Chrysler Canada Greenway
Encyclopedia
The Chrysler Canada Greenway is a 42 km-long rail trail
in Essex County, Ontario
, stretching from Oldcastle, Ontario
(near Windsor, Ontario
) to Leamington, Ontario
.
operated a line, formerly the Canadian branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
from Hiram Walker
s distillery in Windsor, Ontario
south and east to Leamington, Ontario
. This branch line was built by Hiram Walker in 1848, and extended all the way to Kingsville, and later Leamington.
A portion of the rail line from Windsor to Blenheim was abandoned in 1989, and the rail line was donated to the Essex Region Conservation Authority
in 1993, and Chrysler Canada
gave a considerable donation to ERCA to convert the rail line to a bike trail. Work was finished on the trail by 1997, and it opened that year to use. The remainder of the rail line would also be abandoned, and its tracks removed to where they branch from the mainline between Highgate and Muirkirk.
By the year 2001, CN Rail took note of the popularity of the Chrysler Canada Greenway that they donated an additional 26-km spur line from Amherstburg, Ontario
to Essex, Ontario
, a portion of the rail line operated by the Canada Southern Railway
, which was abolished in 1977. (The rails for this spur, and the spur leading from Comber to Leamington were removed in 1995, eliminating three at-grade railroad crossings on Highway 3). ERCA has stated they intend on converting the new trail from Amhurstburg to Essex as soon as funds become available, and stated this is part of their goal of improving the environment of Essex County, and for linking the communities in Essex County together via trails. There has been no word on if the Leamington-Comber rail corridor will be converted to a trail. ERCA, Ontario Parks
and Parks Canada
have stated interest on turning the entire abandoned rail corridor from Ruthven to St. Thomas
into an extended Chrysler Canada Greenway, linking up with trails in Delhi and Simcoe
, providing a single long trail corridor from Windsor to London
and Kitchener
, and even to Hamilton
and Toronto (via the Waterfront Trail
). It is currently unknown if Leamington intends on converting its abandoned rail corridors to trails.
LaSalle, Ontario
has also expressed its interest and intentions to link the Windsor Trail and its own LaSalle Trail network to the Chrysler Canada Greenway.
, walking
, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing
.
, but has signs to cross at the nearby Walker Road due to the dangerously high levels of traffic. The trail also has an unofficial "extension" which continues 2 km straight to its terminus with North Talbot Road. The Greenway also has five "Community Entrances", three of which (Harrow, Kingsville, and Ruthven) are of "service center" standards.
The Greenway is currently all gravel, and it is unknown if there are any plans to pave it in the near future.
Note: Not all exits are initially listed. more will be added as information is received.
The Municipality of Leamington, Ontario
has expressed great interest in converting their abandoned rail lines east of Talbot Road (CR 34)
into an extension of the Chrysler Canada Greenway. Currently, bikes and farm tractors have to use dedicated bike lanes along the very-busy Talbot Road, and this is dangerous, due to the high speed limit, trucks, hills, and curves. Currently, the parts east of CR 34 are navigable by bike or foot, but it is not recommended, as the brush is quite thick and it may still be private property.
The nearly all of the right-of-way along the former CN Rail CASO Subdivision from Leamington to a point just east of Ridgetown
(via Wheatley
, Merlin
, and Blenheim
) is intact, and able to be converted into a rail trail
, and is either in the process of becoming one, or is in the planning stages.
ERCA has expressed its intentions on linking Amherstburg, McGregor, and Essex to the trail network via a 26-km long trail, with an intersection somewhere near McGregor, Ontario. This is already easily done, as ERCA owns the right of way, and a 1-km spur route leads into McGregor from the Greenway.
Aside from money, the insane traffic amounts on Highway 3 (which is scheduled to be twinned starting 2007) would pose a significant obstacle, unless the trail was routed along either an overpass/underpass
, or through an intersection
/Interchange
, such as with Townline Road (County Road 8).
The City of Windsor has also expressed its intentions on linking its bike trail network to the Chrysler Canada Greenway. The most-likely candidate for this would be the Devonwood Bike Trail
, which is the farthest-south reaching trail (the closest, with just 3.5 km separating the two), and already connects to an ERCA conservation area
(Devonwood Conservation Area).
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
in Essex County, Ontario
Essex County, Ontario
Essex County is a county and census division located in Southwestern Ontario and covers an area at the southernmost tip of Canada. The administrative seat is Essex...
