Prohibition of Parking - Cherry Street, both sides,
from Villiers Street to the Ship Channel
South of Polson Street (Don River)
The Toronto Community Council recommends the adoption of the following report (July6,1998) from the
Director, Infrastructure and Transportation, City Works Services:
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:
(a)on the east side of Cherry Street from Villiers Street to the ship channel;
(b)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