Junction Triangle

The annual Bells on Bloor bike parade takes place on Saturday May 29th, departing from High Park at noon. I estimate it will come through our neighbourhood sometime between 12:30 and 1:00pm. Anyone with a bike can participate, or if you prefer to watch, bring some bells or musical instruments down to Bloor St. More details at www.bellsonbloor.ca.

Bells on Bloor 2010 Poster

Poster for the Bells on Bloor parade, May 29 2010.

West Toronto Railpath, looking south from the Wallace Ave. pedestrian bridge. Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-05-09.

This is an updated version of this photo from 1985.

West Toronto Railpath: The bridge over Bloor Street, Jane's Walk 2010

Today's Globe & Mail has an article about the possible future extension of the West Toronto Railpath.

A few quotes from the article:

A completed trail “would be amazing,” said Daniel Egan, manager of the city’s cycling infrastructure and programs. “What’s in place now doesn’t really go anywhere, but you can get a sense of what’s possible. ... You don’t need much imagination to understand how important it could be.”

But the completion of the trail into downtown is likely several years off, and still faces significant design and construction hurdles.

But if it is to become more than just a recreational trail, and open up a new commuting route for cyclists, the southern portion of the trail down to King and Strachan needs to be completed. That depends on whether room can be carved out alongside the rail corridor that is being expanded to provide more frequent GO train service and a rail link to the airport.

Metrolinx, the government agency planning the GO expansion, says it will try to make room for the railpath alongside its tracks. The city is willing to pick up the tab for construction costs, and will accommodate the trail on adjacent land or streets in the sections where it can’t be accommodated on rail land. And the grassroots group Friends of West Toronto Railpath, which pushed for years to get the path under way, is lobbying hard and helping with the design of the extended path.

Note: This was cross-posted to ibiketo.ca

On Saturday February 21 2010, Scott Torrance, the landscape architect behind the design and implementation of the West Toronto Railpath led a walking tour of this wonderful new public space. The walking tour was hosted by the Lost Rivers Committee, Toronto Field Naturalists and the Toronto Green Community.

During this walking tour, Scott Torrance described various aspects of the history, design, and implementation of the Railpath. He provided a great insight into some of the choices made about how the path was landscaped, the materials used, the plant life, and more. I didn't attend this walk, but fortunately someone brought a video camera!

The first video posted here (above) is the short 3-minute summary. If you want to see the whole thing, it's broken up into 3 parts below.

There's more info about Scott Torrance's work on his website, and you can also watch these video on his Youtube channel.

Interested in another walking tour of the Railpath? This Saturday, May 1, there will be a Jane's Walk on the Railpath. It's not hosted by Scott Torrence, but rather by some knowledgeable locals. Check it out if you want to learn more about the current state of the Railpath, and plans for future south/east expansion.

The annual "Ride-In Movie Night" takes place in our neighbourhood again this year, as part of the City of Toronto's Bike Month. Details below are from the official Bike Month Listing:

Presented by:
Yasi's Place

Starts: June 26, 2010 08:30 PM
Ends: June 26, 2010 11:00 PM
Cost: Free

Join us for bike themed movie shorts under the stars. Bring an extra pillow/blanket/chair if you can. Assorted treats will be available. Hosted by Yasi's Place and Martin de la Rue.

For more information contact:
Phone: 416-536-9888
Address:
Yasi's Place
299 Wallace Avenue
Bloor & Symington
Map to this event

www.yasisplace.ca

The following notice comes from the City of Toronto, regarding the installation of bicycle lanes on Lansdowne Ave. between Bloor St. and Davenport Rd.

New Railpath Maps: Cariboo Ave. Entrance

Note: This item was also posted on I Bike T.O.

Out for a walk a few nights ago, we noticed that new maps have been installed at each end of the West Toronto Railpath. Now we know what those metal frames were for.

The maps are a nice addition to the path. They include various bits of useful information:

• A complete map of the entire path and immediate surrounding area
• All cross-streets are labeled, and a note whether there is an access point or not
• Cumulative distance markers, starting from Cariboo Ave.
• Estimated travel times for walking and cycling
• A few major landmarks and other features

It's great to see the path/park continue to evolve and improve. It has been very well-used, even over the winter, so I hope the expansion plans come to fruition soon!

New maps installed at each end of the West Toronto Railpath. This one is at the north end, Cariboo Ave.

Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-01-19.

New maps installed at each end of the West Toronto Railpath. This one is at the north end, Cariboo Ave.

Photo by Vic Gedris, 2010-01-19.