Students are back for another fall semester, and the city of Guelph wants to make it a safe one. To this end, they have started up their Safe Semester program.
The Downtown Late Night Task Force will oversee the initiative, which is aimed at keeping motor vehicle traffic out of the downtown area on Friday and Saturday nights, thus making is more accessible for cyclists and pedestrians. There will also be an increased level of police presence in the area.
During the campaign, which runs from ten at night until four in the morning from early September until early October, and then again on Halloween weekend, portions of Macdonell Street and Wyndham Street will be closed, all parking lots will be open to the public, a taxi stand will be set up across from Guelph central Station on Carden street, and an accessible portable bathroom will be installed at the station. A company that provides printing services can create a variety of promotional items that let the public know more about the program and how it will affect them. These can be distributed on campus and at different places throughout the community.
Any vehicles that are found parked in the street sections that are closed will be ticketed and the owner will have to pay for the towing. In order to encourage people to leave their vehicles at home, Guelph transit will offer a late night bus service.
