Thames Valley Parkway

jammer139 · #1 Posted **Aug 14, 2016, 2:45 PM**

Looks like the EA to fill the major gap in the Thames Valley Parkway is nearing completion.

http://www.london.ca/residents/Envir...Completion.pdf

This gap in the trail system has been a major problem linking the north branch of the river to the rest of the trail network. Of interest is the design will cross the river twice to the north bank rather then stay on the south bank behind St. Peters Seminary and Kings College. Building 2 bridges across the river will open up this little seen area of Thames river.

jammer139 · #2 Posted **Aug 14, 2016, 2:56 PM**

Medway Valley Heritage Forest trail system needs to be worked on to link the trail now north of Fanshawe Rd thru the valley to Western university and the Thames Valley Parkway. This is the logical next step to building a trail network that links together all parts of the city. A trail that you can bike, walk, run from north of Sunningdale Rd south to Western and then to downtown and either go west out to Byron or East to MeadowLilly Woods would be a great feature for the city. Encourage healthy transportation choices for commuters to work or school.

MolsonExport · #3 Posted **Aug 15, 2016, 2:19 AM**

dear god please build a pedestrian bridge over medway creek so I can get from Hyde Park to UWO faster....of course it is possible to walk, but you have to follow the bends of the creek, which makes it impractical from a time perspective. we need a pedestrian bridge right near Elsie Wayne Estate.

manny_santos · #4 Posted **Sep 2, 2016, 2:23 AM**

I recall at one point there was talk of putting a trail along the river in Byron extending westward out of Springbank Park, possibly connecting to Commissioners Road near Griffith Street. Has anything come of that?

jammer139 · #5 Posted **Sep 3, 2016, 3:02 PM**

That will be a tough one as the topography is rather tight with the high banks on the south bank of the river. Plus the private land owners. On the north bank you have CPRI and the City owning the land. Mostly lower land except right at the Boler/Sanatorium Rd bridge where it is really steep heading west for about 400 meters. Again the issue north of the Oxford St bridge is very steep on the west bank and private land owners and the Hunt Club Golf course on east bank. Unlikely to get right of way to build a trail path here.

Quote:

Originally Posted by manny_santos

I recall at one point there was talk of putting a trail along the river in Byron extending westward out of Springbank Park, possibly connecting to Commissioners Road near Griffith Street. Has anything come of that?

jammer139 · #6 Posted **Nov 25, 2016, 2:14 PM**

Just last week London Fire had to rescue a teenager along this stretch of the river due to the high cliff.

To expand the trail network west from Springbank park is going to take some creative engineering and work.

jammer139 · #7 Posted **Jan 22, 2017, 4:18 AM**

Kiwanis Park Pathway.

Plans to improve and connect this pathway posted. - http://www.london.ca/newsroom/Docume...%20project.PDF

Hopefully this happens quickly. The north branch is also supposed to get new connection linking behind St Peters Seminary lands on the north bank with bridges.

The next major gap is along Medway Creek linking Western to Fanshawe Park and north into Sunningdale.

Would be great to see each of these projects completed over the next three summers.

MolsonExport · #8 Posted **Jul 12, 2017, 2:58 PM**

we badly need a pedestrian/bike crossing of Medway to link the trail sections from Windermere and Gainsborough roads.

jammer139 · #9 Posted **Jul 12, 2017, 3:26 PM**

Agreed.

That is the next gap that needs to be addressed. Providing a connection and path network that runs all the way up the valley to Sunningdale Rd.

The Pottersburg Creek gap is also going to be built providing a connection south to the South Branch path.

Hopefully the City starts active planning now to address the Medway valley path network.

