Cyclists get sinking feeling while on washed-out trail
When a well-used recreational trail suddenly becomes a sand pit, bike riders and people pushing baby strollers get that sinking feeling.
The waterfront trail between the city’s Highland Creek waste treatment plant and Rouge Beach, at the Toronto/Pickering border, is one of Toronto’s hidden gems, allowing hikers and bikers to enjoy the secluded charms of the Lake Ontario shoreline.
Long stretches of the path run right next to sandy beaches where families with kids and dogs take their ease.
But when the trail that connects people to this slice of paradise suddenly becomes a sandy bog, it can throw people for a loop.
Adam Erlach emailed to say that erosion of the trail is forcing cyclists, people on rollerblades and other trail users to make a slippery choice.
The eroded area is at the bottom of a steep hill on both sides, he said, which makes the sand even more of a trap that needs to be marked with signs warning trail users of the oncoming peril.
“Every time a storm comes, it washes over the path,” said Erlach. “Then the waves demolish the pavement.
“If this was High Park or the waterfront trail downtown, it would have been fixed yesterday. It needs to be cleared of sand and debris and built up to protect it from shoreline erosion.”
I went there and watched cyclist after cyclist ride into the sand trap where the trail is washed out. Almost everyone had to suddenly dismount after their bike wheels slid out from under them.
People pushing baby strollers and wagons with kids in them also struggled to push their way through the bog, on a trail that is otherwise as smooth as silk.
Status: Jaclyn Carlisle, a spokesperson for city parks, emailed to say that the Toronto Region Conservation Authority looks after that section of trail.
“City staff have alerted TRCA of the damage and issues with the trail washout and have installed pylons, snow fencing and caution tape to close that portion of the trail. Cyclists should avoid crossing that section of trail and turn back when they reach (it).
“The pylons, tape and snow fencing have been repeatedly moved or removed from this location, however, crews will be back to reinstall them, as well as signage at the trail entry points warning of the closure.”
Well OK, but it’s clear by now that telling people to turn back won’t work. Better to fix it ASAP.