July 6, 1998
To:Toronto Community Council
From:Andrew Koropeski, Director, Infrastructure Planning and Transportation, City
Works Services
Subject:Cherry Street, both sides, from Villiers Street to the ship channel south of Polson
Street - Prohibition of parking from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m., daily (Don River)
Purpose:
This regulation is intended to enhance traffic operation and pedestrian safety.
Funding Sources, Financial Implications and Impact Statement:
Not applicable
Recommendations:
(1) That parking be prohibited from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. daily:
- on the east side of Cherry Street from Villiers Street to the ship channel;
- on the west side of Cherry Street from Villiers Street to Polson Street; and
(2) That the appropriate City Officials be requested to take whatever action is necessary to
give effect to the foregoing, including the introduction in Council of any Bills that are
required.
Comments:
At the request of a representative of The Docks Entertainment Complex (Premises No. 11
Polson Street), Works staff have reviewed the possibility of prohibiting parking in the late
evening and early morning hours to improve traffic operation to/from the port lands by way
of Cherry Street and enhance pedestrian safety.
The Docks Entertainment Complex often generates in excess of 10,000 patrons in the
evening hours, particularly on Friday night and on weekends. Public transit service in the
port lands area is limited with the result that the majority of patrons frequenting The Docks
arrive either by private automobile or taxicab. The Docks provides off street parking for
patrons at a moderate charge. However, with the exception of sections of the west side of
Cherry Street, north and south of Commissioners Street and south of Polson Street, where
parking is currently prohibited at anytime, many patrons choose to park on Cherry Street
between Villiers Street and the ship channel (where parking is allowed on both sides for a
maximum period of one hour from 8:00 a.m. to 6:00 p.m., Monday to Friday and for a
maximum period of three hours at other times).
Parking and traffic congestion on Cherry Street and on Polson Street has been a significant
concern of representatives of The Docks since its opening in 1996. Based on observations
made on weekend evenings during the summer of 1996 in the vicinity of Cherry Street and
Polson Street, it became advisable to prohibit parking from 6:00 p.m. of one day to 4:00
a.m. of the next following day, on both sides of Polson Street from Cherry Street to the west
end to ensure that unimpeded access to this street was maintained. Although The Docks
strongly urged that a similar parking prohibition be implemented on both sides of Cherry
Street from Commissioners Street to the Ship Channel (south of Polson Street) conditions on
Cherry Street did not justify Works staff taking such action at that time. Our assessment of
this matter was outlined in detail in a report in 1997 to the former City Services Committee
(Clause 21 in City Services Committee Report No. 7).
Notwithstanding, in the past year, expansion of The Docks Entertainment Complex has
continued to attract more patrons to the area in the late evening and early morning hours
when the complex is at peak operation, with the result that the Cherry Street/Polson Street
intersection has become increasingly congested with vehicular and pedestrian traffic during
these periods. Site observations have confirmed that southbound traffic often backs up from
Polson Street to Commissioners Street, as motorists either slow down or double park while
looking for on-street parking spaces on Cherry Street. Similar back ups occur in the
northbound direction as vehicles queue while crossing the lift bridge and waiting to access
Lake Shore Boulevard East. Also, there is significant mid-block conflict and interaction
between moving traffic and pedestrians.
In view of the foregoing, there is justification to prohibit parking in the evening and early
morning hours on Cherry Street from Villiers Street to the ship channel south of Polson
Street to mitigate these problems to a significant degree and enhance traffic operation and
pedestrian safety.
Although a parking prohibition in the early evening hours might inconvenience other
businesses on Cherry Street, a parking prohibition from 9:00 p.m. to 4:00 a.m. daily would
essentially apply after normal operating hours for these businesses and have little if any
impact on them. Notwithstanding, this regulation would eliminate about 90 on-street parking
spaces during the hours of operation. As new development is anticipated in the port lands
area which could potentially have a need for on-street parking, implementation of this
parking prohibition is with the understanding that future adjustments to parking regulations
might be required to meet the needs of all area businesses.
Contact Name and Telephone Number:
Ron Hamilton, Transportation Operations Coordinator, 392-1806
Director
RJH/
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