Guelph Trail Master Plan update
Your trails. Your voice.
We’re updating the Guelph Trail Master Plan (GTMP), a strategic document that guides how we plan, design, fund, build and maintain Guelph’s trail system.
A new and improved GTMP means we can innovate trail design guidelines, revise routes, create new trail facilities and promote trail use in our community – all with your help in prioritizing our trail needs.
This master plan update supports the City’s Strategic Plan as we continue to build strong, vibrant, safe and healthy communities that foster resilience in the people who live here.
As Guelph grows, we are also committed to planning and designing an increasingly sustainable city.
The third round of engagement closed December 15.
For this engagement, we want you to participate using the tabs below:
- Trail Map - provide feedback on the draft trail map and tell us what we should build first
- Discussion Forum- provide your opinion about trail surface, trail type or the Trans Canada Trail Route
- Tell us a story - tell us how you are using trails differently as a result of COVID-19
- Q&A - ask us questions about the project, the engagement or anything trails
Your input will be considered in the creation of the draft master plan to be presented to Council in spring 2021.
To learn more about the project and inform your decisions, please read the documents available on the right hand panel:
You can also review the documents relating to the Trans Canada Trail in the right hand panel:
Trail Map
Click on the Add Pin (+) button in the menu to provide feedback on the following questions:
- Did we capture where proposed new trails should go? Add a pin where you think a new trail should go.
- Did we capture where proposed trail crossings of roadways should go? Add a pin where you think a new trail crossing should go.
- Is there a location where you believe an existing trail or crossing can be improved? Let us know why!
- What should our priorities be? Add a pin and tell us which proposed trails and trail crossings should be built first.
- How do you typically use existing trails? Add a "note" pin to a trail and tell us about your experience
Please note that this is not the final trail network map. Your feedback, as well as other considerations, will be used to create the final map next year.
More information about the map is in the Trail Network Map document.
Orange lines - Proposed future trails and desired connections are (1) trails that have been previously planned, approved and not yet constructed, (2) desired connections requiring further study from the 2005 GTMP and those identified during this update.
This update used the following trail planning principles to recommend desired connections:
- opportunities for loops with entry from various points
- equitable access across all of Guelph
- connections to schools, natural areas, and parks as these are key destinations for trail users
Some of these planned trails are along major corridors (Hanlon Expressway, railway rights-of-way) and others are about formalizing informal routes in City parks (ex. Dovercliffe Park).
Red circles - Future and desired trail crossings are:
- previously planned, approved but not yet constructed crossings; or
- future desired crossings identified as part of this update.
Existing mid-block signalized crossings and trail structures are not shown on the map to improve readability. Proposed crossings were identified based on feedback from the first round of community engagement as well as trail planning principles.
When you look at this map, remember:
- Some trails shown are maintained by third parties (such as the University of Guelph).
- Active transportation facilities such as cycle tracks, bicycle lanes and multi-use paths that are within the road right-of-way play a role in the planning of the trail network by working to fill in gaps in connectivity and serving as access to trails. However, they are planned through the Active Transportation Network Study (ATN) and Guelph’s Transportation Master Plan. These facilities should inform trail planning, but are planned and managed independently of the trail system and are not a part of this plan update.
- Some trails are also part of the ATN, highlighted in yellow.
- Previously planned routes from the 2005 GTMP that are now obsolete, infeasible, or redundant have not been included.
- Trails in secondary plans are subject to those planning processes (e.g. in the Guelph Innovation District) and are not final.
