Mayor John Tory has announced that ferry service to the Toronto Islands will resume for the public starting on Saturday, June 27.
“This Saturday, the reopening and resumption of public access to the ferry service which takes you to the Toronto Islands will take place on that day,” Tory announced to reporters on Wednesday.
Customers must purchase their tickets online ahead of time to prevent overcrowding due to COVID-19 concerns. The tickets will only be valid for the date selected.
Rules put in place by Transport Canada to ensure public health measures have forced ferry operators to reduce capacity to prevent overcrowding, Tory said.
Tory said the regulation continues to be 50 per cent capacity on ferry boats. To start, only 5,000 tickets can be sold a day, Tory said adding that he hopes to increase that limit later on.
The City is asking for visitors to avoid busy travel times between 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. to the Toronto Islands and between 3:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. for return trips to prevent crowding.
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Passengers will be required to wear face masks or coverings.
Tory said amenities such as washrooms will be open as well as a splash pad, first aid station, park spaces, some food and beverage outlets, Franklin Gardens, William Meany Maze and disc golf.
Any other amenities, such as Centreville Amusement Park, will remain closed.
Over the past few months, ferry service has been limited to island residents in order to stop the spread of COVID-19.
“We all know that people love the Toronto Islands,” Tory said. “These are a beloved part of our city that people like to enjoy, especially in the summer months, and the ferry ride is very much a part of that, it’s a time-honoured tradition for Torontonians.”
Tory said the city usually sees 1.4 million visits to the Toronto Islands a year.
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