Mississauga turns cherry blossoms viewing into a virtual experience in response to COVID-19
Posted in: News Item
Date Posted: 2020-04-23
Organization Name: City of Mississauga
The City of Mississauga’s beautiful cherry blossoms in Kariya Park are expected to be in full bloom in the coming weeks and while residents won’t be able to visit in person, they can admire the blossoms from afar via the city’s new blossom webcam.
“Kariya Park is an important part of our city as it honours Mississauga’s special relationship with our twin city – Kariya, Japan,” said Mayor Bonnie Crombie. “Although residents can’t admire the beauty of our cherry blossoms up close this year, they can still use their phones to do so from the comfort of their own homes. This is a temporary but necessary closure that will ensure the health and safety of our community during these unprecedented times. I look forward to seeing the blossoms in person next year.”
The city is offering a live feed where residents can view the cherry blossoms online beginning today until their petals start to fall, as the trees only stay in bloom for approximately two weeks.
“To avoid the spread of COVID-19 and limit the amount of visitors during the cherry blossom period, the City has made the decision to close this facility entirely,” said Jodi Robillos, Director, Parks, Forestry, and Environment. “We know this park is special to our residents, so we were able to find an innovative way to help residents and visitors enjoy the blossoms, while protecting our community.”
As one of Mississauga’s most popular parks, Kariya Park attracts many visitors this time of year to see the blossoms in bloom. The park features 65 beautiful cherry blossom trees of different varieties and colours, and were a gift from Kariya, Japan. To view them bloom live, visit mississauga.ca/cherryblossomwebcam.
“We remind residents to stay home. However, if you need to get some fresh air, use one of our City trails for walking, biking, rollerblading or taking pets out. Don’t hang around, play or use parks as you normally would,” Robillos says. “Failure to comply with the Provincial Order can result in a fine up to $1,000. The community is also reminded to not litter on public or private property including waste, dog waste, recycling, disposable masks, gloves, or other protective materials. If the waste or recycling bins are full, please take it home.”
To learn more about the latest updates on actions taken by the city, visit mississauga.ca/coronavirus or follow @CityMississauga on Twitter.