If you look on the 2006 Toronto Cycling Map just north of Eglinton Avenue East and just east of Leslie Street you see a light green line that traces a curved path almost to York Mills Road. This is what is known as the CN Leaside Spur line. It is a 3.5 km abandoned rail line that was purchased by the city in 2001 with the idea of using it as a recreational trail that would be part of the Bikeway Network. It would be a major link in the network that could join the sections of the Don Trail system to the north and to the Lower Don Trail in the south. Completing this link between the Betty Sutherland Trail and Sunny Brook park would create a continuous off street trail of over 20 km that would traverse the entire city from Steeles down to the waterfront. However there are some hurdles that need to be overcome if we are to see this any time soon.

The area in orange outlines the CN Leaside Spur line in light green and also the area where the trail could connect to the lower Don Trail. Image from the Toronto 2006 Cycling Map - click the image to see the full map

The first hurdle is funding. According the the Parks Forestry and Recreation Division's capital budget plan the CN Leaside Trail is not due for funding till the 2012 - 2016 time frame where the $3.5 million that is estimated to be needed for the project is tentatively placed. The City's Climate Change Plan has a recommendation that the Bikeway Network be completed by 2012. (See Previous Article) To achieve that goal this is one of the trails that would have to be completed and the money needed to complete it will have to be put into the 2008 to 2012 5 year capital plan. Completing this trail would also help to achieve the goal of the proposed Parks Renaissance Strategy of "Expanding the trail system to create a connected parks and trails system" (See Previous Article)

The good news is that the local Councillor, Cliff Jenkins - Ward 25 Don Valley West is in support of the project, according to staff in his office, and has been trying to get the project moving forward.

Creating the Path itself should not be much of a challenge. The rails have been taken out and with the wide, flat existing rail bed it should be easy to lay down the recommended 4.0 m wide asphalt trail.

Looking south along the existing CN Leaside Spur

A functional design study has been done which is the first stage of getting the project going. It identified some issues that would have to be addressed in the detailed design. One is the crossing of Lawrence Avenue. The trail would cross Lawrence Ave. about 140 metres east of the signalized intersection at Leslie. There seems to be some resistance to putting a signal for the crossing there. After looking at the site I think as this would be a major trail a demand activated signal allowing trail users to cross directly would be the best solution.

Here the trail approaches Lawrence from the north.

The trail continues on to the south after crossing Lawrence Avenue.

The other issue is how to connect from the southern end of the rail trail across Leslie St. to the Don Trail in Sunnybrook park. There are two private properties owned by Monarch and Sony that would have to be traversed to make the connection. The city has an easement for the Monarch site which is a development site and the other owner is applying for redevelopment so there is an opportunity for the City to create an easement. It is important that the city makes keeping and creating these easements a priority. Without them the City of Toronto will have missed out on this opportunity and squandered the investment the city made when it purchased the rail land from CN.

If you want to lend your support to this project you can contact Councillor Cliff Jenkins and tell him you are in favour of it. You could also contact Councillor Paula Fletcher Ward 30 Toronto-Danforth the Chair of the Park and Environment committee as her committee is developing the Parks Renaissance Strategy and the Climate Change Plan. You should also contact Councillor Shelly Carrol - Ward 33 Don Valley East. She is the Chair of the Budget Committee and her support is needed to have the money moved forward up to the 2008 - 2012 time from where it is slated now in the 2012 - 2016 Capital Plan.

If we are going to see the Bikeway Network completed by 2012 the Mayor and Council will have to look at accelerating projects like these that have been on the drawing boards for years waiting for the political will and funding to see them through. Hopefully this Council will realize the "time for action is now" as the Mayor David Miller said at the Climate Change forum on April 29th.

Martin Koob
info@biketoronto.ca