Road closures, temporary surveillance planned for Victoria Santa Claus parade

Police and event organizers are putting the finishing touches on their preparations for Victoria's annual Santa Claus light parade.

The 40th Peninsula Co-Op Santa Claus Parade will hit the streets of downtown Victoria Saturday evening at 5 p.m., but road closures will begin several hours earlier.

Victoria police say Belleville Street will be closed between Douglas and Menzies streets from 2:30 p.m. until approximately 7:30 p.m.

Government Street will be closed between Humboldt and Superior streets during that same window, as will Menzies Street between Belleville and Superior streets, police say.

Several other roads will be closed for a shorter span, from 5 p.m. to roughly 7:30 p.m. They are:

• Humboldt Street between Government and Douglas streets
• Douglas Street between Belleville and Bay streets
• The Johnson Street Bridge, Esquimalt Road at Tyee Road and Esquimalt Road at Harbour Road

"Emergency vehicles and BC Transit will be permitted to cross the bridge when officers determine it is safe to do so," the Victoria Police Department says in a statement.

The route for the 40th Peninsula Co-Op Santa Claus Parade is shown in this map from the Greater Victoria Festival Society. (gvfs.ca)

Police also say they'll be deploying their temporary, monitored surveillance cameras during the parade.

VicPD often deploys the cameras during planned gatherings in and around the B.C. legislature and the downtown core. The department encourages anyone with questions about the cameras to email [e-mail].

"The deployment of these cameras is part of our operations to help keep the event safe, peaceful and family-friendly and is in keeping with both provincial and federal privacy laws," police say. "Temporary signs are up in the area to ensure that the public is aware. The cameras will be taken down once the events have concluded."

More information on the Santa Claus Parade can be found on the Greater Victoria Festival Society website.