For cyclists traveling the western part of the Martin Goodman Trail the ride should soon become a little smoother. The new bypass trail through Marilyn Bell Park is scheduled to be paved in the next two weeks. Work on the break water that is being constructed for the 2006 Dragon boat championship is finished so crews should be able to start paving soon. This is the first phase of several improvements to the Martin Goodman Trail from Coronation Park to Marilyn Bell Park.

Paving is due to start in a couple of weeks on this section of the Martin Goodman Trail in Marilyn Bell Park.

The next phase will be the construction of a new waterside promenade in Marilyn Bell Park that will feature a pedestrian boardwalk and a new wider multi use trail. You can see more details in the previous article Martin Goodman Trail Extreme Makover. Work on that should start in the next couple of weeks and be finished in time for the Dragon Boat Championship in August of this year.

The Martin Goodman Trail used to run on an old road along this section of Marilyn bell Park. The road has been removed and a new pedestrian promenade and a renewed Martin Goodman Trail is coming this summer. (photo looking west to Marilyn Bell Park.)

The third phase of work will be on the section of the Trail south of Exhibition up to Ontario Place. This is a section that often gets closed when events are staged at Exhibition Place and access to the water's edge is restricted. Cyclists were forced onto a paved 'kill strip' on Lake Shore Boulevard. The plan is to create a bypass trail that they could use when the water's edge trail is blocked or is too busy. This bypass trail will connect with the Marilyn Bell Bypass trail to allow for a continuous connection through this section of the waterfront. Work on this trail is currently scheduled to start after Labour Day and be completed before winter 2006.

When the Martin Goodman Trail along the water's edge(left) is closed cyclists are forced to use the 'kill strip' (right) along Lake shore boulevard. A new 4.5 metre bypass trail will be built to give cyclists and other trail users a safer alternate route.

The project will include shifting a fence away from Lake Shore to make more room for the trail and planting trees along the trail.

This graphic shows the plans for the section of the MGT West of Ontario Place. (From the Toronto Waterfront Corporation's presentation of November 23rd, 2005).

The same design will be continued to Ontario Place.

The Exhibition bypass trail will continue east to Ontario Place and will connect with the Martin Goodman Trail through Ontario Place. (photo looking east)

Future trail work in this area will be creating a new trail through Coronation Park this fall and doing a major reconstruction of the Martin Goodman Trail through Ontario Place next summer. All of this work is being done through the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation. There have been some delays in getting the trail paved in Marilyn Bell Park, it was to be completed last November, but work on the trails is progressing relatively quickly and we should see some results taking shape soon.