It’s beginning to look a lot like summer! Along with the amazing sunshine we’re about to see in the city, we also got some exciting news from Mayor Tory today. After a long winter of cold and stay-at-home COVID-19 restrictions, Toronto is about to be outdoors again. No, the restrictions are not lifting just yet. Sorry if we got your hopes up there. BUT we are about to see the beginnings of round two for the city’s popular program ActiveTO.

This outdoor initiative was first introduced to us back in the early days of the pandemic. Ah, we were so young and naive back then. At the time, it was a way for Torontonians to get a little fresh and connect with others (from a distance) beyond the constraints of their own four walls. This year it’s back with the same uplifting mission.

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Beginning this Saturday, May 1st, folks can head on out to the designated ActiveTO routes to take advantage of the glorious weather. Just like last year, the streets will be closed off to vehicle traffic so that pedestrians and cyclists can roam free. Because you’ve got a whole road to play with instead of just a sidewalk, it’ll provide optimal space and safety for keeping far from others.

The roads in questions that we’ll be walking/cycling through this weekend are as follows:

  • Bayview Avenue, between Front Street East and Rosedale Valley Road
  • River Street between Bayview Avenue and Spruce Street
  • Lake Shore Boulevard East (eastbound lanes only), between Leslie Street and Woodbine Avenue.

They’ll be operating for ActiveTO from Saturday, May 1st at 6 AM until Sunday, May 2nd at 9 PM. That’s plenty of time for you to get out there and stretch those legs of yours!

Plus, we’ve got even more ActiveTO space to look forward to, because the City plans on expanding these routes to include a stretch of Allen Road beginning June 6th.

So head on out and soak up all the fresh air you can manage. After the long winter we’ve endured, the beginning of this innovative program is a welcome one.

You can read more about it at Toronto.ca.