City of Toronto announces Toronto Island Park to reopen on Monday, July 31

TORONTO, July 27, 2017 /CNW/ - Toronto Island Park, including Centre Island, Centreville Theme Park, Ward's Island and Hanlan's Point, will reopen to the public on Monday, July 31.

The regular summer ferry schedule will resume on Monday, with the first ferry departing from the mainland for Ward's Island at 6:30 a.m. and the first ferry departing from the mainland for Centre Island at 8 a.m. City of Toronto recreation programs will also resume on Monday.

All beaches on the island will be open with lifeguards on duty, however, portions of some beaches will be in a reduced state. Signs will clearly indicate areas that are closed to the public. Olympic Island remains closed to the public due to high water levels.

"I know that for many Torontonians summer isn't complete without a visit to the Toronto Islands, which is why I'm so pleased that the park is being reopened for residents and visitors to enjoy," said Mayor John Tory. "I want to thank City staff for their tireless and ongoing commitment to preserving and restoring the island park and to residents for their patience throughout this unprecedented event."

Online ticket sales for the ferry will resume on Friday, July 28 at http://www.toronto.ca/ferry. Island visitors are encouraged to purchase tickets in advance to avoid ticket kiosk lines. Staffing levels will be increased at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal to provide quicker service and help visitors navigate their way from ticketing to boarding. Visitors are encouraged to check @TorontoPFR on Twitter throughout opening weekend for updates on wait times and ferry schedules. The peak period for lineups is 10 a.m. to 2 p.m.

Businesses on the island are expected to resume normal business operations on Monday. Centreville Theme Park will be open. Details are available at http://www.centreisland.ca/centreville.

Island park permits will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. City staff are working with permit holders to provide any available options for rescheduling or relocating their events if affected by the parts of the park that remain closed. Permits that cannot be rescheduled or relocated will be refunded through the usual processes. Permit holders should call 311 for assistance.

Further information about the flooding and status of other waterfront areas, including the Scarborough Bluffs and mainland beaches, is available at http://bit.ly/2tzD0fC.

Members of the public are reminded that other areas of the city continue to experience flooding impacts and are asked to remain cautious in areas with flooding. People should pay careful attention to all safety information and to updates on flooding conditions along the city's waterfront areas.

Significant erosion in the Scarborough Bluffs area has resulted in numerous landslides and an increased risk to public safety in this area. Access to the shoreline is absolutely restricted.

Toronto is Canada's largest city, the fourth largest in North America, and home to a diverse population of about 2.8 million people. It is a global centre for business, finance, arts and culture and is consistently ranked one of the world's most livable cities. In 2017, Toronto will honour Canada's 150th birthday with "TO Canada with Love," a year-long program of celebrations, commemorations and exhibitions. For information on non-emergency City services and programs, Toronto residents, businesses and visitors can visit http://www.toronto.ca, call 311, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, or follow us on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/TorontoComms and on Instagram at http://www.instagram.com/cityofto.

SOURCE City of Toronto