Newly completed section of trail in the Meadoway in Scarborough opens | CBC News

City officials opened on Friday a new section of trail in a linear urban park that is coming together in Scarborough.

The two-kilometre section is part of the Meadoway, a park project in which a 16-kilometre-long stretch of land in a hydro corridor is being transformed into a network of meadowlands, with the aim of preserving biodiversity.

When completed, the Meadoway will link Rouge National Urban Park and downtown Toronto.

John MacKenzie, CEO of the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, said the newly opened section connects Military Trail to Neilson Avenue. He said Friday marks “an exciting milestone” for the conservation authority.

“This newly constructed section of trail is the first gap of the 16-kilometre Meadoway corridor that has been completed since approval of the municipal class environmental assessment in 2020,” he said. 

MacKenzie said the project is about “restoring ecosystem functions” within a utility corridor. He said there was a lot of “thoughtful” planning, design and innovation that went into the section of the trail.

Deputy Mayor Jennifer McKelvie said the Meadoway will connect four sections of Toronto’s ravine systems at the Rouge River, Highland Creek, Taylor Creek and Don River.

“This will create a fabulous network of natural corridors for urban wildlife while also making it easier for Toronto residents to access this beautiful green space and to enjoy it,” she aid.

In a news release, the TRCA said: “Users will traverse an iconic pedestrian bridge overlooking the annual salmon run, an elevated boardwalk across a significant wetland, and a scenic switchback showcasing the beauty of the surrounding community and valley.

“Completion of this trail will not only open a significant east-to-west connection within the hydro corridor, but it will also connect to the Upper Highland Creek Pan Am Path, allowing users to travel south to join with the Great Lakes Waterfront Trail at Lake Ontario.”