Current Projects

Regeneration In Action!

While the past decade saw hundreds of large and small transformations of the water's edge, the next will witness local communities along Lake Ontario and the St. Lawrence River taking bold steps to improve their waterfronts. Here are some of the current initiatives to improve Lake Ontario's waterfront.

• St Catharines
• Grimsby
• Hamilton
• Burlington
• Mississauga
• Toronto
• Ajax
• Whitby
• Loyalist
• Gananoque
• South Glengarry

St Catharines

WATERFRONT TRAIL EXTENSION ALONG PORT WELLER SPIT

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Grimsby

TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS IN GRIMSBY

The Town of Grimsby has begun implementing a Traffic Calming Plan along Lake Street from Ontario Street to the easterly Town Limits. A Traffic Calming Study was initiated in 2006 to determine the best way to improve safety, reduce vehicle speeds provide cycling facilities and improve the liveability of the neighbourhood. Key features of the Plan include use of raised crosswalks at key intersections, provision of on-road cycling facilities within the existing roadway right-of-way, and use of passive traffic calming measures including gateway treatments and increased signage.  Complete!

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Hamilton

HAMILTON RECEIVES FUNDING FOR BRIDGE OVER QEW

On March 28th, the Ontario government announced that Hamilton will receive $14 million in funding to create a Recreational Trail Hub and Waterfront Link, which will include a signature pedestrian bridge across the QEW between Burlington Street and Centennial Parkway. The Trail and Waterfront Link will increase public access to the waterfront, create more opportunities for recreation and leisure, foster tourism, restore natural habitat and ultimately enhance the image of Hamilton.

Proposed bridge design

The project involves:

• A trail to the waterfront
• Waterfront link (pedestrian bridge)
• Recreational Trail Hub, outdoor recreational facilities (soccer fields, picnic areas, etc.) and Trail Connection to the Red Hill Valley trail system
• Ecological Restoration - rehabilitation plantings in the former landfill sites at Rennie and Brampton Street sites adjacent to the trail and waterfront link
• Interpretive signage

Design and tender drawings are expected to be completed by Fall 2008 and construction is anticipated to be completed by Summer 2010.

DELISTING HAMILTON HARBOUR: RANDLE REEF

Source: Bringing Back the Bay, Spring 2007, Bay Area Restoration Council

BARC is moving steadily toward delisting Hamilton Harbour as an Area of Concern in 2015. The chief remaining challenge is the cleanup of contaminated sediment at Randle Reef.

Located in the shallow water to the west of Stelco’s Dock 16 at the foot of Sherman Avenue, Randle Reef is the most contaminated site on the Canadian side of the Great Lakes. The volume of the contaminated material at the Reef site would fill Hamilton’s Copps Coliseum three times over. Hamilton Harbour cannot be delisted as an Area of Concern until this source of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons (PAHs) to the harbour ecosystem is removed.

After numerous multi-stakeholder consultations a plan has been crafted. On top of Randle Reef, an engineered containment facility (ECF) will be constructed to contain and cap the contaminated sediment and prevent further release of PAHs. The ECF will isolate approximately 90% of the contaminates of concern to Hamilton Harbour. The expected life service of the EFC is 200 years.
Once capped approximately 5 ha of the ECF will be used as a port facility. The remainder will be green space.

2008: Final engineering design completed, Environmental Assessment process
2008/09: Construction begins
2015: Construction complete
Budget: $90 million over 7 years

HAMILTON TRAILS MASTERPLAN WINS REGIONAL MERIT AWARD

The Trust would like to congratulate the City of Hamilton and G.O’Connor Consultants Inc. on winning the Regional Merit award for the Hamilton Recreational Trails Master Plan, from the Canadian Society of Landscape Architects. “The Master Plan provides a sound blueprint for trail development in Hamilton”, says Rob Norman of the City. “One of the top criteria in setting priorities is the creation of connections to the waterfront.”

