Blue Jays fans heading to today’s home opener will notice some new security measures aimed at enhancing pedestrian safety.
Concrete barriers have been installed around the Rogers Centre to prevent vehicles from hopping the centre median and from now on, road closures will be in place at the start and end of every home game.
The closures will impact businesses and those who live in condos in the area surrounding the Rogers Centre.
Residents have been informed that they will require security passes from the Toronto Police Service in order to drive in or out of their buildings while the road closures are in place.
Road closures will also be in effect for events around the Air Canada Centre and residents of that area will also need security passes.
Speaking to reporters at city hall Wednesday, Mayor John Tory said the new security measures are part of an overall security review of the city.
“I think was quite properly done by the local police, our Toronto Police Service, in cooperation with some of the national security and policing authorities,” Tory said.
He added that he believes most people will be supportive of the enhanced security measures.
“I think what people would say… is that they believe that steps taken to promote and protect public safety are more important than anything else,” the mayor said.
“I think they would understand that it is the judgment of particularly the police and security authorities and the operators of these facilities, the ACC or the Rogers Centre, that there should be these measures put into place (and) they would probably endorse that as being something that they would prefer to see done even if it caused some minor inconvenience.”
