The trial run of the Martin Goodman Trail on Queens Quay is now complete. If you have had a chance to try it out there is an opportuntiy to send in your feedback to make suggestions to improve it and convince the powers that be that this should be made permanent. The Toronto Waterfront Revitilization Corporation (TWRC) has an online survey that you can fill out at www.towaterfront.ca/survey.

I made 4 trips along this temporary section of the trail during the 10 days that it was open and what a difference it makes. Normally the ride through Toronto's central waterfront is a tortuous one. The two lanes of traffic are normally squeezed down to one and a half by a row of illegally parked busses or cars. Cars weave around them narrowing the space available for cyclists trying to squeeze through. The idling of the busses and cars pollutes the waterfront air with noise and exhaust fumes.

The last 10 days the ride was a dream, with the two east bound lanes of motorized vehicles replace with a wide bike path and stretches of grass and rows of geraniums. The Martin Goodman Trail was, temporarily, a connected continuous path from the Humber bay to the Eastern beaches. It was not a dream in the sense that it was perfect. There are definitely some kinks that need to be worked out. There were too many crossings of the path from parking lots and lane ways to the south. These will have to be combined and reduced. The traffic signals at the intersection did not work for west bound cyclists creating some confusion. These crossings would have to be improved for the permanent version with bike signal lights for trail users. The transitions from the two way path south of the streetcar tracks to the west bound bike lanes on Queens Quay has to be improved with a proper crossing to the north side of the street.

It was not a dream in the sense of a dream that you wake up from, although today we woke up to the old Queens Quay that will choke up with traffic. It is a dream in the sense of an ambitious plan. The dream of a continuous waterfront trail could come a large step closer to reality through the West8 design that was chosen as the plan for revitalizing the central waterfront.

The trial over the past few weeks helped Torontonians realize that it wasn't a fantasy. The obstacles that seemed insurmountable disappeared under rolls of sod west of York street and behind rows of fences east of there. The idling busses found somewhere else to park. The taxis in front of the Westin Harbour Castle Hotel queued up on the hotel's ramp. The crossings into the properties on the south side of the street were manageable but could use improvement.

The response that I saw from people using the trail was very positive. Even passersby expressed surprise and delight as they realized what had happened. I stood around the bike arch for a while and watched reactions. The bike arch must have been the most photographed tourist attraction that week.

It is important for Toronto residents to make this positive response known to the politicians and the TWRC to ensure this dream becomes a reality. You can fill out the TWRC online survey. There is a place for written comments. Let them know what you liked, let them know what needs to be improved and let them know you want to see this become permanent as soon as possible. A call or e-mail to the Mayor and your Councillor would also help to build momentum behind this project.