The comprehensive document, the result of years of work and public consultations, puts forth a plan for a city-wide, integrated network of off-road recreational trails linking natural areas, cultural features and major land use destinations in the City of Hamilton. The proposed network builds on existing trails, recommending upgrades and additions to enhance the system. It is meant to act as a framework to guide future trail planning and construction projects.

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Burlington

BURLINGTON'S NEW WATERFRONT PLAN

With 23 kms of new waterfront trail, several mixed-use developments, and heritage and environmental restoration projects, Burlington's waterfront is a vital part of that city's quality-of-life, attracting corporate and individual investors and generating tangible local economic returns. The Downtown Waterfront Implementation Plan, approved by City Council in August 2003, is realizing the community's vision for their waterfront.

The renewed downtown waterfront includes:

Discovery Landing -  Complete!

Discovery Landing is a glass-enclosed observatory that faces the lake, providing a remarkable view of water and great opportunities for weather watching. The observatory is open to the public year round and offers exhibits, interactive displays and programs on weather, the environment and the history of the waterfront in Burlington. The new facility also houses Spencer’s on the Waterfront, a family restaurant, and the Bite Café. http://cms.burlington.ca/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=2363.

Rotary Centennial Pond -  Complete!

Rotary Centennial Pond is a new attraction that provides year round recreation on the waterfront, operating as a skating rink in the winter and a 14-inch deep reflective pond (perfect for model boating clubs) in the summer. http://cms.burlington.ca/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=2537

The Brant Street Pier

The Brant Street Pier, scheduled to be completed in 2009, is the final capital element in the project. The Brant Street Pier is a signature destination and attraction in Spencer Smith Park at The Waterfront at Downtown Burlington. The pier will extend 132 metres over Lake Ontario and provide breathtaking views of the lake and Burlington’s shoreline.

A concrete walkway will connect the pier to the existing promenade in the east end of the park. The pier with its distinctive S-shape will provide day-use docking for recreational and tour boats. It will feature a lookout level above the deck and include a wind turbine to generate renewable energy for all pier and district lighting.

http://cms.burlington.ca/PageFactory.aspx?PageID=2367

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Mississauga

MISSISSAUGA APPROVES WATERFRONT PLAN

On February 27, the Mississauga council unanimously endorsed a proposed plan to revitalize the unused Lakeview lands, site of the former Lakeview generating station. The land covers approx 200 acres south of Lakeshore Rd between Cawthra and Dixie Rds. The citizen-driven plan envisions extend the existing Waterfront Trail and adding major features such as an aquarium or pier and converting the land into a waterfront community with new medium-rise towers.

For more info visit: www.mississauga.ca/portal/residents/parks?paf_gear_id=9700018&itemId=67900060

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Toronto

WATERFRONT TORONTO IS PLACING A PRIORITY ON A CONTINUOUS MULTI-USE TRAIL ALONG THE TORONTO WATERFRONT.

The three project sites are:

Central Waterfront – this project is particularly complex as the implementation goal is to broaden the lake side pedestrian space from Bathurst Street to Parliament Street and one option is to close the two lanes of Queen’s Quay south of the TTC streetcar tracks and transform this area into a pedestrian zone. Part of the plan involves a series of "Wave Decks" along the waterfront. Work was completed on the Spadina Wave Deck this summer (see photo) and work is already underway on the Rees and Simcoe Wave Decks, to be completed in 2009.

Spadina Wave Deck Photo: Waterfront Toronto

Ontario Place – last year Waterfront Toronto refurbished the Trail through Marilyn Bell Park (a great waters edge Trail as well as a Trail closer to Lakeshore Road). The easterly boundary of this work was Ontario Place, so the plan is to continue Trail improvements through the Ontario Place site. Planned for completion in summer 2009, the trail will be bordered by trees and plants, and will run parallel to Lake Shore Boulevard on the south side to accommodate a variety of uses.

Lake Ontario Park – is on the east side of the central Waterfront and incorporates several existing projects (Tommy Thompson Park, Ashbridges Bay Park, mouth of the Don River etc). The goal is to connect all of these public spaces, provide new aquatic facilities for rowing, canoeing etc. as
well as reroute the Trail. This project is at the preliminary design phase.

