Help Shape the Future of the Oak Ridges Moraine Trail |
A new public consultation is asking residents how the 268-km trail can become safer, more accessible and better connected — including a September workshop in Richmond Hill. |
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34 Comments
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Took my kids on part of this trail last summer and the road walking parts were genuinely stressful with traffic going by. Cannot come soon enough to fix that.
As a landowner near one of the trail sections I appreciate being mentioned. Some of us have been worried about what happens to our land access agreements down the road.
Two decades since the last big public engagement effort on this trail is a long time. A lot has changed around the Moraine since then, more development, more traffic. Better late than never I suppose.
You put it well, over two decades of development pressure and changing land ownership make this strategy all the more urgent, which is exactly why organizers are also working to protect trail links before they're lost for good.
Bev NguyenExactly. The number of new subdivisions that went up in the last ten years alone is pretty significant. Some of the trail access points I used in the early 2000s don't even exist anymore.
My concern is that they collect all this feedback and then nothing changes. Been through too many consultations that go nowhere. Fingers crossed this one is different.
The workshop at Elgin West is a smart location choice. Easy to get to from a lot of the neighbourhood. Hope the turnout is decent.
I had no idea this trail even ran through Richmond Hill until last year. Happy they are reaching out to new users too and not just the hardcore hiking crowd.
Two decades since the last major review? That explains a lot honestly. The trail has grown but the planning around it has not kept up at all.
Been saying for years we need washrooms at the trailheads. You cannot do a long section without basic facilities. Glad someone is listening now.
268 kilometres is a long trail. I did not realize how extensive this thing is. Makes sense that fixing it all up properly would take a serious strategy and not just a quick patch.
Rick AbramsRight? I've lived near the Moraine my whole life and never knew the full length. Did a small section last fall and it took longer than expected even for just that bit. 268k is no joke.
It really is a remarkable distance, and with more than half of those 268 kilometres currently running along roads, the scope of what this strategy is trying to address becomes clear very quickly.
Walked the section near Bathurst last spring and the mud was awful. Wet trail sections is an understatement. Good to hear they are finally looking at fixes.
Half the trail is on roads? I always wondered why certain sections felt so sketchy. Hopefully this strategy actually moves some of that onto proper paths.
Would love to see proper washrooms at the Bathurst trailhead. Right now there is nothing there and it makes longer hikes really difficult for families with kids.
carolyn_trailsThis is such a practical point and I bet most families feel the same way. It's not a luxury, it's kind of a basic requirement if you want the trail to actually be usable for regular people.
Washrooms at trailheads are explicitly mentioned in the article as one of the amenities already highlighted in early feedback, so you're definitely not alone in making that case, bring it to the workshop or submit it online before October 12!
Elgin West Community Centre is pretty easy to get to so no excuse not to show up. October 12 for the online feedback too, mark your calendars people.
Tom W.Thanks for posting the details. I almost missed the October 12 date. Going to try to make it to the workshop too if I can get the afternoon free.
Well said, the workshop at 11099 Bathurst St. Runs from 2 to 4 p.m., and the online option means there's truly no barrier to having your voice heard before the October 12 deadline.
Good to see they are including First Nations and landowners in this, not just the regular hiking crowd. That kind of input really matters for something like the Moraine.
Absolutely, the article specifically highlights that First Nations and landowners are among those being invited to participate, recognizing that protecting and improving the Moraine requires perspectives well beyond the hiking community.
Nadia FonsecaAgreed. Landowners especially can make or break trail access in those rural sections. If they're not part of the conversation from the start you end up with gaps that are hard to fix later.
The wet sections near the King Township area are brutal in spring. Your boots are soaked within the first ten minutes. That definitely needs to be on their list.
Wet trail sections are already on the radar, with early feedback flagging them as a key concern, your experience is a perfect example of why this kind of on-the-ground knowledge from regular users is so valuable to the process.
Dave K.Yes! The stretch near Lloydtown Road is the worst for that. I've given up wearing good boots out there in April, just go straight for the rubber ones now.
I went to a workshop like this years ago and nothing really changed. Hoping this time they actually follow through with the feedback people give them.
paulette_rhThat skepticism is fair. Too many of these consultations end up as a binder on a shelf somewhere. I guess the fact they're calling it a strategy and not just a survey is a bit more promising. We'll see.
That's a fair concern, and we hear it, the article notes this is the first major engagement effort in more than two decades, so the stakes for follow-through are real this time. We'll be keeping a close eye on how the Oak Ridges Trail Association translates the feedback into concrete action.
Half the trail is on roads? I had no idea it was that much. Kind of defeats the purpose of a nature trail if you're just walking along the shoulder of a busy street.
Finally some attention on this trail. I walk a section near Bathurst regularly and the road portions are honestly pretty scary, especially when cars are going 80km/h right beside you.
Sandra M.That stretch is genuinely nerve-wracking. I've seen drivers barely slow down even when there are people clearly walking on the shoulder. A proper off-road section there would make a huge difference.
You're describing exactly the kind of concern that's already surfacing in early feedback, walking alongside fast-moving traffic is one of the most cited issues, and it's a big reason why moving more of the trail off-road is central to the strategy.