FAQs

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FAQ Topics

1. CONSTRUCTION

Q: How long will it take to construct the trail?

A: Construction of the trail is following a three-phase approach:

  1. Phase 2 is complete and is open for the public to use. It extends from the existing East Don Trail, north of the Wynford Heights Crescent access, to Wigmore Park at Elvaston Drive (refer to Phase 2 map ). Construction of Phase 2 was completed in November 2020.

  2. Phase 1 is currently under construction and is not open for public use. It extends from the Lower Don Trail, over Taylor Massey Creek, along the Toronto Water access route, through the lower section of the ravine towards Flemingdon Park Golf Club and east through the Gatineau Hydro Corridor, terminating at Bermondsey Road (refer to Phase 1 map ). No sections of the Phase 1 trail are open during this time due to safety concerns, as the area is an active construction site.

  3. Phase 3 will connect Phase 1 and Phase 2. Detailed Design for Phase 3 has now begun. The timeline for implementation of Phase 3 will be subject to approvals and budget availability.

To view the most recent construction updates, please visit the document library and view the project updates.

Q: How will trail construction impact the surrounding environment, and what will you do to ensure it’s protected?

A: The trail construction may impact a number of components of the surrounding environment, including:

  • Local vegetation (tree removal)
  • Aquatic environment (sediment run-off)
  • Wildlife (displacement as a result of construction-related disturbance)
  • Existing natural area uses (adjacent trails closures and intermittent increases in noise and vibration levels)

To avoid or minimize the impacts, various mitigation measures have been or will be implemented. These include:

  • Sediment and erosion control measures
  • Post-construction site restoration and tree planting
  • Conformance to migratory and breeding bird timing windows
  • Minimizing the size of staging areas
  • Issuing timely construction notices to local residents and park users

The Environmental Study Report for the East Don Trail project contains a detailed description of construction-related environmental impacts and mitigation measures.

As per the requirements of the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment, these provisions are to be adhered to during trail implementation.

Q: How will the public be updated about the trail construction?

A: Members of the public can stay informed in a number of ways:

2. TRAIL SAFETY AND USERS

Q: What are the expected benefits of the East Don Trail?

A: Multi-use trails are actively enjoyed by a wide range of users, and are generally considered an attractive neighbourhood amenity. Trails provide a space for interaction with neighbours and increase access for people to discover natural, cultural, and heritage places in the city.

Public places that are actively used by residents are generally regarded as safer and more comfortable for all ages. The most effective crime prevention approach is to encourage a high level of activity along the trail system.

Trails support the opportunity for physical activity through hiking, walking, running, rollerblading, and cycling, which is in tune with the City of Toronto’s public health objective to encourage physical activity to improve the health of Torontonians.

Building high-quality, accessible infrastructure such as trails also promotes social equality.

The East Don Trail will provide a single multi-use trail in a valley system that currently contains an extensive network of informal trails. This will encourage users to stay on a single route away from more ecologically sensitive areas, minimizing negative environmental effects.

Q: How will the new multi-use trail provide safe access to the valley lands?

A: A number of design criteria were looked at in the detailed design to help ensure safety of trail users. These included:

  • Providing safer routes and access points to the valley lands that cross the river and rail line in a safe manner, and that avoid flood-prone or steep/eroding areas, where possible
  • Designing the trail to accommodate Emergency Medical Services vehicles (i.e. ambulances)
  • Ensuring unobstructed sight lines for trail users
  • Complying with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) — see Accessibility FAQs for more information
  • Incorporating signs that outline existing Parks, Forestry & Recreation bylaws, such as those that restrict the use of motorized bicycles on trails, impose maximum cycling speeds, or require dogs to be on-leash regulation. Get more information on bylaws for parks HERE.

Q: Will a new multi-use trail be able to accommodate different users safely?

A: Sharing trails helps to build a trail community in which users cooperate to preserve and protect a common resource.

When all trail users observe basic trail etiquette, their encounters with other users will be amicable, and most people will have a satisfying experience on the trail. Trailhead signs will help to promote trail etiquette so that all users are aware of how to use the trail appropriately.

Residents are encouraged to call 311 for anything of concern.

Several factors were considered during detailed design to address user safety. These included:

  • Width requirements for safe multi-use (3.5 to 4.0 metres)
  • Clear sight lines
  • Pavement markings to direct users
  • Resting and passing areas
  • Regulatory, informational, and warning signage

Where the trail intersects with access points, a number of measures were considered to increase safety for users. These included:

  • Impressed pavement treatments
  • Cautionary wording in the trail pavement to help to slow faster users and provide awareness for all users of a trail crossing

Q: Some areas in the valley are very steep. If a trail is built there it may be inaccessible for elderly users and people with mobility issues. How will this be addressed?

A: The East Don valley lands provide an interesting and varied trail experience, but do present challenges for making the trail easily accessible to people with mobility limitations, such as those with a disability, the elderly, and people with strollers.

Wherever possible, the trail will be designed and built to comply with the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

Throughout the process of selecting the design concept, all efforts were made to route the trail in areas of minimal grade changes. In cases where the trail locations, and consequently the design, were restricted, less steep alternatives were explored.

The final trail will also incorporate signage informing users of trail segments with potential access challenges.

Get more information on making trails more accessible HERE.

Q: Will the new plan include winter maintenance of the trail?

A: No. Parks, Forestry and Recreation does not maintain multi-use trails in winter, and the Environmental Study Report did not recommend winter maintenance.

Winter maintenance is not being considered for a variety of reasons including cost, topography of the trail, and potential impacts on the adjacent natural area.

Get more information about trails in Toronto HERE.

3. ACCESSIBILITY

Q: What is the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA)?

