West Toronto Railpath Guide: Explore Toronto History and Outdoors

West Toronto Railpath

The West Toronto Railpath officially welcomed the public in 2009. It travels alongside an active corridor used by GO Transit and UP Express trains. The path was finished in two stages, with the initial section completed in 2008. Its route traces a historic Indigenous trade way connecting Davenport Trail to Lake Iroquois.

Junction Triangle

The area known as the Junction Triangle has served as a hub for goods, services, and people for nearly 14,000 years. Rail lines were first laid down in this location by the Ontario, Simcoe, and Huron Railway during 1853. Simeon Janes contributed to the early development of the community by constructing homes, places of worship, schools, and other essential infrastructure. In the early 1900s, many families from Ukrainian, Macedonian, Italian, Polish, and Portuguese backgrounds relocated to the neighbourhood seeking employment opportunities.

Dundas Street West

A Bike Share station is available at this location alongside two other stops found further along the route. The path will soon be lengthened southward toward Liberty Village as part of the second construction phase. Plants will be replanted between Dundas Street West and Dupont Street to improve the local ecology after track realignment.

Bluffer’s Park

Bluffer’s Park features dramatic cliffs created by millennia of glacial processes and erosion from Lake Ontario waters. The City of Toronto officially categorizes this location as a park within the Cliffcrest neighbourhood at 1 Brimley Road South. Visitors can enjoy amenities such as a sandy beach, designated picnic areas, and public washrooms listed for the site.

Charles Sauriol Conservation Area

Charles Sauriol Conservation Area serves as a park within the Flemingdon Park neighbourhood according to City of Toronto records. Visitors can enjoy a paved path that remains open for hiking, biking and walking throughout every season. The official listing also notes the presence of outdoor fitness equipment and a playground at this location.

Colonel Samuel Smith Park

Colonel Samuel Smith Park is located at 3145 Lake Shore Blvd W within the New Toronto neighbourhood according to City records. This location includes a designated area where dogs can run off-leash alongside an outdoor running track and a playground for children. The site also contains the longest ice skating trail found anywhere in the municipality.

Earl Bales Park

Earl Bales Park is located at 4169 Bathurst Street within the Lansing-Westgate area according to City records. This green space features a dog-friendly zone, a fire pit, picnic spots, a playground, skateboarding areas, and washrooms for visitors. Well-kept paths wind through the tall trees of a deciduous forest in this location.

Etobicoke Valley Park

Etobicoke Valley Park is officially recognized by the City of Toronto as a green space located in the Alderwood neighbourhood at 615 Horner Ave. A pathway within this location follows Etobicoke Creek and provides access to both Marie Curtis Park and the shoreline of Lake Ontario. The City identifies specific amenities available at the site, including a ball diamond, a playground, and washroom facilities.

History

The original railway path along this corridor started in 1871. Railroaders affectionately called the original line ‘Old Bruce’. In June 2012, City Council adopted the Bikeway Trails Implementation Plan to study extending the Railpath south.

Architecture and landmarks

Award-winning landscape architect Scott Torrance created the design for this unique trail. The initial section of the path earned the 2011 City of Toronto Urban Design Award. This project was honoured with a Toronto Urban Design Award of Excellence in 2011.

Parks and outdoors

Multi-use trails offer an appealing neighbourhood amenity that many different types of users enjoy. Plants adapted to the harsh urban environment along the path create a habitat for local birds and insects. Visitors with pets will find that the trail welcomes dogs from all kinds of owners. The path keeps a wonderful wild quality by supporting hawks, insects, and butterflies in its surroundings.

Getting around

The paved section of the route measures 3.6 meters in width and includes an additional buffer zone. Direct entry to the GO or UP Express Bloor Station can be found just north of Bloor Street along the trail. Motor vehicles, trucks, motorcycles, and electric bicycles are prohibited from using the entire path. The detailed design work for the project was completed through a joint effort between Metrolinx and the City of Toronto.

Keep exploring The Loop: outdoors desk, Toronto neighbourhood guides, Winter Walks in Toronto: Graded by Surface, With Transit Tips, Toronto Islands in Winter: Ferry Timing and What Is Open, or Toronto Conservatories in Winter: Allan Gardens, Centennial Park.