, stretching from Oldcastle, Ontario
Oldcastle, Ontario
Oldcastle is a small community of about 300-700 inhabitants located south of Windsor, Ontario Canada in the town of Tecumseh, Ontario. Roughly, the boundaries are as follows: North- Highway 3, East- the Chrysler Canada Greenway trail, South- County Rd. 8, West- Howard Ave. It is the starting point...
(near Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
) to Leamington, Ontario
Leamington, Ontario
Leamington is a municipality in Essex County, southern Ontario, Canada, and has a population of 31,113. It includes Point Pelee, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It has a large H. J. Heinz Company factory and is known as the "Tomato Capital of Canada", with 4 km² of this crop in the...
.
History
The trail dates back to the late 1980s, when CSX TransportationCSX Transportation
CSX Transportation operates a Class I railroad in the United States known as the CSX Railroad. It is the main subsidiary of the CSX Corporation. The company is headquartered in Jacksonville, Florida, and owns approximately 21,000 route miles...
operated a line, formerly the Canadian branch of the Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
Chesapeake and Ohio Railway
The Chesapeake and Ohio Railway was a Class I railroad formed in 1869 in Virginia from several smaller Virginia railroads begun in the 19th century. Led by industrialist Collis P...
from Hiram Walker
Hiram Walker
Hiram Walker was an American grocer and distiller, and the eponym of the famous distillery in Windsor, Ontario, Canada. Walker was born in East Douglas, Massachusetts, and moved to Detroit in the mid-1830s...
s distillery in Windsor, Ontario
Windsor, Ontario
Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor...
south and east to Leamington, Ontario
Leamington, Ontario
Leamington is a municipality in Essex County, southern Ontario, Canada, and has a population of 31,113. It includes Point Pelee, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It has a large H. J. Heinz Company factory and is known as the "Tomato Capital of Canada", with 4 km² of this crop in the...
. This branch line was built by Hiram Walker in 1848, and extended all the way to Kingsville, and later Leamington.
A portion of the rail line from Windsor to Blenheim was abandoned in 1989, and the rail line was donated to the Essex Region Conservation Authority
Essex Region Conservation Authority
The Essex Region Conservation Authority is a non-profit organization responsible for parks, wetlands, and waterways in most of Essex County and its boundaries....
in 1993, and Chrysler Canada
Chrysler Canada
Chrysler Canada Incorporated is Chrysler's Canadian subsidiary. Incorporated in 1925, the Chrysler Corporation of Canada gained complete control of a Maxwell-Chalmers plant in Windsor Ontario that had been used to manufacture some Chrysler models in the previous year...
gave a considerable donation to ERCA to convert the rail line to a bike trail. Work was finished on the trail by 1997, and it opened that year to use. The remainder of the rail line would also be abandoned, and its tracks removed to where they branch from the mainline between Highgate and Muirkirk.
By the year 2001, CN Rail took note of the popularity of the Chrysler Canada Greenway that they donated an additional 26-km spur line from Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg, Ontario
Amherstburg is a Canadian town near the mouth of the Detroit River in Essex County, Ontario. It is approximately south of the U.S...
to Essex, Ontario
Essex, Ontario
Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott...
, a portion of the rail line operated by the Canada Southern Railway
Canada Southern Railway
The Canada Southern Railway was a railway in southern Ontario, Canada, founded on February 28, 1868 as the Erie and Niagara Extension Railway. It adopted the Canada Southern Railway name on December 24, 1869. In 1904 the railway was leased to the Michigan Central Railroad for 99 years; in 1929 it...
, which was abolished in 1977. (The rails for this spur, and the spur leading from Comber to Leamington were removed in 1995, eliminating three at-grade railroad crossings on Highway 3). ERCA has stated they intend on converting the new trail from Amhurstburg to Essex as soon as funds become available, and stated this is part of their goal of improving the environment of Essex County, and for linking the communities in Essex County together via trails. There has been no word on if the Leamington-Comber rail corridor will be converted to a trail. ERCA, Ontario Parks
Ontario Parks
Ontario Parks is the branch of the Ministry of Natural Resources that administers the provincial parks in Ontario, Canada. The Ontario Parks system covers over 78,000 square kilometres , about 10 percent of the province's surface area or the equivalent of an area approximately equal to Nova Scotia...
