Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area Flower - Power!

TORONTO, July 11, 2016 /CNW/ - The Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area (TEDBIA) continues the expansion of its flower program with the addition of planters as bike lane barriers along Richmond and Adelaide Street West this summer.

With a commitment to improving the quality of the streetscape, TEDBIA sought out to enhance the Richmond and Adelaide corridors with billowing floras that enliven the streets while providing safety to cyclists.

TEDBIA's flower program has grown over the years with more than 36,000 flowers planted annually throughout the neighborhood.

The addition of TEDBIA planters to sidewalks and bike lanes has dramatically improved the appearance of the public realm. Cyclists, motorists and pedestrians have expressed great appreciation for a simple and creative solution to a public safety concern.

"We commend the Toronto Entertainment District BIA for investing in the bike lanes and we view this as a significant example of what a difference it can make when the business community invests in public realm improvements.  The flowers enrich the urban aesthetic on these high traffic streets and create a calming and positive feel for cyclists along their commute", stated Richard Joy, Executive Director of the Urban Land Institute (ULI) Toronto and avid cyclist.

"Improving the streetscape has always been an important goal for our BIA. Our streets should complement the unique architecture of this area. The planters create a functional, practical solution that looks great. Bringing beautification to our streets through a flower program coupled with an increasing need for cyclist safety ended up being a perfect fit", said Janice Solomon, Executive Director of the Toronto Entertainment District BIA.

About the Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area:
Established in 2008, in support of the businesses of this area, the Toronto Entertainment District BIA's mandate is to promote, improve and preserve this dynamic area of Toronto. Benefitting from economic, environmental and social factors driving downtown growth, the Entertainment District has established itself as a thriving and vibrant district for living, creating, working and entertainment.

With distinct architecture both old and new, the Entertainment District is a thriving commercial hub of creative houses, hospitality and retail.  From the Air Canada Centre to the Four Seasons Centre for the Performing Arts, the Entertainment District includes many of Toronto's most iconic cultural landmarks including the CN Tower, Steam Whistle Brewing, Toronto Railway Museum, Ripley's Aquarium of Canada, Canada's Walk of Fame, Metro Toronto Convention Centre, Metro Hall, Rogers Centre, Roy Thomson Hall, Princess of Wales Theatre, Royal Alexandra Theatre, TIFF Bell Lightbox, 401 Richmond, Canadian Broadcast Corporation, Bell Media. The District is home to an array of talent that is comprised of the Canadian Opera Company, the National Ballet of Canada, Toronto Symphony Orchestra, Toronto Blue Jays, Toronto Maple Leafs and Toronto Raptors.  For more information, please visit www.torontoed.com.

SOURCE Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area

Image with caption: "Toronto Entertainment District BIA installs new planters along Richmond Street West bike lanes. (CNW Group/Toronto Entertainment District Business Improvement Area)". Image available at: http://photos.newswire.ca/images/download/20160711_C4705_PHOTO_EN_731679.jpg

For further information: Janice Solomon, Executive Director, Toronto Entertainment District BIA, Telephone: [phone], Email: [email protected], Facebook: facebook.com/ torontoed, twitter: @toronto_ed, Instagram: torontoed_insta