As Rogers Stadium prepares to host Oasis concerts this Sunday and Monday, city officials say they are stepping up efforts to manage noise, traffic, and safety concerns previously raised. The 50,000-seat open-air venue in Toronto’s north-end has drawn sharp criticism since its opening, with concertgoers facing hours-long exits and residents reporting disruptive noise and trespassing on private property. Following last week’s Chris Brown show, which suffered a heavy downpour of rain, city staff now say they are “adapting traffic management plans in real time” and working with police, transit, and promoters to ease pressure on both attendees and the surrounding community. How is the city responding to previous complaints? In an email to CTV News Toronto, the City of Toronto said it is “working closely with Live Nation, the Toronto Police Service, TTC and other partners to help make the concertgoing experience the best it can be while also working to mitigate the impacts on nearby residents and road users.” Officials said traffic conditions are monitored with live camera feeds, traffic agents are deployed on event days, and “real-time adjustments” are made to keep vehicles moving. Bylaw officers have also been on site to monitor crowds, vehicles for hire, and compliance with city rules. “So far, all events have been compliant with permitted noise levels,” the city said. ‘Windows shaking’ and noise among past concerns Despite assurances, some residents say noise has been overwhelming. After previous shows, several reported their “windows shaking” and herds of crowds streaming through nearby neighborhoods. Coun. James Pasternak, who represents the ward where the stadium is located, has previously acknowledged the speed at which the project was approved left gaps in planning. “You had a private land owner and private concert promotion company who wanted to get this done… they got it done pretty fast, surprisingly fast… but things should have been thought out,” Pasternak told CTV News last month. Lessons learned so far One of the most serious strains came during the inaugural opening of the venue at the Stray Kids concert, where some fans said it took up to two hours to exit the site. Since then, many concertgoers and even some performers have been critical on platforms about the venue’s ‘weird’ design. Live Nation has since said it is “making adjustments” and “working closely” with city officials, emergency services, and transit providers to improve crowd management. At Chris Brown’s two-day performance last week, the TTC ran extra trains late into the night and offered free rides to concertgoers showing their ticket at three nearby stations. ‘Committed to continuous improvement’ In addition to other measures, the city says “a full debrief” will follow each event with Live Nation and other partners “to assess operations and identify opportunities for improvement.” “The city remains committed to continuous improvement and coordination to ensure a safe and efficient experience for attendees, the surrounding community and road users,” the city said.
