The Low Down on the Toronto Lock Down – G20 Summit, June 25-27

At first it sounded quite glamorous, worldly and prestigious for Toronto  to be hosting the upcoming G20 Summit.  However,  as the date looms closer, it is proving to be more of an extremely expensive ($1 billion) and inconvenient hassle.

Whether a resident or a visitor, in the weeks leading up to the G20 there will be numerous restrictions, closures and detours.  Here is a summary of what we have to look forward to and what to look out for:

Fenced In – A security fence will be erected around the the downtown core in close proximity to the site of the G2o.  Everyone will need to pass through security checkpoints to enter.  Construction of the 10 ft fence will begin on June 7th.

Patio Lanterns Extinguished – Downtown patios within the restricted zone will be closed for the two weeks leading up to the summit.

No Way Blue Jay – the Toronto Blue Jays series against the Philadelphia Phillies,  that was to take place in town at the Rogers Centre, will now take place in Philadelphia.

Take a Hike with Your Bike - city officials are removing more than 1,000 bicycle parking rings from the downtown core.

No Tower Power – the CN Tower will be closed to all visitors from June 25 -27th.

ID Please – Residents and people that work in the secured zone or even on the perimeter are being encouraged to get special security ID cards to help move faster through security checkpoints.

The  “Not So” Better Way – there will be disruptions, delays and diversions for the TTC  (public transportion) services in and around the secured area.

Dress Code- The word is that if it is business as usual, everyone should dress casually to “blend” in and avoid heckling and aggressiveness from protesters.

Too Cool For School -  given its proximity to the ”official protest zone” of Queen’s Park, the University of Toronto Campus’ downtown location will be closed from June 24 – 27.

Personally, I plan to stay north of Bloor Street during the days leading up to and including the G20.  Unless absolutely necessary, I would suggest that you do the same!

Visit the dedicated section of the City of Toronto website for more information and details on Toronto and the G20.

Photo Credit:  andres musta @Flickr