Toronto city officials are asking the makers of Pokemon Go to relocate its virtual beacons as players of the popular augmented reality game flock to one of the city’s busiest ferry terminals, causing more congestion in an already heavily trafficked area.
People are crowding into the park space at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal on a daily basis, because you can catch a lot of “Pokemon here,” according to one player.
The sheer number of people playing at the ferry terminal has prompted the city to step in.
Matthew Cutler, a spokesperson for Toronto’s Parks, Forestry and Recreation Department, says the city has asked the developer of Pokemon Go to “remove and relocate” the game’s “stops” and “gyms” that can be found at the Jack Layton Ferry Terminal.
“And we will work with the developer to relocate stops to other more suitable parks,” Cutler added.
In addition to the overcrowding at the ferry terminal, the large number of people coming into the terminal has created an increased amount of litter. A few of the players have even begun collecting trash in order to keep the space clean.
Meanwhile, a small independent market has started to emerge, with vendors selling Pokemon-related buttons, T-shirts pins and other collectibles at the ferry terminal.
With a report by CTV Toronto’s Sean Leathong
