

Chris Fox, CP24.com





The province has announced plans to extend the West Toronto Railpath trail south to King Street.

The recreational trail currently runs alongside the Kitchener GO line tracks from Dupont Street to Dundas Street but will now be extended to just east of the Dufferin Street Bridge, which will in turn give Liberty Village residents direct access to the trail.

The extension of the trail will also run through a new park that the City of Toronto is building north of Queen and Dufferin streets. That park will be named Dufferin Peel Park and is being constructed entirely with funding from the developer of a nearby condominium.

“This future park will be a hub for West Toronto Railpath users, including cyclists. The park will include cycling amenities, seating, terraces oriented towards the west and a lookout,” Transportation Minister Steven Del Duca told reporters at a news conference on Friday. “Through this investment and many others in the GO Transit network, we are giving commuters another reason to leave their cars behind and take transit or use other forms of active transportation.”

It is not immediately clear when the West Toronto Railpath will be extended but once complete Mayor John Tory said the project will be one “that will serve the community and the whole city for years and decades to come.”

Meanwhile, Coun. Anna Bailao said the extension of the railpath is big news for area residents.

“You are going to be able to get on your bike or just walk south of Queen and go all the way to Dupont or get off at different points where we have access,” she told CP24.

In addition to announcing plans for the extension of the West Toronto Railpath on Friday, Del Duca also announced $8.4 million in funding to expand the Dufferin Street Bridge.

The expansion is required to accommodate an additional track that is needed to provide more frequent service along the Barrie GO corridor.