Going to a Pope event in the Edmonton area? Here's what you need to know
Ahead of Pope Francis' visit to Edmonton, Maskwacis and Lac Ste. Anne later this month, event organizers held a press conference on Thursday to share details about the logistics of the trip.
Here's what attendees, and residents of the Edmonton area, need to know ahead of the Papal Visit.
ROAD CLOSURES
Rolling road closures — meaning that a road is closed before and after the Pope's motorcade passes by — are expected in certain areas between July 24 and 27.
The QEII will have road closures and limited access when the Pope travels from the Edmonton International Airport to his destination in the city on Sunday, July 24.
A day later, when the Pope travels to Maskwacis, there will be restricted access to the QEII and Highways 611 and 2A near Ponoka, Maskwacis and Wetaskiwin.
On Tuesday, July 26, the Pope is scheduled to visit Lac Ste. Anne and there will be closures and limited access along Highways 16, 43 and 633.
The QEII will once again have closures and limited access when the Pope leaves Edmonton on Wednesday, July 27.
PARK-AND-RIDE
More than 120,000 people are expected to attend the Papal events: 80,000 at Commonwealth Stadium, 25,000 in Lac Ste. Anne, 15,000 in Maskwacis, and 775 at Sacred Heart Church.
People who register to attend Papal events are strongly encouraged to get there early.
The main way to reach the sites in Edmonton, Maskwacis and Lac Ste. Anne is through park-and-ride.
For the Papal Mass at Commonwealth Stadium on July 26, there will be a number of park-and-ride locations across the city.
They will open at 7 a.m. and people with a ticket to the mass can ride for free until 2:30 p.m.
"Organizers for the Papal Mass have indicated that the event will start promptly at 10 a.m. and are asking that everyone plan to arrive early. And for those who are seated on the floor to arrive by 8:30 a.m," said Nicole Poirier with the City of Edmonton.
Poirier added road closures and increased traffic could cause ETS delays for buses the morning of the mass, "and therefore we are asking everyone to plan extra time for your regular commutes."
The Maskwacis and Lac Ste. Anne events will also have park-and-ride services in the area.
To get to Maskwacis, there will be buses from Heritage Valley in Edmonton, the Reynolds Museum in Wetaskiwin, and the Stampede Grounds in Ponoka.
And for Lac Ste. Anne, people can park and take the bus from Langford Park, Villeneuve Airport and Mayerthorpe Airport.
OTHER NOTES
People who attend Commonwealth Stadium need to have a ticket. Resold tickets purchased online will not be valid, organizers said.
All the events will be broadcast live and organizers are working to have them in many languages.
Organizers stressed the need to plan ahead, arrive early, use park-and-ride, and register for the events.
For more information, visit the papalvisit.ca, alberta.ca and edmonton.ca.
CTVNews.ca Top Stories
DEVELOPING Hunt for the gunman who killed UnitedHealthcare's CEO heads into third day as new clues emerge
As the investigation into a masked gunman who stalked and killed the head of one of the largest U.S. health insurers moved into its third day Friday, possible leads emerged about his travel before the shooting and a message scrawled on ammunition found at the crime scene.
Purolator, UPS pause shipments from couriers amid Canada Post strike
Purolator and UPS have paused shipments from some courier companies as they try to work through a deluge of deliveries brought on by the Canada Post strike.
Canadian unemployment rate jumps near 8-year high
Canada's unemployment rate rose more than expected to 6.8 per cent in November, a near-eight-year high excluding the pandemic years, even as the economy added a net 50,500 jobs, data showed on Friday, likely boosting chances of a large interest rate cut next week.
Canada's list of banned guns is expanding. Here's what you need to know
Canada is expanding its federal ban on firearms, adding 324 makes and models of guns to the prohibited weapons list, effective immediately.
What is still being delivered? What to know about the Canada Post strike
With Canada Post workers on strike, many individuals and businesses are facing the challenge of sending and receiving mail. Here are the answers to some of Canadians’ most-asked questions.
80-year-old driver with expired licence accused of going nearly double the speed limit in eastern Ontario
Ontario Provincial Police say a man caught stunt driving on Highway 37 near Tweed, Ont. Thursday was 80 years old, and his licence was expired.
Jasper family reunites with cat missing 100 days in the wilderness
Nicole Klopfenstein's four-year-old black and white tabby survived in the wilderness for more than 100 days after a ferocious wildfire forced the evacuation of the Rocky Mountain town of Jasper, Alta., this summer.
Salmonella cucumber recalls include products that may not be labelled: CFIA
The Canadian Food Inspection Agency has published an expanded pair of recalls for cucumbers over risks of salmonella contamination.
Taylor Swift to play first Vancouver show tonight
It’s been a long time coming, but Taylor Swift’s first show in Vancouver has finally arrived.