Mississauga's Kariya Park cherry blossoms are about to bloom

Please Note: As of April 8, Ontario is under a Stay-at-Home order. This means you must stay at home as much as possible and only go out for necessities, including getting food, going to work, and getting exercise. If you go out, maintain the six-feet physical distancing guidelines and wear a mask.

Mississauga has started broadcasting its live feed of the cherry blossom trees in Kariya Park as they get ready to burst into bloom.

The cherry blossom webcam went live on Thursday, and the City said in a news release that it expects the trees to enter their peak bloom period in the next couple of weeks.

For now, Kariya Park’s cherry blossoms remain fence-free. People can still walk up to them, although it is encouraged that visitors keep their distance.

“Though Kariya Park is currently open, we encourage all residents to take advantage of the virtual option to safely enjoy the cherry blossoms this year, to help stop the spread of COVID-19,” said Jodi Robillos, Director, Parks, Forestry and Environment.

Those who do visit the park should remember to stay two metres away from other people and to wear a mask, the City added.

Neighbouring Toronto has erected fencing around clusters of cherry blossom trees in High Park and Trinity Bellwoods Park to discourage people from gathering near the trees.

The High Park cherry blossom trees also have their own camera, but it hasn’t started broadcasting yet.

• See also:
  • Everything you need to know about this year’s High Park cherry blossoms
  • High Park to remain open for this year’s cherry blossom season
  • High Park cherry blossoms could bloom as early as April

Cherry blossoms in the GTA typically bloom in late April to early May. This year, the bloom is expected to be relatively early, mid-to-late April, because of the warm weather the region has seen so far.

Kariya Park is named after a city in Japan, with which Mississauga has had a “twin city” relationship for the last 40 years.

“Our cherry blossoms are a reminder of our enduring friendship,” Mayor Bonnie Crombie said on Twitter.

We are thrilled to be offering this virtual experience again so that residents can enjoy our beautiful cherry blossoms no matter where they are. This year marks 40 years since Kariya, Japan, became our twin city, and our cherry blossoms are a reminder of our enduring friendship. https://t.co/ZuSbKED9FL

— Bonnie Crombie 🇨🇦 (@BonnieCrombie) April 15, 2021

This is the second year in a row Mississauga has set up a livestream of the blossoms due to COVID-19. Last year, approximately 28,000 people tuned into the blossom feed.