Weekend road closures in effect as Invictus Games get underway in Toronto

There will be a number of road closures around Toronto this weekend as the city hosts the 2017 Invictus Games.

The sporting competition was founded by Prince Harry as a way to inspire and motivate wounded soldiers on their paths to recovery. Athletes from 17 nations will be taking part in a variety of adaptive sports including cycling, power lifting, swimming and wheelchair tennis.

The ongoing road closures will impact a number of areas from Thursday to Sept. 30. Toronto police said the closures are being put in place to provide “a safe and secure environment for all involved.”

Beginning Thursday, Toronto police had closed off the east curb lane of York Street between Adelaide and Queen streets for bus staging purposes. This closure will remain in place 24 hours a day until Oct. 1.

Friday Closures

A closure will impact the area around Nathan Phillips Square on Friday from 9 a.m. until 7 p.m. and Saturday from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., when a portion of Queen Street West between York and Bay streets will be closed to vehicle traffic. The underground parking at Nathan Phillips Square will not be accessible from Queen Street during these times.

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Police will also close a curb lane on the south side of Bloor Street West between High Park and Pacific avenues on Friday from 7 a.m. to 8 p.m. All vehicle traffic will be blocked from entering or exiting High Park, while parking will be permitted at High Park Zoo and Colborne Lodge.

Saturday Closures

On Saturday, no through traffic will be allowed on Maple Leaf Square near the Air Canada Centre from 5 p.m. to 11 p.m. Maple Leaf Square condo residents will be allowed through the area with identification.

The areas impacted during this closure include Bay Street between Front Street and Lake Shore Boulevard West, Bremner Boulevard between Lake Shore Boulevard West and York Street, and the westbound curb lane of Lake Shore Boulevard West.

The Distillery District will see a partial road closure from 6 a.m. to 6 p.m. on Saturday, when the south side of Front Street East, east of Trinity Street, will have traffic restrictions in place.

Police will also block traffic on Richmond Street West, between Bay and York Streets, near the Sheraton Centre from 5:30 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. on Saturday.

Toronto police ask the public to consider using public transit around these areas to help cut down on traffic congestion.

The closures are also flexible and will be in effect, if necessary, should events go longer than anticipated. Any unplanned road closures will be announced on the Toronto Police Service’s Twitter account.