2.0 CONTEXT 2.1 Primary Local Trails
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2.0 CONTEXT In order to develop a comprehensive and high‐quality integrated community trail system, it is important to understand the current state (and existing context) of trails in North Grenville. Although North Grenville has demonstrated success in regards to trail development in the past few years, there remains immense opportunity to further develop and enhance trails in relation to the Municipality’s unique outdoor environment, the perception of safety of its on‐road trails, pedestrian crossings, sidewalks in the town core, and to enhance major recreational trail amenities such as signage in the Ferguson Forest Centre. This chapter provides an assessment of local, regional, provincial, and national trail systems and information on the benefits of trail development. It also identifies key policies and initiatives which can influence and support the development of trails in North Grenville. North Grenville – A Flat Terrain and Unique Environment From a cycling perspective, it is notable that North Grenville has relatively flat terrain and topography, including expanses of low lying marsh lands and wetland habitat forests – a unique environment conducive to active modes of transportation. Flanked by the Rideau River to the north, Kemptville Creek transects the Municipality ‐ a prominent feature of Old Town Kemptville. North Grenville’s historic roots, founded primarily on an agricultural economy, are keystone to its sense of place and community today. 2.1 Primary Local Trails North Grenville’s 150 Kilometres of Trails The network links five legacy projects described previously and includes 150 kilometres of rural roads, streets, and existing trail networks (including the Ferguson Forest Centre Management Trail and Turtle Trail, Limerick Forest South Trails, University of Guelph North Grenville Integrated Community Trail Strategy | October 2011 9 D14-010-81 Kemptville Campus Agroforestry Centre Trails, and Burritts Rapids Tip‐ to‐Tip Trail Rideau Heritage Route). Ferguson Forest Centre Management Trail and Turtle Trail The Ferguson Forest Centre Management Trail and Turtle Trail are located between Cty Rd. 44 and the Rideau River in North Grenville. Undesignated farm access roads are used throughout the Centre, as ‘trails’. Adjacent to St. Michael High School, the designated Management Trail is 2.3 kilometre long, and aims to educate students, residents and visitors about forestry in Eastern Ontario. The trail takes trail users through a variety of both natural and plated forest types common in Eastern Ontario. Limerick Forest South Trails Limerick Forest is a 5,782 hectare community forest, owned and managed by United Counties of Leeds and Grenville (UCLG). ‘Area 3’ north of Limerick Road is within North Grenville study area, hosting hiking trails, a double‐track multi‐use trail, and vehicular access through the centre of this parcel. This portion of the site houses a de facto ‘trailhead’ chalet with washroom facilities and parking (image: limerickforest.ca, June 2011). A Tourism and Recreational Development Study (August 2006) reviewed current and potential uses and introduced recommendations to promote sustainable recreational use of the Forest. The health of Trails is linked to the health of North Grenville’s forests. The Twenty Year Forest Management Plan (2007) recognizes those strategies and has identified the following objectives to help attain the goal of providing a wide range of quality recreational opportunities. 10 Resultant of this Strategy, plans for trail development to, from and within Limerick Forest ought to consider: Identification and design of a recreational trail system within Limerick Forest that meets the needs of all current and potential users, including motorized, non‐motorized uses; Identification of other (non‐trail) type recreational opportunities (e.g. tobogganing, wildlife viewing, picnicking and camping); and A code of conduct and guiding trail etiquette that factors for traditional recreational past‐practices such as hunting. Scotch Line Road Environs at Merrickville Existing trails exist in the environs of Scotch Line Road approaching Merrickville. The Merrickville Trails Association and Friends of Limerick Forest are active in the area. Trail linkage opportunities exist in the area. Kemptville Campus Agroforestry Centre Trails The Kemptville Campus AgroForestry Education Centre is located on the south‐ west corner of Concession Road and Cty Rd. 44 and covers 300 acres of forest. This area contains several kilometres of walking pathways which make up part of the “150 Kilometres of Trails” trail system. North Grenville Integrated Community Trail Strategy | October 2011 11 D14-010-81 Tip‐to‐Tip Trail at Burritts Rapids ‐ Rideau Heritage Route North Grenville is located along the ‘North Rideau’ portion of the Rideau Heritage Route. “The Rideau Canal is the oldest continuously operated canal in North America” (rideauheritageroute.ca, June 2011). Where it passes through North Grenville, the Heritage Route is located along the southern bank of the Rideau River ‐ the northern boundary of North Grenville on River Road. Figure 2.1: The Rideau Heritage Route Image: HTTP://WWW.RIDEAUHERITAGEROUTE.CA/EN/MAPS/INDEX.ASP (June 07, 2011) 12 2.2 National Trails Relevant to North Grenville Trans Canada Trail (TCT) The Trans Canada Trail (TCT) offers North Grenville potential trail linkages to a significant national trail initiative. The TCT intends to become the longest connected trail system in the world, with an eventual completed network of more than 22,000 kilometres of shared and single use pathway. The TCT supports as many as five core uses: walking, cycling, horseback riding, cross‐country skiing, and snowmobiling. Figure 2.2: North Grenville in context with the Trans Canada Trail and Waterfront Trail (Image: MMM Group, 2011) Currently, sections of the TCT have been completed in every province in the country, and in two of the territories, with Prince Edward Island and Quebec having the greatest proportion of their system developed and operating. In Ontario, large sections of the TCT have been designated, several of them running quite close to North Grenville, including: North Grenville Integrated Community Trail Strategy | October 2011 13 D14-010-81 The Cataraqui Trail, from Smiths Falls toward Kingston to Sydenham; The Ottawa‐Carleton Trailway; The Central Frontenac Trailway, Sharbot Lake to Tweed. The TCT in Ontario offers funding and trail development expertise. In conjunction with the Ontario Trails Council (OTC), TCT actively encourages communities neighbouring the main corridor of the TCT to make connections and develop scenic loops. Within the United Counties of Leeds and Grenville, the Municipality has potential to link to both trails – connecting Kemptville and North Grenville to these two distinguished regionally and nationally significant trails. Although outside of the Municipality, these trail networks offer potential to further develop North Grenville’s relationship to the regional cycling and trail tourism industry outside of the specifics of this study. The Waterfront Trail The Waterfront Trail stretches over 900 km, along the St. Lawrence River nearest North Grenville. In 2010, the Waterfront Regeneration Trust compiled a second phase for the Waterfront Investment Program. The program involves 16 municipal partners and represents an investment of $18 million. National Capital Region Trails Eastern Ontario and Western Quebec, in relatively close proximity to North Grenville, maintains one of the largest regional trail systems in Canada, consisting of four distinct components: Gatineau Park Summer uses, Gatineau Parks Winter uses, Greenbelt Trails, and the Capital Pathway. There are three major corridors that North Grenville should consider in order to form a comprehensive trail network in Eastern Ontario. North Grenville is at the centre of these corridors and developing connections to them will encourage the use the trails within the Municipality for recreational and tourist activities. The corridors are described briefly below: 14 o Dwyer Hill Road – this corridor goes north and west from North Grenville through Lanark County and meets up with the TransCanada Trail. o Osgoode Link Pathway – this trail goes north and east from North Grenville through Osgoode and connects to trails within the Municipality of Ottawa. o South Grenville Bicycle Trail – this important 32 kilometre trail follows the shore of the St. Lawrence River through Augusta and Edwardsburg/Cardinal Townships along County Road 2 (Heritage Parkway) and forms part of the Waterfront Trail. The Friends of the North Grenville Trails: Municipality of North Grenville Ontario Ministry of Health Promotion United Counties of Leeds & Grenville Ferguson Forest Centre Friends of the Ferguson Forest Centre Rideau Canal Burritts Rapids Tip‐to‐Tip University of Guelph Agroforestry Centre and Trails Rideau Heritage Route Lanark, Leeds & Grenville District Health Unit Kemptville District Hospital Community Living North Grenville Ministry of Natural Resources North Grenville Integrated Community Trail Strategy | October 2011 15 D14-010-81 2.3 THE EXISTING ABANDONED RAIL LINE Abandoned rail lines provide wonderful opportunities for the development of trail corridors as they are generally flat, relatively straight and intersect with major roads. The abandoned rail line through North Grenville has these qualities, as well as key geographic alignment, that present the opportunity to form part of the main spine