Email icon Back to Search
PORT COLBORNE - PATH OF TOTALITY.png

With an historic celestial event on the horizon next week, the City of Port Colborne is preparing for significant crowds and large gatherings, increased traffic, and the possibility of communication challenges resulting from cell tower overloads.

The City is activating its Emergency Operations Centre and will be working closely with the Niagara Regional Police Service, Canadian Niagara Power, telecommunications providers, neighbouring municipalities, and other partners to ensure we are able to coordinate quick and effective responses to any emergencies that may arise on the day of the eclipse.

Port Colborne will be one of the best places in Canada to view the eclipse. Thousands of visitors are expected to visit the city on April 8. To prepare for this potential influx, residents are advised to:

  • Be prepared for crowds, lines and traffic
  • Have water, snacks and first-aid supplies on hand
  • Get groceries, gas, and run errands prior to the eclipse
  • Have ISO-certified eclipse glasses
  • Check ahead for travel conditions and road closures
  • Plan for childcare, as most schools will be closed April 8
  • Make sure children know how to view the eclipse safely
  • Have an emergency kit and preparedness plan for potential disruptions

The primary viewing area in Port Colborne is at the Vale Health & Wellness Centre, where a planetarium show, solar tour and telescope tour will be presented by the Ontario Planetarium. The Let’s Talk Science team from Brock University will be on site to share interactive eclipse education, while the Port Colborne Public Library and Museum will lead eclipse-themed crafts and activities in the Centre’s pool viewing area.

Additional recreational programming will include a free community skate, free open swim with the YMCA, and an activity for children to create their own solar thaumatrope at the L.R. Wilson Heritage Archives at 286 King St. 

Along with their own homes or the Vale Health & Wellness Centre, residents and visitors are also encouraged to gather to watch the eclipse in the following locations:

  • H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park
  • Sugarloaf Harbour Marina
  • West Street / Downtown Port Colborne
  • Lock 8 Gateway Park
  • Nickel Beach
  • Centennial Cedar Bay Beach

If the weather is cloudy, the eclipse can be watched live online via the NASA Youtube channel.

To support City operations on April 8, there will also be several operational changes, including:

  • City Hall will be open, but with a limited-service capacity.
  • A road closure will be in effect on Steele Street from Sugarloaf Street (near the Port Colborne Urgent Care Centre) to the base of Fielden Ave (near the public boat launch) to allow for easy movement of pedestrians and emergency vehicles.
  • Minor parking restrictions to support the movement of emergency vehicles will take place on the streets near H.H. Knoll Lakeview Park and Sugarloaf Harbour Marina. Additional parking restrictions will be enforced on parts of Steele Street, Sugarloaf Street, Fielden Avenue, Elm Street, King Street, and one side of Clarence Street. These closures will be marked with signage on the day of the eclipse, and residents in the area have been notified.
  • The Public Boat Launch will close from the evening of April 7 to the morning of April 9, with a temporary barricade installed during the closure period.

Information about the City of Port Colborne’s emergency preparedness strategy, recreational programming and operational changes related to the April 8 solar eclipse can be found in the Solar Eclipse section of portcolborne.ca