Rails to Trails: the West Toronto Rail Path

As much as I love thinking I have this cities abandoned and in-between places all to myself I am glad to see that the abandoned Canadian Pacific rail corridor that runs south east from the Junction to Strachan Ave is going to be put to good use.

The Railpath is a project set into motion by the Evergreen Foundation and the Community Bicycle Network. Plans are under way to transform track beds into linear parks and a commuter greenway. The tracks have lain unused for the last 40 years and the area has turned into a refuge for rabbits, foxes, ground hogs and butterflies.

The greenway will provide a much needed addition to Torontos bike path network and it will allow commuters to cycle from Dundas and Bloor to King and Bay in Approximately 15 minutes! This is less than a quarter of the time it would take to go the same route on the TTC. The trail will bisect a number of east west TTC routs and will eventually connect to Union station and the rest of the waterfront trails. This is great news for commuters who take their bikes on the GO trains.

The Railpath is still in the beginning stages and there was no mention of a completion date on the web site. I'll be sad to see another secret spot that I like to consider my own disappear but the idea of such a quick commute is almost too good to be true.

Check out the web site for more information: West Toronto Railpath

Image by Harrington and Hoyle Ltd. Landscape Architects