On July 13th, a new section of the mixed-use trail running along the East Don River was officially opened. The new three kilometer section of trail runs from near the forks of the Don River at Don Mills Road, exiting the river valley upstream onto Bermondsey Road just south of Eglinton. The route weaves alongside the Don River and the GO Train Richmond Hill line. A number of river and rail crossings add interest to the route, as well as an epic pedestrian overpass of the rail line that has to be seen to be believed (check it out!).
The official opening included remarks from Toronto and Regional Conservation Authority (TRCA) CEO John MacKenzie, Councillor Paula Fletcher (Ward 14–Toronto Danforth), and Member of Parliament Rob Oliphant (Don Valley West). The speakers stressed the importance of partnerships among different levels of government and community groups in support of efforts to protect the City’s river valleys and ravine trail network.
Two phases of the East Don Trail are now complete. A third phase will eventually connect the first two, creating a continuous riverside mixed-use trail running between the Don Forks and Lawrence Avenue East. An ancillary project scheduled for 2027 will link the East Don Trail to the Meadoway, which is a 16-kilometre trail and greenspace running eastward through Scarborough to the Rouge River national urban park.Â