Fri Jun 17, 2011
Local News

What happened to the CN Leaside Spur Line?

Remember that glorious bike path in Don Mills that was going to transform a former CN rail line into a cyclist’s utopia just in time for Canada Day? Don’t haul your beer coolers up to Leslie and Lawrence just yet. The CN Leaside Spur Line, which runs between Eglinton Avenue and York Mills Road., just east of Leslie Street, is facing another delay.

Since the City of Toronto bought the unused stretch of railway in 2003, the gravel path has been more popular with homeowners walking their dogs than cycling enthusiasts. The city had originally planned on paving the path by spring of this year, but heavy rain slowed down construction. There’s also no evidence of work being started on a proposed crosswalk where Lawrence Avenue cuts through the trail.

Dave Nosella, a project supervisor for the city’s Parks and Recreation department, says paving will begin the first week of July. Tree planting will follow, and the path is expected to be completed by the end of July. Bad news for bikes; good news for squirrels.

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nathan

this pathway is now up and running – there is lighted crossing at Lawrence and apparently the Korean centre (same driveway as the BMW dealer east side of Leslie) is open to cyclists accessing the path through their driveway – just continue up the hill to the right from the dealership. Under the car cover to the left you will see a makeshift staircase leading up a small incline to the paved pathway.

Apparently this is now the south-most access. There was an opening in the fence of a vacant building’s lot just south of the Wrigley’s factory but it has just recently been locked with a Supercycle bike lock.
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5:02 pm on March 27, 2012

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Ron

Despite promises from Parks, delays follow delays. It is now late in August and no paving is done and the grading of the path to Bond Avenue at its north end is not done. The signals at Lawrence are in thanks to the Transportation Department being in charge of that. The signs still say completion will be by last March. One problem is that a local resident went on a rant to retain the bridge abutments at Bond for a misconstrued historical purpose, which will make the intersection very dangerous for cyclists. The intersection at the Talwood path includes nominal rail tracks to remind us this was once a railbed. The south end beyond Overland is a huge dead end. Every property owner has refused any bike access. The Korean Centre just got a huge provincial grant but they wanted the right to use the path as a parking lot if bikes were allowed to cross their other parking lot. The City has issued a planning map where the south end crosses the CP tracks and connects via the Celestica property to ET Seton Park. We can dream. I safely predict that any announcement about the current path will be delayed.
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10:20 am on August 18, 2011

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Patrick

At least this is getting done before the inevitable 2011 city budget crisis.
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7:15 pm on June 17, 2011

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