The second phase of the Martin Goodman Trail in Marilyn Bell along Toronto's western waterfront have been completed. This phase included a 5 metre wide recreational trail and two areas for pedestrians to walk, one immediately along side the recreational trail and one on a wooden boardwalk water's edge of Lake Ontario. This runs parallel to the bypass trail that was completed earlier this summer. (See previous Article).

The new trail includes amenities such as benches, bike lock ups, picnic tables as well as new plantings and lighting.

There are two areas for pedestrians to walk. One on the same grade as the recreational trail features interlocking stone. Below on the water's edge is a boardwalk.

This is a huge improvement over the conditions before along the old Aquatic Drive, where walkers, runners, cyclists and rollerbladers shared the same potholed road with vehicles. (see previous article).

The next phase of improvements of the Martin Goodman Trail will start this fall after the CNE is completed. That work will tackle the stretch between Marilyn Bell Park and Ontario Place continuing the bypass trail eastward. This will give cyclists a safe alternate route when the trail along the water's edge is closed for such events as the air show. That water's edge section is also badly in need of repair but there are no plans to do that in the near future as the whole seawall needs to be replaced and that is beyond the scope of the current projects. The bypass trail should provide a smoother ride.

Here is the current terminus of the bypass trail at the eastern edge of Marilyn Bell Park. It will be continued eastward bringing it to the edge of Ontario Place.

This project shows what can be done with some money and determination to get it done. The project went from proposal to completion in a little over a year. Another positive about this project was the consultation process. Comments and concerns about the original designs were listened too and changes were made that improved the experience of using the trail for all users. Hats off to the Toronto Waterfront Revitalization Corporation, the architects, Victor Ford and Associates Inc., and all others involved for an excellent improvement to Toronto's waterfront and the Bikeway Network.

The next section that is badly in need of repair is the section of the trail through Ontario Place. There are some plans to do just that but that will be the subject of a future article.