Avoid gridlock on your way to the gridiron

Ultimate Tours - your connection to a hassle-free, inexpensive, action-packed sporting event!

5 • POSTED ON November 16, 2004
Avoid gridlock on your way to the gridiron
Posted by ggower Subscribe to the OttawaStart RSS Feed for instant news updates.

The City of Ottawa is proud to host Grey Cup 2004 on November 21. Lansdowne Park, the City-owned home to Frank Clair Stadium and the Ottawa Renegades, is one of Canada's most historic football facilities.

The City of Ottawa is proud to host Grey Cup 2004 on November 21.
Lansdowne Park, the City-owned home to Frank Clair Stadium and the Ottawa
Renegades, is one of Canada's most historic football facilities. To get the
most out of the game and the activities during Grey Cup Festival, give
yourself plenty of time to get to Lansdowne Park, and take OC Transpo
transit service to make sure you can get through where others cannot. 

Attendance at Grey Cup 2004 is expected to surpass 50,000. Parking, normally
at a premium around Lansdowne Park, will be even more scarce than usual.
There will be no parking on the grounds at Lansdowne Park, so Renegades
season ticket holders with a parking pass will need to consider other
options. Football fans who take advantage of handicapped parking at
Lansdowne Park will also need to find another option. A number of streets in
the Glebe area, where Lansdowne Park is located, will also be off limits to
fans looking for a parking spot. Several streets will be closed to traffic
completely.  

OC Transpo will be operating a number of direct bus routes to get fans to
and from the big game, including a bus service from City Hall to Lansdowne
Park running every day during Grey Cup Festival, November 17 to 20. On game
day, parking will be available at several locations around the city, with
direct transit service to Lansdowne Park. Buses will drop fans off inside
Lansdowne Park, near the east gates. After the game, fans should go back to
the drop off location to make the return trip by bus. 

If the anticipated traffic congestion isn't enough to convince fans to take
transit, Grey Cup revellers should also be aware that the police will
operate R.I.D.E. (Reduce Impaired Driving Everywhere) checkpoints throughout
the city during the Grey Cup festival. 

OC Transpo runs the best routes to score a
touchdown

Grey Cup Festival – November 17 to 21

A number of activities will take place in downtown Ottawa and at Lansdowne Park. A direct shuttle service will run along Queen Elizabeth Driveway between City Hall and Lansdowne Park and back again. The shuttle is free from Wednesday, November 17 to Saturday, November 20. Frequency of service will vary with time of day and number of passengers. Regular fares apply on Grey Cup Sunday.

Wednesday, November 17

5 p.m. to 3 a.m.

Thursday, November 18

Noon to 3 a.m.

Friday, November 19

11 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Saturday, November 20

8 a.m. to 3 a.m.

Sunday, November 21

Noon to 3 a.m.

Ottawa bars have been given permission to stay open until 3 a.m. OC Transpo also operates a B.A.R.S. service every evening. After 1 a.m. route 95, 96 and 97 buses using the Mackenzie King Bridge will travel along Rideau Street, providing a more convenient service to ByWard Market establishments. The last bus in each direction leaves downtown around 3 a.m. Check your bus schedule for exact times.

Ottawa Fire Services reminds patrons to familiarize themselves with evacuation procedures in bars and other public or private establishments in case of an emergency to avoid tragedies.

Grey Cup Game – November 21

On game day, Lansdowne Park will be the centre of all activities. A number of road closures and parking restrictions will be in effect.

Road Closures

Several roads will be closed from noon until midnight on Grey Cup Sunday.

Bank Street

From Fifth Avenue to Sunnyside Avenue

Buses and taxis permitted

Laurier Avenue

From Nicholas Street to Elgin Street

Buses permitted

Lakeside Avenue

From Bronson Avenue to Queen Elizabeth Driveway

Buses permitted

Monk Street

From Wilton Crescent to Holmwood Avenue

Staging area for taxis

Queen Elizabeth Driveway

From Laurier Avenue to Preston Street

Buses permitted

Parking Restrictions

From midnight Saturday to midnight Sunday, parking will be prohibited on a number of streets. These include all areas affected by road closures, as well as a number of other streets.

Bank Street

From the Queensway to Billings Bridge

Fifth Avenue

From Bronson Avenue to Queen Elizabeth Driveway

O’Connor Street

From the Queensway to Fifth Avenue

Grey Cup Shuttle

The direct shuttle service from City Hall to Lansdowne Park will run on Sunday from noon until 3 a.m. Buses will continue making their trips to Lansdowne until all the crowds are gone. Return trips will begin following the game and run until 3 a.m. This shuttle will leave City Hall, and loop through downtown via Elgin, Queen, Lyon and Slater, and then travel along the Queen Elizabeth Driveway to Lansdowne Park.