CLOSING THE LAKESHORE GAP ONE PARK AT A TIME – MIMICO WATERFRONT PARK OPENING

On July 28th, 2008, Waterfront Toronto and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) celebrated the opening of Mimico Waterfront Park – Phase I.

The completed phase involved the creation of a new linear park amenity stretching from Superior Avenue to Norris Crescent Parkette, including a brand new stretch of Waterfront Trail and a boardwalk. Phase 2 will extend from Superior Avenue to Humber Bay Park where it will connect with the existing Waterfront Trail. Once complete, the park will eliminate half of the current Waterfront Trail gap along Lakeshore Rd! For more information please visit http://www.trca.on.ca/mimicowaterfront.

Photo: TRCA

METROLINX – REGIONAL TRANSPORTATION PLAN

The Trust participated in one of the stakeholder workshop hosted by Metrolinx to assist its development of a Regional Transportation Plan for the GTA. The workshop was attended by a broad range of groups and stakeholders all committed to establishing a well-connected inter-modal network that will make use of trail systems and bike lanes in understanding the system.

After a series of public consultations, Metrolinx published "The Big Move: Transforming Transportation in the Greater Toronto and Hamilton Area (GTHA)" on Friday, November 28, 2009.

To read the plan or find out more about Metrolinx, visit their website at www.metrolinx.com.

SIGNING SCARBOROUGH WATERFRONT TRAIL

One of the most significant gaps in the Waterfront Trail just got a whole lot smaller. As you know the long-term goal for the Waterfront Trail is to create a dedicated route as close to the water’s edge as is environmentally feasible. In Scarborough, such an alignment is decades away, necessitating the creation of a street-based interim route that connects Toronto and Durham.

Thanks to Councillor Paul Ainslie and the City of Toronto’s Pedestrian and Cycling Infrastructure Department, Waterfront Trail signs have been installed from Bellamy Road to the Rouge River Park this June (2008). The route offers cyclists and walkers a lovely tour of residential streets, avoiding Kingston Road, and links them to the wonderful Port Union Waterfront Trail-Phase One, which was completed by Toronto Region Conservation in 2006. Phase Two began earlier this year and once completed (2011) will establish a waterfront trail from the Port Union GO station to the mouth of the Rouge River.

There remains a 10 km gap from The Beach to Bellamy Road. The Trust has developed an interim street-based route that uses residential streets and short stretches of Kingston Road to go around private property such as the Hunt Club and St. Augustine’s Seminary. This suggested route can be found on our Waterfront Trail maps at http://www.waterfronttrail.org/trail.html. The Trust will continue to consult with the City of Toronto on this proposal.

In addition and thinking more long-term, the Toronto Region Conservation Authority is leading a public consultation process to create a plan for the Scarborough waterfront. The Trust has participated in stakeholder consultations to date and looks forward to working with the TRCA on the Scarborough Section of Waterfront Trail.

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Ajax

GO-BY-BIKE TO AJAX

On May 28th, 2008, the Trust along with several other GTA organizations and project founder Donald Wiedman celebrated the launch of “Go-by-Bike to Ajax,” a tourism and awareness project aimed at promoting connections between cycling and transit. “There is an abundance of naturally spectacular, safe, on and off road cycling routes to enjoy across the GTA,” says Donald Wiedman. “And you can easily get to many with your bike from select GTA GO Train and TTC subway stations.”

Any Sunday this summer, cyclists are invited to take their bikes on the GO Train to the Ajax station, and explore the amazing trails in the Durham Region and GTA. A suggested ride takes you down to the Waterfront Trail where you can head west to see first hand where Duffins Creek, Petticoat Creek, Highland Creek and Rouge watersheds meet Lake Ontario.

Only 30 bikes fit per train (2-4 per car) - so people planning to go for a ride are encouraged to RSVP in "The GO-by-Bike Club" on Facebook or at www.GO-by-Bike.ca. If a return train is looking a little crowded, cyclists will be asked to wait for the next one, and enjoy the beach at nearby Rouge Park or explore Scarborough’s Port Union revitalized lakefront.

