Closing the gap in the Bartley Smith Greenway Trail
The City of Vaughan is working to create a connected network of city-wide
trails — including the Bartley Smith Greenway. Through the Bartley Smith Greenway Trail Feasibility
Study, the City has determined how to close a three-kilometre
gap in the trail between McNaughton Road and Rutherford Road. Are we on the
right track? Review the revised trail alignment, proposed features and
amenities, and read the draft implementation plan. Share comments via a survey
until Thursday, July 21.
Your feedback to date has helped identify trail route options, road crossings and priorities. We heard respecting residents’ privacy, maintaining views, protecting nature and delivering a great trail experience are important to the community. The proposed trail alignment has been revised to:
- create more separation between trail users and residential yards by shifting it further into the valley lands, while remaining within the higher elevations of the regulated flood area.
- remove the proposed bridge connections to Mountcharles Crescent, as well as over the stormwater pond north of Major Mackenzie Drive.
- add a boardwalk trail south of Bevan Road to address erosion and increase the distance between the trail and adjacent homes.
Tell us how we did – are we on the right track? Does the revised trail strike a reasonable balance between the needs of trail users, adjacent residents and the natural environment? Visit vaughan.ca/BartleySmithTrail to view the revised trail alignment, proposed features and amenities, and read the draft implementation approach. A video and digital materials from an Open House on Thursday, July 7 are now available – if you were unable to attend or have more to say, submit comments until Thursday, July 21.
More about the Bartley Smith Greenway
The Bartley Smith Greenway is a 15-kilometre recreational, multi-use trail that is a key component of the Vaughan Super Trail, a world-class 100-kilometre-long city-wide trail network that connects users to nature, cultural heritage, communities and special destinations throughout the city of Vaughan.
This feasibility study comes following the recommendations of the 2020 Pedestrian and Bicycle Master Plan, which identified that this gap needs to be closed to create an even more connected community. When complete, the Bartley Smith Greenway will do just that – it will run continuously from Teston Road in the north to Steeles Avenue in the south. The trail will support the area’s natural and cultural heritage, and provide endless recreational opportunities for the community, including cycling, walking, cross-country skiing and snowshoeing.
In addition, this project is aligned with the 2018-2022 Term of Council Service Excellence Strategic Plan in the areas of Transportation and Mobility, and Active, Safe and Diverse Communities, and also supports the City’s Active Together Master Plan Review and Update.
For updates and news as they happen, subscribe to Vaughan News and follow the official corporate channels on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and LinkedIn.