A: The Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) was enacted by the provincial government in 2005 to help make Ontario accessible to people with disabilities. This act lays the framework for the development of province-wide mandatory standards on accessibility in all areas of daily life.

Get more information on the AODA HERE

Q: Will the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA) apply to the East Don Trail Project?

A: The East Don Trail will comply with the requirements set out by the Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act (AODA).

However, the AODA allows for exceptions to be made where meeting requirements is not possible due to:

  • Existing site constraints (for example, existing hydro, rail, and gas infrastructure)
  • Negative effects on water, fish, wildlife, plants, invertebrates, species at risk, ecological integrity, or natural/cultural heritage values

The City of Toronto’s Parks, Forestry & Recreation Advocate for People with Disabilities was involved with the Technical Advisory Committee (TAC) for the East Don Trail Study. In addition, the City’s Parks Forestry & Recreation Community Disability Steering Committee was engaged during the EA process and detailed design.

These individuals provided input into the design process to ensure that accessibility standards were met wherever possible.

Get more information on making trails more accessible HERE.

4. NATURAL ENVIRONMENT

Q: I like the natural feel of the Don Valley lands. How will you ensure that the trail will not look “over-developed”?

A: One of the defining features of the East Don valley lands is the feeling of escaping into nature while still being in the city.

During the evaluation and selection of the preferred route, opportunities to avoid or mitigate effects on the natural environment were addressed. This included a trail aesthetics component.

Based on this component, crossing structures and segments most consistent with the natural environment experience were ranked higher during the evaluation and selected to form the preferred route, where possible.

Q: Will an increase in traffic in the area harm existing plants and wildlife?

A: Currently, the East Don valley lands have an extensive network of informal trails (dirt trails that develop over time from repeated use). Throughout the Study Area, these informal trails have an impact on the natural environment, including:

  • Habitat fragmentation — the breaking-up of one patch of habitat into a number of smaller patches
  • Increased opportunities for interaction between people and local wildlife and/or their pets and wildlife.

Developing a single multi-use trail will encourage users to stay on a single route. In addition, the trail will allow access to the valley for future restoration and maintenance of areas that are currently in a deteriorated state.

Q: Will there be any restoration work or improvements to the natural environment in the area associated with the trail?

A: The trail location was designed with the aim of minimizing negative impacts to the natural environment. However, it is recognized that some impacts may occur.

A Restoration Plan was also developed during the detailed design stage to address compensation for the vegetation removal required to construct the trail. The plan specifies compensates for the removed and/or injured trees, to be replaced at a greater amount than removed.

In addition, the City of Toronto will adhere to any conditions, such as tree and shrub planting, of permits issued under applicable regulations, such as Toronto’s Ravine and Natural Feature Protection By-law.

5. GENERAL DESIGN PARAMETERS

Q: What happens during the detailed design phase?

A: The preferred trail alignment, selected in the Environmental Assessment phase, is further refined, and specifications and plans are created.

Technical specifications (i.e. construction standards, materials, etc.) of the preferred tail alignment are outlined in this phase, using tools such as detailed design drawings. These are then used during the construction phase.

Q: What is the general design for the trail?

A: The trail is designed as multi-use trail.

Toronto has hundreds of kilometres of multi-use trails in parks, hydro and rail corridors, boulevards, and natural areas across the city. Multi-use trails are generally paved, and are shared by people walking, using wheelchairs, pushing strollers, running, in-line skating, and cycling.

The East Don Trail is designed to be 3.6 to 4 metres wide and 6.3 kilometres long — an asphalt multi-use trail routed within the East Don Valley, and containing a number of watercourse bridges and crossings of the rail line.

Q: What type of material will be used for the trail surface?

A: The majority of the trail surface will be asphalt. Asphalt was chosen because it is a firm and stable surface, does not erode, and has lower maintenance costs than other materials (such as natural surface, limestone screenings, or wood chips).

Asphalt is also able to support a variety of users and abilities (including children, users with mobility issues, and elderly users) and is considered a standard trail surface for multi-use trails by the City of Toronto.

In some sections of the trail a boardwalk surface will be necessary to travel across lower wet areas.

Q: Will trail amenities be provided (such as signage and lighting)?

A: Yes. Some trail amenities will be located at nodal points (where the trail meets the road, other trails, or parkland), and may include garbage receptacles, signage, and bicycle parking.

These amenities, including specific locations, types, and details were included in the detailed design phase of the Study.

6. EAST DON TRAIL STUDY

Q: What is an Environmental Assessment Study?

A: An Environmental Assessment (commonly known as an EA) is a study required by the Ontario Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks (MECP) to assess the potential positive or negative effects of an individual project on the environment.

Social, cultural, and economic aspects are also considered.

Key components of an Environmental Assessment include:

  • Consultation with government agencies and the public
  • Consideration and evaluation of alternatives
  • Management of potential environmental effects

Get more information on Government of Ontario Environmental Assessments HERE.

Q: What was the purpose of the East Don Trail Study?

A: The purpose of the Study was to determine a preferred trail route within the East Don valley lands that will:

  • Create a key connection route linking major trail systems
  • Provide a safe way for people to access the valley system
  • Provide a viable transportation route for cyclists
  • Create outdoor recreational opportunities for a variety of users

Q: What is an Environmental Study Report (ESR)?

A: An Environmental Study Report (ESR) summarizes the planning and decision-making that took place during the Environmental Assessment process to determine the preferred solution.

The ESR for the East Don Trail Study was available for a 30-calendar day review period.

During this review period, members of the public submitted written requests to the Ministry of the Environment, Conservation and Parks to require the City to comply with Part II of the Environmental Assessment Act.

The Minister has denied the requests for the Part II and approved the Class EA.

Further details on the Part II Order process can be found HERE.

Additional information on the East Don Trail ESR can be found on HERE.

To view the ESR, please visit the document library.