For more information please visit www.GO-by-Bike.ca.

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Whitby

IMPROVEMENTS ON THE WAY FOR BAYLY STREET

Major improvements are on the way for the notorious stretch of Trail along Bayly Rd in Whitby. This stretch along Bayly Street has been a long-standing area of concern for the Trust and Waterfront Trail users due to the high vehicle speeds, narrow shoulders and dangerous bridge crossing. The Region of Durham is moving forward in its plans to widen Bayly Street between Ajax and Whitby, including a 3m wide off-road trail on the south side of Bayly which will connect to the existing Waterfront Trail at Halls Road in the West and to Whitby Shores Greenway in the east. These improvements, which also include a viewing platform on the south side of the bridge overlooking the Lynde Shores Conservation Area, will improve the quality, safety and comfort of this stretch for Trail users.

IMPROVEMENTS TO WINDSOR BAY PARK IN WHITBY

Located in Whitby, this once forgotten park is being restored by local residents through tree plantings and the installation of park benches. The Committee hopes to transform the park into a community amenity and a natural sanctuary for migrating birds. Safety issues related to the Brock Street Bridge, adjacent to the park, have been identified.

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Loyalist

CRCA PLANS LAND ACQUISITION

The Cataraqui Region Conservation Authority (CRCA) has announced plans to raise $1 million to buy a substantial portion of the Bayview Wetland, west of Kingston. The CRCA will buy 700 acres with help from its fund-raising arm, the Cataraqui Conservation Foundation, and community partners including Loyalist Township. This is a highly desirable property acquisition since it is located along an inland corridor linking Parrott’s Bay to Collins Bay/Lemoine Point. The CRCA is hopeful that a trail loop might someday link the Bayview property to the Waterfront Trail, along Lake Ontario.

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Gananoque

NEW TRAILS IN GANANOQUE

The Gananoque Trails Committee is working on expanding their trails network. They are currently working on trails at Landon Bay, Marble Rock, the Provincial Wildlife Area near Gananoque, as well as trails within the town of Gananoque. Parks Canada is also working on trails on Park property. Along with improvements to hiking trails, the committee is also working on making Gananoque more cycle friendly.

South Glengarry

EASTERN GATEWAY TO ONTARIO’S WATERFRONT TRAIL RECEIVES FUNDING

Canada Build Funding secured to establish the Waterfront Trail and Greenway from Lancaster to Curry Hill

The Township of South Glengarry secured $2.6 million from the Canada Build program to establish the Waterfront Trail and Greenway from Lancaster to Curry Hill. With a local contribution of $1.3 million, this amounts to a total investment of $3.9 million. The project will significantly improve the safety and quality of the experience for people using Ontario’s Waterfront Trail and Greenway. Further, since the Waterfront Trail now connects directly to Quebec’s 4,300 km cycling system, la Route verte, the County’s project will also greatly enhance Ontario’s “front door” for visitors arriving from Quebec.

The project involves the full rehabilitation of the road surface and the installation of generous two-metre bike lanes and signage on both sides of a 12 km section of the South Service Roadway. With its completion one of the few remaining gaps in the Waterfront Trail east of Cornwall will be closed. The project is expected to start in June 2009 and will be completed in late fall 2009.

Making the Connections: Welcome Kiosk at the Border Complete

Last July the Trust announced funding from the Ministry of Tourism to install trail signage and construct a welcome kiosk at the border of Ontario and Quebec. The Township of South Glengarry has completed construction of the kiosk and trailhead signs will be installed in the structure in the spring. The funding also included the installation of blue tourism signs promoting both the Waterfront Trail and la Route verte on the road at the border of Ontario and Quebec. Click here for more info.

Together the two projects —the kiosk and the installation of the bike lanes will provide trail users with a well marked, safe and welcoming eastern gateway to Ontario’s Waterfront Trail.

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