Toronto shuts down for fireworks

Toronto
Originally uploaded by AviatorDave.

I had a party to get to, down on Queen's Quay near Bathurst last night. Knowing full well I'd missed the Canada Day fireworks, I doddled when it came to meeting up with friends. By 11pm I was up at Avenue and St. Clair and ready to make my way down. I followed behind my friend's car right down University. He mad a silly turn onto Richmond, but the Entertainment district didn't slow us down too much. When we hit construction on Bathurst (access to Lakeshore closed) we were detoured West on King.
I rang Jeremy on his cell. "Take Strachan south, okay?" We finally got there and the cops were blocking off access to the Lakeshore. Are you kidding me?
Is this how we deal with traffic problems in the City of Toronto? Close down access to major roads so that idiots in cars drive around in circles all night?
We made it west to Jamieson, just barely, and then sat in the Lakeshore East traffic going back in exactly the same direction from which we had come for another 45 minutes.
I have never seen this in Toronto. I think it's ridiculous. The only thing worse than sitting in the car for an hour and a half to drive a usually 15 minute route was seeing the poor people on the bus beside me, packed in like sardines when the bus wasn't moving anywhere fast.
I'm all for leaving cars at home when I can, but my knee is still in recovery, and it's not like a better transit option really exists for most people going down to the Lakeshore.
I think this might be enough to get me to voice my rant to the big boys at City Hall. Gridlock? Air pollution? Is this what we want to become known for in Toronto? World class, my a**.