and Parks Canada
Parks Canada
Parks Canada , also known as the Parks Canada Agency , is an agency of the Government of Canada mandated to protect and present nationally significant natural and cultural heritage, and foster public understanding, appreciation, and enjoyment in ways that ensure their ecological and commemorative...
have stated interest on turning the entire abandoned rail corridor from Ruthven to St. Thomas
St. Thomas, Ontario
St. Thomas is a city in southern , Ontario, Canada. It is the seat for Elgin County and gained its city charter on March 4, 1881.-History:...
into an extended Chrysler Canada Greenway, linking up with trails in Delhi and Simcoe
Simcoe, Ontario
Simcoe is an unincorporated community and former town in Southwestern Ontario, Canada located near Lake Erie. It is the county seat and largest community of Norfolk County....
, providing a single long trail corridor from Windsor to London
London, Ontario
London is a city in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, situated along the Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. The city has a population of 352,395, and the metropolitan area has a population of 457,720, according to the 2006 Canadian census; the metro population in 2009 was estimated at 489,274. The city...
and Kitchener
Kitchener, Ontario
The City of Kitchener is a city in Southern Ontario, Canada. It was the Town of Berlin from 1854 until 1912 and the City of Berlin from 1912 until 1916. The city had a population of 204,668 in the Canada 2006 Census...
, and even to Hamilton
Hamilton, Ontario
Hamilton is a port city in the Canadian province of Ontario. Conceived by George Hamilton when he purchased the Durand farm shortly after the War of 1812, Hamilton has become the centre of a densely populated and industrialized region at the west end of Lake Ontario known as the Golden Horseshoe...
and Toronto (via the Waterfront Trail
Waterfront Trail
The Waterfront Trail refers to an interconnected series of trails along the shores of Lake Ontario in Canada, currently beginning in Niagara-on-the-Lake, Ontario and extending to Brockville, Ontario, with an extension along Former Highway 2, to the Quebec provincial border...
). It is currently unknown if Leamington intends on converting its abandoned rail corridors to trails.
LaSalle, Ontario
LaSalle, Ontario
LaSalle is a town in Essex County, Ontario, Canada, on the Detroit River. It is a bedroom community of the City of Windsor and part of the Windsor Census Metropolitan Area, and is located south of that city. LaSalle, along with Windsor, is the oldest French settlement area in Southwestern Ontario,...
has also expressed its interest and intentions to link the Windsor Trail and its own LaSalle Trail network to the Chrysler Canada Greenway.
How to travel
The Greenway allows several different modes of transportation: cyclingCycling
Cycling, also called bicycling or biking, is the use of bicycles for transport, recreation, or for sport. Persons engaged in cycling are cyclists or bicyclists...
, walking
Walking
Walking is one of the main gaits of locomotion among legged animals, and is typically slower than running and other gaits. Walking is defined by an 'inverted pendulum' gait in which the body vaults over the stiff limb or limbs with each step...
, horseback riding, and cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing
Cross-country skiing is a winter sport in which participants propel themselves across snow-covered terrain using skis and poles...
.
Alignment
The trail starts at the junction with Kings Highway 3Highway 3 (Ontario)
King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor...
, but has signs to cross at the nearby Walker Road due to the dangerously high levels of traffic. The trail also has an unofficial "extension" which continues 2 km straight to its terminus with North Talbot Road. The Greenway also has five "Community Entrances", three of which (Harrow, Kingsville, and Ruthven) are of "service center" standards.
The Greenway is currently all gravel, and it is unknown if there are any plans to pave it in the near future.
Note: Not all exits are initially listed. more will be added as information is received.
