fireworks display at Ashbridges Bay Park as well as for the rest of the long weekend.

This comes as police dealt with a slew of violent incidents at Ashbridges Bay and Woodbine Beach over the Victoria Day long weekend.

Police are reminding people that personal fireworks in city parks and on the beaches are prohibited.

Traffic delays due to road closures in the area are also expected, including Lakeshore Boulevard East.

Parking enforcement will be heightened in the area due to limited parking, but police will not enforce on-street parking bylaws on July 1 for rush hour routes and posted signs indicating Monday to Friday regulations.

All other areas and parking offences will continue to be enforced.

TTC

On July 1, the TTC will be running on a holiday service schedule.

There will be more buses added to numerous routes for celebrations. The routes for 22A Coxwell and 92A Woodbine will be affected.

Extra bus service is scheduled from Woodbine Station and Coxwell Station on Line 2 to help customers get to Woodbine Park and Ashbridges Bay.

The 36 Finch West and 39 Finch East bus routes will also be diverting on July 1, from 4 a.m. to 11 a.m., to accommodate a crane lift on Finch Ave. East.

Canada Day fireworks in Toronto on July 1, 2016. GETTY IMAGES/LightRocket/Roberto Machado Noa

Union Station’s Front Street plaza has returned and is running from midday to late evening, daily until August 28.

Events this weekend include:

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• A DJ set from Toronto’s Just Jenneh on July 1.
• A performance by the cello duo VC2 on July 2.
• A brass instrument performance by Big Smoke Brass Band on July 3.

Union Summer will be open between 11 a.m. and 7 p.m. from Sunday to Tuesday, 11a.m. to 9 p.m. Wednesday to Friday, and Saturdays it’ll be open 11 a.m. to 10 p.m.

(Photo credit: Union Station)

Royal Ontario Museum

The ROM will be free on July 1 to mark Canada Day with access to all of the Museum’s galleries.

Capacity is limited and visitors are asked to book ahead of time to get their free timed-tickets.

Starting July 1 the museum is open daily from 10 a.m. to 5:30 pm. until Labour Day.

Lavazza IncluCity Festival

The Distillery District will become an outdoor cinema until July 16.

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The festival will include films from over 20 countries and an art exhibit called 6IX Art Outdoors.

The exhibit is an art installation along Gristmill Lane and will feature 13 statues, standing over 7 feet tall painted by Canadian multicultural artists.

Films to watch at the festival this weekend include Drinkwater; Us Two, Our Two and The Red House.

(Photo credit: The Distillery Historic District)

There will be no subway service on Line 2 between Jane and Ossington stations on Saturday and Sunday for track work. Subway service between Jane and Ossington stations will also end at 11 p.m. on Thursday, June 30. Shuttle buses will operate.

The following station automatic entrances will be closed over the weekend:

• High Park Station: Parkview Gardens north (at Parkview Gardens and Clendenan Avenue) and south (at Bloor Street West and Parkview Gardens)
• Keele Station: Indian Grove entrances (at Bloor Street West and Indian Grove; and at Bloor Street West and Indian Road)
• Lansdowne Station: Emerson Avenue at Bloor Street West
• Dufferin Station: Russett Avenue at Bloor Street West (both east side and west side)

Canada Day Road Closures

Mel Lastman Square

• Yonge Street from North York Boulevard to Park Home Avenue will be closed from noon until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 1.
• Hillcrest Avenue is currently closed from Yonge Street to 30 metres east of Yonge Street until 10 p.m. today, June 30. This portion of Hillcrest Avenue will also be closed from 7 a.m. until 11:59 p.m. on Friday, July 1.
• The southbound Yonge Street curblane fronting Mel Lastman Square is currently closed until 5 p.m. on Saturday, July 2.

East York’s Canada Day Parade

Cosburn Avenue, from Greenwood to Woodbine Avenues, and Woodbine Avenue, from Cosburn to Trenton Avenues, will be closed from 8 to 11:30 a.m. on Friday, July 1