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

we badly need a pedestrian/bike crossing of Medway to link the trail sections from Windermere and Gainsborough roads.

jammer139 · #10 Posted **Sep 7, 2017, 11:04 PM**

Council has approved the project.

http://www.london.ca/newsroom/Docume...rkway-0905.pdf

jammer139 · #11 Posted **Nov 26, 2017, 1:48 AM**

Northern link is delayed waiting on funding. Was supposed to be starting this Fall and now may not happen until June 2018 assuming money from the feds and province comes thru.

http://www.lfpress.com/2017/11/24/ci...valley-parkway

MolsonExport · #12 Posted **Nov 28, 2017, 2:53 PM**

Quote:

we badly need a pedestrian/bike crossing of Medway to link the trail sections from Windermere and Gainsborough roads.

when oh when will this come to fruition? the goodies always seem to go to (slow-growing or declining) East London, the land of 1,000,000 soccer fields.

Djeffery · #13 Posted **Nov 29, 2017, 2:31 AM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by MolsonExport

when oh when will this come to fruition? the goodies always seem to go to (slow-growing or declining) East London, the land of 1,000,000 soccer fields.

Does seem odd to me they are spending all that money on the new trail bridge at Trafalgar across the creek, a mere 30 or so feet from the Trafalgar bridge. I mean, sure, this new bridge will be nice, but I think they could have made due with using Trafalgar for people to cross the creek and used those resources for other more pressing links to the system.

MolsonExport · #14 Posted **Nov 29, 2017, 6:28 PM**

Quote:

Originally Posted by Djeffery

Does seem odd to me they are spending all that money on the new trail bridge at Trafalgar across the creek, a mere 30 or so feet from the Trafalgar bridge. I mean, sure, this new bridge will be nice, but I think they could have made due with using Trafalgar for people to cross the creek and used those resources for other more pressing links to the system.

yeah for sure. I know that other bridge, and it seems superfluous given the crying absence of such crossings elsewhere.

jammer139 · #15 Posted **Dec 18, 2017, 2:30 PM**

Details of the current project which is well underway now.

https://www.london.ca/residents/Envi...IC%2011x17.pdf

Construction is supposed to be done early in 2018.

jammer139 · #16 Posted **Feb 13, 2018, 12:05 AM**

Proposed land purchase to open up Medway Valley trail.

http://www.london.ca/newsroom/Docume...MasterPlan.pdf

One small step in what needs to be a big effort to address the rest of the Medway Valley trail system and connect it thru to Western and then the rest of the Thames Valley Parkway network.

This is a great investment in our future transportation system for both leisure and work.

Spur lines off the trail network could link to neighborhoods and school playgrounds providing a safe convenient way to travel by foot, bike, roller-blades etc. across the city.

If done right you would be able to bike from Western to Downtown faster then any BRT bus.

kaiserLDN · #17 Posted **Apr 16, 2018, 2:02 PM**

These bridges and pathways are not ruining anything. A few board people with nothing better to do then complain about a nice path. The councilor in the area always goes with the loudest voice not the silent majorities voice. He always is against development projects to. Not surprised with his comments.

Dupcheck · #18 Posted **Apr 18, 2018, 5:40 PM**

I welcome this connecting pathway from Adelaide to Richmond south of Windemere. It is good to have a way to bike all the way Downtown and beyond. I wish the construction was done and ready for the summer. Now we have to wait one more year until it is completed. We need more connecting pathways like this.

By the way, i did not hear about this until this year. And i like to be involved in following the updates the city has. Maybe the city should do a better job advertising such developments.

Maybe replacing the same old useless hydro fliers that they send out with the bills or through the billing e-mail with this type of information.

jammer139 · #19 Posted **Apr 24, 2018, 11:19 AM**

Debate at City Hall with the two sides fighting over the plan.

http://lfpress.com/news/local-news/s...-valley-access

Hopefully the path network is built and connected to the rest of the Thames Valley Parkway system.

This should have been done 30 years ago.

Imagine a paved path from Sunningdale Rd all the way down the Medway creek valley to the University. People who can now bike, walk, rollerblade to school or work safely off the city streets.

The benefits far out weigh any negatives. Any city councillor should be able to understand this.

Dupcheck · #20 Posted **Apr 24, 2018, 1:16 PM**

I agree. This pathway should have been built ages ago. We need it. It is not a want. It is a need. It will help so many cyclist connect to other parts of the city without risking their lives on city streets. I hope the city council get's this approved 100% and starts the build ASAP.