| Municipality | Road/Intersection | kilometer post | Destinations | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Windsor, Ontario Windsor, Ontario Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor... |
North Talbot Road | 2 km | Ciociaro Club, AKO Camp | Windsor, Ontario Windsor, Ontario Windsor is the southernmost city in Canada and is located in Southwestern Ontario at the western end of the heavily populated Quebec City – Windsor Corridor. It is within Essex County, Ontario, although administratively separated from the county government. Separated by the Detroit River, Windsor... |
| Tecumseh, Ontario Tecumseh, Ontario Tecumseh is a town on Lake St. Clair east of Windsor, Ontario, Canada. It has a population of just over 24,000.Tecumseh enjoys long summers and mild winters... |
Kings Highway 3 Highway 3 (Ontario) King's Highway 3, commonly referred to as Highway 3 and historically as the Talbot Trail, is a provincially maintained highway in the Canadian province of Ontario which travels parallel to the shore of Lake Erie. It has three segments, the first of which runs from the Ambassador Bridge in Windsor... |
0 km | Oldcastle, Ontario Oldcastle, Ontario Oldcastle is a small community of about 300-700 inhabitants located south of Windsor, Ontario Canada in the town of Tecumseh, Ontario. Roughly, the boundaries are as follows: North- Highway 3, East- the Chrysler Canada Greenway trail, South- County Rd. 8, West- Howard Ave. It is the starting point... |
Official Starting Point. Cross at Walker Road, 0.5 km west. Path continues for 2.0 km to North Talbot Road. Community Entrance. |
| Tecumseh, Ontario | South Talbot Road | 2 km | Essex, Ontario | |
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
Townline Road (Essex County Road 8) | 4.9 km | River Canard, Ontario River Canard, Ontario River Canard is a hamlet of roughly 500 people in Amherstburg, Ontario, Canada, approximately 12 miles south of Windsor, Ontario, situated on the Canard River. It is home to an attractive French-Canadian-style church, similar to St. Joachim Church in Lakeshore , and Ste. Anne's Church in Tecumseh... , Essex |
|
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
14th Concession Road | 6 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
13th Concession Road | 7 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
12th Concession Road | 8 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
11th Concession Road | 9 km | McGregor, Ontario | |
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
North Malden Road | 9.5 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
Essex County Road 12 | 12 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
South Malden Road | 13.5 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
Essex County Road 18 | 15 km | ||
| Essex, Ontario Essex, Ontario Essex is a town with a population of 20,032 in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, whose municipal borders extend to Lake Erie. Essex is also the name of the largest community within the municipality. The present mayor is Ron McDermott... |
Walker Road (Essex County Road 15) | 18.5 km | ||
| Harrow, Ontario Harrow, Ontario Harrow is a community located in the town of Essex, Essex County, Ontario, Canada.Hiram Walker, of Canadian Club Whisky fame is credited with putting Harrow on the map. Walker built the railroad, which then brought grain from the South end of the County into the city for use in his distillery... |
Essex County Road 20 | 21 km | ||
| Arner, Ontario | Arner Townline (Essex County Road 23) | 28 km | Pleasant Valley Campground, Kingsville Golf and Country Club | Schwabb Farms Community Entrance. Restored and rehabilitated Grain elevator Grain elevator A grain elevator is a tower containing a bucket elevator, which scoops up, elevates, and then uses gravity to deposit grain in a silo or other storage facility... , service center, park and ride Park and ride Park and ride facilities are car parks with connections to public transport that allow commuters and other people wishing to travel into city centres to leave their vehicles and transfer to a bus, rail system , or carpool for the rest of their trip... . |
| Kingsville, Ontario Kingsville, Ontario The Town of Kingsville is located in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and is Canada's southernmost municipality with town status. According to the 2006 census, the population of Kingsville is 20,908.-Geography:... |
Chrysler Canada Greenway | 30 km | Pleasant Valley Campground, Kingsville Golf and Country Club | 1.5-km bypass around Kingsville Golf and Country Club. Somewhat narrower than the rest of the Greenway. |
| Kingsville, Ontario Kingsville, Ontario The Town of Kingsville is located in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and is Canada's southernmost municipality with town status. According to the 2006 census, the population of Kingsville is 20,908.-Geography:... |
Chrysler Canada Greenway | 31.5 km | 1.5-km bypass around Kingsville Golf and Country Club. Somewhat narrower than the rest of the Greenway. | |
| Kingsville, Ontario Kingsville, Ontario The Town of Kingsville is located in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and is Canada's southernmost municipality with town status. According to the 2006 census, the population of Kingsville is 20,908.-Geography:... |
