The cherry blossoms in High Park are officially in peak bloom.
According to Sakura Watch, 95% of cherry blossoms in High Park are now open !
As Toronto is officially in the third wave of the pandemic, there are new rules at High Park. These rules aim to guarantee the safety of those going to see the cherry blossoms from Covid-19.
The City of Toronto worked with Health Care and Park officials to come up with a plan for cherry blossom season. There are three things that are important to know for those who want to see the trees in Spring 2021.
First, the park is open to local pedestrians and cyclists, but it’s closed to vehicles during the bloom.
The City of Toronto implemented ActiveTO in 2020 to allow outdoor physical distancing and encourage people to go outside. This year is no different. The City wants to make sure people can still enjoy the park and exercise outdoors. However, they will close the park to vehicle traffic for the duration of the bloom period.
Second, cherry blossom trees and areas are fenced off this year.
As part of the City’s Covid-19 response, they have decided to enclose the Sakura trees in High Park. The fences around the trees are meant to discourage large crowds from gathering to see the blossoms. Since they believed these gatherings could be super-spreader events, the City decided this was the best strategy to prevent them during the peak bloom period.
Third, you can still watch the cherry blossoms online.
We are all excited to enjoy the cherry blossoms in High Park that always welcome in the Spring season. But just like last year, the pandemic is still swinging so we have to find creative ways to enjoy the blossoms. The City of Toronto is reprising their virtual tours of High Park from 2020’s cherry blossom season. They are also livestreaming from the park during the peak bloom period to encourage everyone to enjoy the bloom at home.
You can watch the 24-hour BloomCam livestream here!
[Featured Image Source: Qihao Wang via Unsplash]
See more: The 5 Best Places To Admire The Cherry Blossoms This Spring In Toronto