Toronto's waterfront trail is finally complete after 35 years

Decades worth of detours have come to an end for pedestrians and cyclists in Toronto this week with the unveiling of what city officials call the "missing link" in the Martin Goodman Trail.

Councillor Paula Fletcher unveiled a brand new 740-metre stretch of paved trail along Unwin Street in the Port Lands with a ribbon cutting ceremony on Thursday morning.

#CityofTO #BikeTO at the Grand opening of the Unwin Ave trail connection. This new piece of infrastructure fills an important link in the 20km Martin Goodman Trail connecting from the Humber River to the eastern beaches. pic.twitter.com/ROndeOB3Ng

— Toronto Cycling (@TO_Cycling) August 1, 2019

"For those of us who ride the trail, when you got to the corner of Unwin Avenue and Leslie Street, you would come across a sign that said 'private road use at your own risk'," explained Fletcher to reporters.

"That is what people had to do for years, ride out on the edge of a private road covered in sand and gravel with blind corners."

No longer: with the last gap of the popular waterfront trail now closed, cyclists can go directly from the far east end to the far west end while feeling safe.

Before and after! The last link in the Martin Goodman Trail connecting South Etobicoke to the Beach is complete! TY @TO_Transport @TRCA_HQ @PaulaFletcherTO @JohnTory #BikeTO pic.twitter.com/rPG9YAOUJX

— Cycle Toronto (@CycleToronto) August 1, 2019

It certainly took the city enough time, though.

The lengthy Martin Goodman Trail first opened in 1984, but can only now be considered complete, a full 35 years later.

"The multi-use trail is an important route in the City's larger cycling network and provides another safe option for cyclists and others," reads an announcement from the city about the trail.

"This final length of the trail also represents sustainable infrastructure that also preserves ecological resources of the Baselands."

Nice.