For Toronto residents who think they’ve heard everything about G20 disruptions, here’s a new one: a Toronto man says that, because of the event, he now risks offending his mother-in-law.
Jamie Nazaroff, 35, is graduating from the culinary management program at George Brown College on the summit weekend. Unfortunately for him, because of G20 preparations, the school had to change venues last minute for the convocation – from the Ricoh Coliseum to the smaller Roy Thomson Hall – meaning he’ll only be able to take two guests.
Mr. Nazaroff now has to decide between leaving behind his mother, who recently underwent brain surgery; his wife Melissa, who he married just a year ago; or his mother-in-law, who was a great source of support to him when deciding to go back to school after a career as a graphic designer.
He said he’s already decided to leave behind his mother-in-law, saying that she understands his decisions. Still, he said, “I know she would like to be there as well.”
The college decided to change venues after the Ricoh Coliseum, where the school held their ceremonies last year, informed them in March that G20 preparation would take up part of the coliseum.
As a result, the school decided to relocate to one of the few unbooked venues in the city, Roy Thomson Hall. The Ricoh Coliseum can seat from about 8,100 to about 9,200 people depending on the event, according to the venue’s website. Roy Thomson Hall, on the other hand, advertises its capacity as about 2,600.
Last year, said Dianne Tessier, registrar at George Brown College, students were offered up to four tickets each for the ceremony at Ricoh, plus extras as needed. But this year, she said, students were told all along that they’d only get two tickets each.
Ms. Tessier added that, on average, there are a total of about 15,000 attendees at all of the convocation ceremonies. Roy Thomson Hall will be able to accommodate that number, she said, “but just,” and with few, if any, extra tickets.
The Toronto Police are planning on making an announcement Friday morning regarding updates on highways, traffic delays and potential road closures during that weekend. Because of this, the school has also asked students to consider taking public transportation to the ceremonies to avoid summit-related traffic delays.
As for Mr. Nazaroff, who lives in downtown Toronto and has already seen his wife’s travel plans disrupted because of the G20, he’s irritated at what he sees as one more aspect of his life that the event is infringing on. “It’s an annoyance, to say the least,” he said.
