City builders come together to Celebrate Yonge

TORONTO, Aug. 31, 2012 /CNW/ - The leaves are starting to change on the trees at Celebrate Yonge as the event enters its third week this Labour Day long weekend. With back-to-school and fall coming soon, city building partners of the event are helping the street festival evolve with the changing season.

Celebrate Yonge is a community collaboration to provide more public space for people on Yonge Street between Queen and Gerrard from August 17 to September 16. Being a short-term community-building project, organizers of the event, the Downtown Yonge BIA, have partnered with city builders CUPE Local 79, Local 416 and Local 27, the Carpenters Union to help create new experiences on iconic Yonge Street.

With the planning support of City of Toronto workers, the Yonge Street roadway was transformed to offer two lanes of traffic for vehicles, but also new patio space for people right on the street. From outdoor cafes to licensed patios and themed general seating areas outfitted with Muskoka chairs and picnic tables, people passing through Yonge Street can now stop and enjoy a new city experience.

Part of the street transformation includes solid wood planter boxes that line the event area, separating the new patio space from vehicle traffic. Rather than using traditional barricades, organizers partnered with the Carpenters Union who employed their apprentice carpenters to build 170 custom planter boxes. Over half of the beautiful planter boxes were filled with landscaped designs from the Live Green Planter Box Challenge.

On weekends, activities and programming bring even more life to the street festival. Visitors trying to cool off can stop by the Local 79 misting tent this weekend, but for the final two weekends of the event (September 8-9 and 15-16) the union will be moving to The Funway zone. A favourite stop for families visiting Celebrate Yonge, The Funway area offers life-sized board games like chess and Connect 4. Local 79 will offer even more games and activities for children and youth to enjoy.

Visit www.celebrateyonge.com for more information on all event programming.

About Downtown Yonge BIA

The Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area is an association of 2,000 businesses and property owners in downtown Toronto. Founded in 2001, its mandate is to revitalize and position Downtown Yonge as Canada's premier business, shopping and entertainment destination.

SOURCE: Downtown Yonge Business Improvement Area

For further information:

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Abigail Gamble
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