Final paving of affected trail segments, especially at Pottery Road and the Belleville Underpass, is scheduled to take place the week of September 18. This section of the trail is currently closed and will be used by heavy equipment during this time. Please stay off the closed portion of the trail, between Riverdale footbridge and Pottery Road, until the reopening on September 23. Paid-duty police officers will be on site to control access.
Pottery Road: Landscaping, including new post-and-rail fencing and new plantings, is in place prior to final paving of the trail connecting the Lower Don Trail over the new Pottery Road bridge to the Bayview Multi-Use Trail.
Belleville Underpass: Works crews complete final grading before landscaping and paving of this section of the Lower Don Trail. It tunnels under the currently inactive rail line at the new Belleville Underpass. This section of the trail is closed and being used by heavy equipment until September 23.
The Lower Don Trail reopening will include:
- New connection to the Bayview Multi-Use Trail over the new Pottery Road trail bridge
- New, wider, safer trail tunnel at the Belleville Underpass
- New art installations in the Lower Don Parklands, just north of the Bloor Viaduct, in partnership with Evergreen
- New trail signage as part of the Parks and Trails Wayfinding Pilot.
The reopening is part of Ravine Days, a weekend of events planned for September 23 and 24. Residents and visitors are invited to celebrate and enjoy Toronto’s beautiful ravine network during Ravine Days. Featured events include:
- Activities along the Lower Don Trail
- Launch of Evergreen’s new Don River Valley Park Art Program in Lower Don Trail
- Harvest Day at the Toronto Botanical Garden
- Harvest Festival at Todmorden Mills
- Tree Planting in Cedarvale Park
On September 23, from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., Ravine Days events on the Lower Don will include food, games, activities, and music at three stops: the Cloverleaf, Riverdale Park East, and the Don Landing. Bring yoga mats for free yoga at Riverdale.
All Ravine Day activities are listed at toronto.ca/ravines.
Ravine Days will coincide with the presentation of the Ravine Strategy to City Council’s Executive Committee for approval on September 26, and subsequently to City Council on October 2-4. The final strategy will build on the draft principles that were released for public feedback in June 2016, and will provide a framework for collaboration between City divisions and agencies moving forward.
Thank you again for your patience as we worked through many issues during construction to arrive at this important moment in the history of the Lower Don Trail.
We hope to see you September 23 and onwards. Enjoy the trail!
Is it finally okay to ay thank you to Jason for keeping us informed throughout this process? Sure I say.
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I agree. The city has screwed up but Jason is just the messenger.
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Awesome! I’ll be there 🙂
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Same day as Cycle Toronto’s KEY fund raising “Ride for Safe Streets”. 😦
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Toronto is lucky to have so many organizations building community. Participants in the Ride for Safe Streets are invited to check out the Lower Don Trail after their ride on Saturday September 23. Our special event sites along the Lower Don will be open till 4 p.m. that day, and Ravine Days is a weekend-long celebration with events throughout the ravine network.
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As much s#!t as I talked here, glad to see things done and the pictures of the updates look great.
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Ravine Days? What the heck is that? Glad the trail will finally reopen but I also think the City of Toronto and it’s employees need to take a good long honest look at this fiasco. Anyone who agrees to close a bike path in June has no respect at all for the people of Toronto – cyclists, pedestrians, young, old and yes even newcomers. And any closure should include a reasonable detour and posting of relevant details ON SITE, including schedule of repairs and contact info for complaints. There is nothing wrong with complaining, it is how things are improved. This whole thing has been a disgrace.
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I’ve been told a post-mortem review will be done to learn from the challenges of this project.
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I think it will be important for the new signage to make it clear that motorized bicycles of any form are prohibited in the Don trail systems. I’m finding an increasing number of these e-bikes on the paved and dirt trails with the riders believing or choosing to believe it is legal for them to use them in the Don.
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I beg to differ – below is from the City’s website. It it totally legal to ride “Pedelec” type e-bike anywhere
a regular bicycle is allowed in Toronto. Please do your homework when you post information on a public forum, which may mislead public on this issue.
https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=aaf885d32acd1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=f4d4970aa08c1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
Pedelecs
E-bikes which are similar to bicycles (“Pedelecs”) are considered to be bicycles by the municipality of Toronto, and may be used on all types of cycling infrastructure. This includes painted bike lanes, Cycle Tracks (separated bicycle lanes) and multi-use trails where regular bicycles are allowed. By it’s definition in the Toronto Municipal Code, a “pedelec” must weigh less than 40kg and requires pedaling for propulsion.
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I agree. It should be common sense, but unfortunately those vehicles are becoming a problem. In the absence of clear signage stating otherwise, I think they feel that they fall into an unregulated grey zone.
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From the City of Toronto website. “Scooters” and such are not allowed because it doesn’t fit the definition (weighs too much), but a “Pedelec” ebikes are considered bicycles and allowed on multi-use trails. Pedelecs looks and ride like bicycles and weigh less than 40kg.
https://www1.toronto.ca/wps/portal/contentonly?vgnextoid=aaf885d32acd1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD&vgnextchannel=f4d4970aa08c1410VgnVCM10000071d60f89RCRD
“E-bikes which are similar to bicycles (“Pedelecs”) are considered to be bicycles by the municipality of Toronto, and may be used on all types of cycling infrastructure. This includes painted bike lanes, Cycle Tracks (separated bicycle lanes) and multi-use trails where regular bicycles are allowed. By it’s definition in the Toronto Municipal Code, a “pedelec” must weigh less than 40kg and requires pedaling for propulsion.”
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When you use the term “legal” or “illegal” in your post, please spend a few minutes to actually read whichever legislation/by-law you are referring to. Do not just assume you know it. There is no such a legal term as “motorized bicycle of any form” in the bylaws and clearly pedelec is defined as a bicycle. Below is the extract from Toronto Municipal Code governing cycling in the city:
TORONTO MUNICIPAL CODE
CHAPTER 886, FOOTPATHS, PEDESTRIAN WAYS, BICYCLE PATHS, BICYCLE LANES
AND CYCLE TRACKS
ARTICLE I – Definitions
§ 886-1. Definitions.
BICYCLE – Includes a bicycle, tricycle, unicycle, and a power-assisted bicycle which weighs less than 40 kilograms and requires pedalling for propulsion (“pedelec”), or other similar vehicle, but does not include any vehicle or bicycle capable of being propelled or driven solely by any power other than muscular power. [Amended 2014-02-20 by By-law 121-2014]
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I’d like to see signage about restricted Scooters, or E-bikes that look more like Vespas than bicycles (which are more and more of a common sight on trails every summer). One hardly even notices the Pedelecs- because, as you point out, they look and operate exactly like regular bikes.
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