Item - 2016.EY17.19

Etobicoke York Community Council recommends that:

1.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to move forward with completing the portion of the South Mimico Creek Trail Link on the east side of Mimico Creek in 2017, in consultation with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority, Toronto Water and Engineering and Construction Services and Transportation Services (Cycling Infrastructure) staff.

2.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to continue to explore funding and partnership opportunities with Metrolinx and other agencies to help fund and implement the South Mimico Creek Trail Link and the North Etobicoke Link, in consultation with Toronto Region Conservation Authority.

3.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to continue to work with the Ministry of Transportation (MTO) to finalize the easement required to support the construction of the North Etobicoke Link and the Sherway Trail Link of the Etobicoke Creek Trail, in consultation with the Toronto Region Conservation Authority and Transportation Services (Cycling Infrastructure) staff. 

4.   In the event the Queen Elizabeth Way bridge replacement work by the Ministry of Transportation is delayed and is not scheduled to begin by the end of 2018, City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to work with Toronto Region Conservation Authority to proceed with the construction of the Sherway Trail Link of the Etobicoke Creek Trail in 2017.

5.  City Council request the General Manager, Parks, Forestry and Recreation to submit an update report to the Etobicoke York Community Council in the second quarter of 2017 on these matters, and the status of the North Etobicoke Link. 

At its meeting of June 14, 2016, Etobicoke York Community Council considered a report on a City-initiated Zoning By-law Amendment application to reallocate previously secured Section 37 community benefits from the Etobicoke Creek Trail to parkland improvements in Ward 5. Through this consideration, Community Council requested the Director, Community Planning, Etobicoke York District, to consult with the Chief Executive Officer, Toronto and Region Conservation Authority, to provide an update on the projects related to the Etobicoke Creek Trail and the Mimico Creek Trail, and report to Etobicoke York Community Council at its meeting on September 7, 2016.  This report provides the requested project updates including timing, status and funding.

The Sherway Link of the Etobicoke Creek Trail project is scheduled for construction in 2022, due to rehabilitation work by the Ministry of Transportation in 2018-2021 on the Queen Elizabeth Way which crosses over the trail. Costs are estimated at $550,000, of which only $330,000 is currently secured. Parks, Forestry and Recreation staff will be recommending the remaining funds be allocated for the year 2022, in their 2017 budget submission.

The design of the North Link of the Etobicoke Creek Trail project is scheduled to be completed by the end of 2016 and is scheduled to commence construction in 2017. Costs are estimated at approximately $1,100,000, but may change when the detailed design is finalized. Transportation Services (Cycling Infrastructure) has $700,000 in a reserve account for Etobicoke Valley trails. It is anticipated this entire amount will be used to partially fund the North Link of the Etobicoke Creek Trail. Once the detailed designs and cost estimates are completed, Transportation Services (Cycling Infrastructure) staff will likely seek additional funding sources to address the shortfall.

The South Mimico Creek Trail project is scheduled for completion of detailed design and approvals in 2016 and construction in 2017. However, due to interrelationships with the design of the Legion Road Extension and Bonar Creek Stormwater Management Facility (SWMF), the design and location of certain trail components will not be finalized until further design work is undertaken on these related projects. Design of the Legion Road Extension and Bonar Creek SWMF is scheduled for 2017 and 2018. It will incorporate a study of Mimico Creek from the rail corridor downstream to Lake Shore Boulevard West to guide the design of the Bonar Creek SWMF and trail components near the creek.

The South Mimico Creek Trail project costs are estimated at approximately $4,480,000, based on the current four bridge design but neither include the costs of the trail extension to Manchester Park nor the costs of the connection under the Gardiner Expressway to Ward 6. Consideration is being given to eliminating one of the bridges, to reduce the overall cost to $3,710,000, and to phasing the project. To date, only $2,375,000 has been secured to fund this project.