A stretch of Church Street will be car free for a two-month period this summer as part of a new pilot project.
Between June 19 and Aug. 21, Church Street will be closed to cars between Wellesley and Alexander streets, leaving all east-west corridors open to vehicles.
The proposal, which was pitched by Coun. Chris Moise, was given the green light at city council this week.
“Pedestrianization significantly enhances urban quality of life by improving road safety, increasing accessibility, and driving sustained commercial activity,” Moise said in a letter to council last month.
“Church Street offers unique strategic advantages that make it an ideal location for such an initiative.”
He noted that the move has been successful for festivals like Pride and Halloween on Church Street in previous years.
“This stretch provides a rare opportunity for pedestrianization due to the absence of dedicated bus or streetcar routes, ensuring minimal disruption to the TTC’s broader network,” Moise added.
The closure comes during a busy summer season with concerts and sporting events, including the FIFA World Cup tournament.
An approved amendment, put forward by Coun. Brad Bradford, stipulates that the closure can be cancelled at any time “on the basis of unacceptable impacts or concerns related to public safety or security, emergency service response times, (and) traffic-related operational concerns.”
