By DAVE RYNES | Ontario Police Chief
The upcoming Independence Day celebration is coming to Ontario. Parking, like always, will be at a premium in Ontario over the Independence Day festivities.
This year, there will be no parking on the parade route during the parade. The parade route starts on Lincoln Street with the lineup. The parade will proceed to Division, turning right on Main Street at the post office. The announcing stand will be located in front of the former Robinson Hardware building (now Dora’s Daughter). Continuing down Main Street, the parade will turn right at N. Garden Street. The parade will conclude at South Street (Highway 33).
There will be handicapped parking available on Division Street for the parade; those spaces will be marked. When the parade concludes, the handicapped vehicles will need to be moved.
Once the parade concludes, Division Street from State Street to Church Street and Main Street from Division Street to N. Garden Street will be closed to vehicular traffic. This closure will accommodate the tractor pull, which will be on the 300 block of Main Street. After the tractor pull, those areas will be open to traffic and parking.
State Street from N. Garden Street to Highway 131 and Pleasant Street will remain closed throughout the day to accommodate the music and vendors. There will be signs posting the no-parking areas.
For the fireworks, southbound (west side) Highway 131 from Main Street to State Street will be closed to parking. This will accommodate the fireworks ground display.
I encourage everyone to follow the no-parking signs that are posted and the yellow curbs that indicate no parking. Violators are subject to citations, and in some cases, vehicles may be towed. If you are parking on private property, make sure you have permission to park on the property.
If you have questions, I encourage you to call the police department at (608) 337-4800 or (608) 487-5473.