Customers can catch a regular bus to downtown, and then transfer to the shuttle on Laurier near City Hall.

Regular fares will apply on Grey Cup Sunday.

· Student, Adult & Senior Citizen $2.60 or 2 – 90 cent tickets (one way fare)

· Children 6 to 11 $1.35 or 1 – 90 cent ticket (one way fare)

· Children 5 and under Free

· There will also be a special prepaid return fare of $5 available on Grey Cup Sunday. Customers can pay when they board their first bus and receive a special transfer that can also be used for the return trip.

· All transit passes are also valid on all Grey Cup bus routes.

Parking is available at City Hall and other downtown parking lots. Regular parking fees apply.

Park & Ride

OC Transpo will operate a number of direct bus routes starting at 3 p.m. serving several departure points across the City. If a parking area is full, staff will be on hand to let people know where the nearest location is with available parking. Regular bus fares will apply, or customers may purchase the special $5 return fare bus ticket when they board.

Departure Points

Baseline Park & Ride

(additional parking at 2 Constellation, 100 Constellation and Algonquin College)

Carleton University*

Confederation Heights

Eagleson Park and Ride

Fallowfield Park and Ride

Greenboro Park and Ride

Place d’Orléans Park and Ride

(additional parking available at Place d’Orléans Shopping Centre)

Terry Fox Park and Ride (transfer at Eagleson)

Trim Road Park and Ride (transfer at Place d’Orléans)

*Carleton University will offer a combined price of $20 that includes parking and round trip transit fare. Watch for the signs on Carleton University property to the designated parking lots.

Regular Transit Service

Grey Cup fans can use regular OC Transpo service to get downtown and use a transfer to board the shuttle at City Hall or to get on any of the other buses at the Park & Ride lots listed above.

OC Transpo routes 1 and 7 also travel from downtown, and stop right in front of Lansdowne Park. On Grey Cup day, extra buses will be added to these routes to handle an increased number of passengers.

Customers wanting more information on OC Transpo bus service should call the OC Transpo information line at (613) 741-4390 or visit octranspo.com.

Société de Transport de l’Outaouais (STO)

STO will operate a special service on Grey Cup Sunday with increased bus service from Parc-o-bus Rivermead (Aylmer sector), Parc-o-bus Aréna Robert-Guertin (Hull sector), and Parc-o-bus Les Promenades (Gatineau sector) to downtown Ottawa between 2:30 p.m. and 6:30 p.m. STO passengers can transfer to an OC Transpo bus to connect to Lansdowne Park. STO will also increase service on route 21 to Casino du Lac-Leamy on Grey Cup Sunday. Regular fares are in effect and special return trips are available after the game. For more information on STO bus service, call the STO information line at (819) 770-3242 or visit sto.ca.

Out of Town Charter Buses

Charter buses coming from out of town should exit the Queensway at Metcalfe and follow the trailblazer signs to the Queen Elizabeth Driveway and Lansdowne Park. Buses will be permitted to park at Lansdowne Park for the duration of the game.

Taxis

Ottawa taxi zones have been suspended for Grey Cup Day. Ottawa taxis will be permitted to pick up or drop off passengers in any part of the City. Taxis will be permitted to use the closed portion of Bank Street and pick up or drop off passengers in front of Lansdowne Park. After the game, taxis will pick up passengers on either side of Bank Street. Passengers should cross the street if needed to grab a taxi heading in the direction they desire, as taxis will not be allowed to turn around in the closed portion of Bank Street.

Ottawa’s Football Tradition – Art Exhibit

As Grey Cup fever sweeps the capital, the City of Ottawa is taking a look back at the history of our most beloved local teams. From October 12 to November 21, memorabilia and photos from the Ottawa Rough Riders, University of Ottawa Gee Gees, Carleton Ravens, Ottawa Sooners and the Ottawa Renegades are being exhibited at the Ottawa City Hall Gallery, 110 Laurier Avenue West. The gallery is open from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily and admission is free.

What's New
OttawaStart Blog
News & notes from the editors of OttawaStart

Related: Ottawa Blog List

More News
Subscribe to OttawaStart's RSS Feed for instant updates

More Headlines • Add your press release

Bayshore Shopping Centre: It's that simple at Bayshore

Click here...