Kingsville Train Station and Museum | 36 km | Kingsville, Ontario Kingsville, Ontario The Town of Kingsville is located in Essex County in southwestern Ontario, Canada, and is Canada's southernmost municipality with town status. According to the 2006 census, the population of Kingsville is 20,908.-Geography:... , Pelee Island (via ferry Ferry A ferry is a form of transportation, usually a boat, but sometimes a ship, used to carry primarily passengers, and sometimes vehicles and cargo as well, across a body of water. Most ferries operate on regular, frequent, return services... ) |
Kingsville Train Station, a former train station and museum, has been leased to a restaurant operator since 2008 and provides a rest stop along the Greenway in the town of Kingsville. Situated in downtown Kingsville. |
| Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario is a hamlet of roughly 400 residents in the township of Kingsville, Ontario. It is located at the intersection of Essex County Roads 34 and 45, but recent developments have extended the community to Highway 3 and down southwards along CR 45 to meet with the community of Seacliff,... |
Graham Sideroad | 40 km | Intersection with Ruthven Spur of trail | Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario is a hamlet of roughly 400 residents in the township of Kingsville, Ontario. It is located at the intersection of Essex County Roads 34 and 45, but recent developments have extended the community to Highway 3 and down southwards along CR 45 to meet with the community of Seacliff,... , Colasanti's Tropical Gardens Colasanti's Tropical Gardens Colasanti's Tropical Gardens is an indoor entertainment and shopping centre, situated in the community of Ruthven, part of Kingsville, Ontario... . Trail splits into two paths: Ruthven-bound, and Colasanti-bound. Both are less than 2 km in length. |
| Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario is a hamlet of roughly 400 residents in the township of Kingsville, Ontario. It is located at the intersection of Essex County Roads 34 and 45, but recent developments have extended the community to Highway 3 and down southwards along CR 45 to meet with the community of Seacliff,... |
Colasanti's Tropical Gardens | 42 km | End of Trail. | |
| Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario Ruthven, Ontario is a hamlet of roughly 400 residents in the township of Kingsville, Ontario. It is located at the intersection of Essex County Roads 34 and 45, but recent developments have extended the community to Highway 3 and down southwards along CR 45 to meet with the community of Seacliff,... |
Talbot Road (Essex County Road 34) County Road 34 (Essex County, Ontario) County Road 34 is the original alignment of Highway 3 in Essex County, Ontario.The road branches from the original Highway 3 alignment in Maidstone, Ontario County Road 34 is the original alignment of Highway 3 in Essex County, Ontario.The road branches from the original Highway 3 alignment in... |
42 km | Talbot Road (Essex County Road 34), Leamington, Ontario Leamington, Ontario Leamington is a municipality in Essex County, southern Ontario, Canada, and has a population of 31,113. It includes Point Pelee, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It has a large H. J. Heinz Company factory and is known as the "Tomato Capital of Canada", with 4 km² of this crop in the... |
End of Trail. |
Extensions
Extensions of the trail are planned.The Municipality of Leamington, Ontario
Leamington, Ontario
Leamington is a municipality in Essex County, southern Ontario, Canada, and has a population of 31,113. It includes Point Pelee, the southernmost point of mainland Canada. It has a large H. J. Heinz Company factory and is known as the "Tomato Capital of Canada", with 4 km² of this crop in the...
has expressed great interest in converting their abandoned rail lines east of Talbot Road (CR 34)
County Road 34 (Essex County, Ontario)
County Road 34 is the original alignment of Highway 3 in Essex County, Ontario.The road branches from the original Highway 3 alignment in Maidstone, Ontario County Road 34 is the original alignment of Highway 3 in Essex County, Ontario.The road branches from the original Highway 3 alignment in...
into an extension of the Chrysler Canada Greenway. Currently, bikes and farm tractors have to use dedicated bike lanes along the very-busy Talbot Road, and this is dangerous, due to the high speed limit, trucks, hills, and curves. Currently, the parts east of CR 34 are navigable by bike or foot, but it is not recommended, as the brush is quite thick and it may still be private property.
The nearly all of the right-of-way along the former CN Rail CASO Subdivision from Leamington to a point just east of Ridgetown
Ridgetown, Ontario
Ridgetown is a community located in south-east Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada. It is home to the University of Guelph Ridgetown Campus. It has a population of roughly 3,500 and is one of many small farming communities in Chatham-Kent.-History:...
(via Wheatley
Wheatley, Ontario
Wheatley is a community in Southwestern Ontario, Canada, within the municipality of Chatham-Kent. It lies about east of Leamington. Nearby parks include Two Creeks Conservation Area, which has 15 km of hiking and bicycling paths, Kopegaron Woods Conservation Area, Hillman Marsh Conservation...
, Merlin
Merlin, Ontario
Merlin is a small farming community inhabited by 750 residents located in Southwestern Ontario. It lies five kilometres due north off the shores of Lake Erie in the municipality of Chatham-Kent.Merlin is the hometown of country music singer Michelle Wright....
