Toronto's High Park will be closed during cherry blossom season in an effort to stem the spread of COVID-19.
The city says the park's Sakura trees typically draw tens of thousands of visitors during peak bloom times.
It says if that many people came to the park this year, physical distancing would be impossible, so it will be closed during the "pre-bloom and peak-bloom" periods.
The city says it's not yet clear when the blossoms will bloom, so the exact closure dates have not yet been decided.
Toronto staff say that they're working on a "virtual walk-through" of High Park's blossoming trees.
The city had previously announced that park facilities would be closed during the COVID-19 crisis, but that the lands themselves would remain open for people to walk through.
The neighbouring city of Mississauga, Ont., also says it's closing its main cherry blossom destination — Kariya Park — and will offer virtual tours.
This report by The Canadian Press was first published April 22, 2020.
The Canadian Press
