RELEASE — For the first time in nearly 700 years, Kingston will experience a total solar eclipse, when the moon moves between the sun and the earth. The City of Kingston and its partners are preparing to welcome up to 500,000 people wishing to experience the path of totality on April 8. Here is how to celebrate the celestial event safely.
Protect your eyes
The path of totality is an incredible spectacle, but care must be taken to protect your vision. Looking directly at an eclipse without specially made eye protection can cause partial or total blindness and there is no treatment for the damage. Don’t reach for your regular sunglasses as they will not be strong enough — pick up eclipse glasses at multiple locations leading up to April 8:
- KFL&A Public Health has extensive information on eye health and how to view the eclipse safely. Watch this video from the Canadian Space Agency to learn how to properly use your glasses during the eclipse.
- Starting March 25, Queen’s University is providing free eclipse glasses on campus and at Kingston Frontenac Public Library branches.
- Available now, buy glasses and special edition souvenir swag on Tourism Kingston’s website or at the Visitor Information Centre (209 Ontario St.).
Celebrate the eclipse from anywhere in Kingston
The entire city will be in the path of totality, so once you have high-quality solar eclipse glasses, you can experience the eclipse from anywhere in town! Residents of Kingston should view the eclipse in their neighbourhood or close to where they live to minimize the amount of traffic on the roadways.
The following sites will offer washroom access and Queen’s University Eclipse Ambassadors to help answer questions about viewing the Eclipse. Please bring your own eclipse glasses as they will not be available for purchase at these locations. Residents should choose transit, walking or cycling to get to one of these locations.
- Lake Ontario Park – 920 King St. West
- INVISTA Centre (south field) – 135 Gardiners Rd.
- Cataraqui Kinsmen Arena – 1030 Sunnyside Rd.
- Kingston East Community Centre (Grenadier Park) – 779 Hwy. 15
- Lion’s Civic Gardens/Isabel Turner Library – 935 Gardiners Rd. (parking at Cataraqui Centre)
- LaSalle Secondary School – 773 Hwy. 15
- Maple Elementary School – 529 St. Martha St.
- Frontenac Secondary School – 1789 Bath Rd.
- Bayridge Secondary School – 1059 Taylor Kidd Blvd.
Total Eclipse in the Park and other Special Events
To help support the influx of visitors to Kingston, the City, Tourism Kingston and partner organizations are offering more special events during the April 6-7 weekend and on April 8. Learn more about the events on the Tourism Kingston Solar Eclipse website.
The City is offering a free special event at Grass Creek Park, 2991 Highway 2, from 1-5 p.m. on Monday, April 8 featuring live entertainment, food trucks, educational programming and more! To get there, we recommend avoiding travel through downtown Kingston. Instead, take the Joyceville exit, off the 401, continue on Joyceville Rd./Kingston 16 to Highway 2 to reach Grass Creek Park. This is a rain or shine event and parking is limited.
Be prepared for traffic delays
We will be welcoming up to half a million visitors to Kingston. With the increased traffic on the roads, we ask everyone to consider taking public transit, walking or cycling to get to their destination. Road closures are planned, and additional detours should be expected on April 8. Arrive early at your destination equipped with everything you need for a rain or shine event: water, food, sunscreen, an umbrella, patience, enthusiasm and of course, your eclipse viewing glasses!
Courtesy of Tourism Kingston, bus service in Kingston is free on April 8. Use our Transit Trip Planner to find the best route to your viewing location. Transit routes, including schedules, shuttles and park and ride locations will be available in early April. Transit passengers can expect detours and delays that day and should plan additional time to get to their destinations.
Image source (photoshopped): Photo: Wladyslaw (cc)