, and Blenheim
Blenheim, Ontario
Blenheim is a community located in south-central Chatham-Kent, Ontario, Canada, with a population of 4,800.- History :By 1783, there were French settlers in Detroit and Windsor. There were also settlers in the Niagara and Kingston region, but no real settlers to speak of in the Kent County region...
) is intact, and able to be converted into a rail trail
Rail trail
A rail trail is the conversion of a disused railway easement into a multi-use path, typically for walking, cycling and sometimes horse riding. The characteristics of former tracks—flat, long, frequently running through historical areas—are appealing for various development. The term sometimes also...
, and is either in the process of becoming one, or is in the planning stages.
ERCA has expressed its intentions on linking Amherstburg, McGregor, and Essex to the trail network via a 26-km long trail, with an intersection somewhere near McGregor, Ontario. This is already easily done, as ERCA owns the right of way, and a 1-km spur route leads into McGregor from the Greenway.
Aside from money, the insane traffic amounts on Highway 3 (which is scheduled to be twinned starting 2007) would pose a significant obstacle, unless the trail was routed along either an overpass/underpass
Overpass
An overpass is a bridge, road, railway or similar structure that crosses over another road or railway...
, or through an intersection
Intersection (road)
An intersection is a road junction where two or more roads either meet or cross at grade . An intersection may be 3-way - a T junction or fork, 4-way - a crossroads, or 5-way or more...
/Interchange
Interchange (road)
In the field of road transport, an interchange is a road junction that typically uses grade separation, and one or more ramps, to permit traffic on at least one highway to pass through the junction without directly crossing any other traffic stream. It differs from a standard intersection, at which...
, such as with Townline Road (County Road 8).
The City of Windsor has also expressed its intentions on linking its bike trail network to the Chrysler Canada Greenway. The most-likely candidate for this would be the Devonwood Bike Trail
Devonwood Bike Trail
The Devonwood Bike Trail is a fairly straight and flat bike trail in the southern end of the city of Windsor, Ontario. The path starts just south of E.C. Row Expressway at the intersection of Hallmark Avenue and Conservation Drive. The path has several short branches less than 100 m long to connect...
, which is the farthest-south reaching trail (the closest, with just 3.5 km separating the two), and already connects to an ERCA conservation area
Conservation area
A conservation areas is a tract of land that has been awarded protected status in order to ensure that natural features, cultural heritage or biota are safeguarded...
(Devonwood Conservation Area).
See also
- Grand Marais TrailGrand Marais TrailThe Grand Marais Trail is the name of a small bicycle trail that follows Turkey Creek in the middle of Windsor, Ontario. It starts off as a minor spur route, connecting the West Windsor Recreationway with Huron Church Road and the neighbourhood of South Windsor The Grand Marais Trail is the name...
- Ganatchio TrailGanatchio TrailThe Ganatchio Trail is a bike trail in Windsor, Ontario, the second to be built in the city. Construction on the trail started upon the closure of Clairview Avenue. The trail currently extends over 5.3 km, and passes through several neighbourhoods, such as Riverside and Little River, and...
- Little River ExtensionLittle River ExtensionThe Little River Extension is one of the newest and busiest recreational trails in Windsor, Ontario, having been built in 1996. The trail is used mainly as a link between the large subdivision of Forest Glade, to Ganatchio Trail, Sandpoint Beach, Stop 26 Beach, and Lakeview Park And Marina...
- Russell Street Neighbourhood TrailRussell Street Neighbourhood TrailThe Russell Street Neighbourhood Trail is a short bike trail that travels through the historic Sandwich Town neighbourhood in western Windsor, Ontario...
- Devonwood Bike TrailDevonwood Bike TrailThe Devonwood Bike Trail is a fairly straight and flat bike trail in the southern end of the city of Windsor, Ontario. The path starts just south of E.C. Row Expressway at the intersection of Hallmark Avenue and Conservation Drive. The path has several short branches less than 100 m long to connect...
- Riverside Drive Vista Project
- Bike Trails in the City of Windsor
- Trans-Canada Trail
- Essex Region Conservation AuthorityEssex Region Conservation AuthorityThe Essex Region Conservation Authority is a non-profit organization responsible for parks, wetlands, and waterways in most of Essex County and its boundaries....
- Michigan Central Railway