You know fall is close when the students return to the University of Guelph. This weekend, it might be best for you to avoid this particular stretch of Gordon Street because over 5,000 students will be moving in to their dorms, and the U of G admin has some notes for them and the greater Guelph community. Meanwhile, the City of Guelph is looking to next weekend, and the start of the annual Safe Semester program.

Move-In Weekend at the University of Guelph!

Approximately 5,000 undergraduate students will move into residences between Friday September 2 and Sunday September 4. Students have been assigned individual move-in appointments between 8 am and 6 pm.

The following University-owned roads will be closed to all but move-in traffic during this time: South Ring Road, East Ring Road, Dundas Lane and Macdonald Street.

Gordon Street will remain open from Stone Road to College Avenue during move-in. Motorists should expect heavier-than-normal traffic in the area. This includes Stone Road, College Avenue, University Avenue, Smith Lane and Victoria Road.

To reduce traffic congestion, buses will not travel onto campus during move-in. Instead, they will use the parking lot at 80 Stone Road West. Cyclists and pedestrians on Gordon Street are strongly advised to exercise caution at major intersections, especially South Ring Road and College Avenue.

Effective traffic flow is a key priority for all involved with move-in to ensure emergency personnel can respond appropriately. Anyone not required to be on campus is asked to avoid travelling to the University during move-in.

Those who must be on campus are asked to consider walking or cycling. Higher-than-normal traffic, especially on roads closest to residence buildings, is expected for those driving to campus.

The following parking lots will be closed during move-in and all vehicles must be removed:

• North Martialing lot – P19, P20, P44, P47
• East Martialing lot – P18, P16
• South Martialing lot – P31, P8, P9
• North long-term parking – P23, P24, P49
• East long-term parking – P14, P15, P7
• South long-term parking – P13
• Student Housing Staff and Volunteer Parking – P11

The 2022-23 school year kicks off with Orientation Week (O-Week) events September 4-11.

Classes for all U of G students begin on Thursday, Sept. 8.

Safe Semester Weekends Start September 8 Downtown!

Guelph’s Safe Semester runs September 8-September 24 to support a safe and enjoyable environment downtown for businesses, residents and students.

With a higher volume of pedestrians downtown in September, closing the streets Thursday through Saturday allows everyone to enjoy Guelph’s downtown nightlife safely. Macdonell Street is closed nightly between the Macdonell parking lot and the West Parkade, and Wyndham Street is closed nightly between Carden Street and Cork Street on:

• September 8-10
• September 15-17
• September 22-24

During the closures, there is no on-street parking allowed in the closure area between 10 p.m. and 4 a.m. Residents and visitors in the area can park in the available parking lots. Any cars parked on closed streets during Safe Semester will be towed at the owner’s expense. Accessible portable washrooms will be set up near Guelph Central Station at the east end of Carden Street.