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Metrolinx owes railpath residents transparency, say city councillor and advocate

Social Sharing Residents along the Toronto West Railpath are frustrated with what they say is a lack of transparency from Metrolinx on end dates for nearby construction projects, their city councillor says. In a letter to the transit agency's CEO and president Michael Lindsay, Coun. Alejandra Bravo for Davenport asked Metrolinx to provide timely updates on when residents should anticipate openings and closures along the railpath. The railpath is a multi-purpose area that acts as a mobility corridor and a park in the Junction Triangle. Metrolinx is building a new track for the Kitchener GO line, and to make space for it, it's closing parts of the railpath and moving it over. The construction also includes a new entrance to Bloor GO station and a park. One portion of the construction between Bloor Street W. and Perth Avenue is already a year and a half past its original deadline. "Metrolinx has rarely communicated clearly with residents about reasons for prolonged closures," Bravo told CBC Toronto. "It's really crucial that as a public agency that it is here to serve the community, that there's an upholding of responsibility, transparency and accountability and timely communication. It's something that we expect and we deserve." As of July 10, Bravo said Metrolinx had not responded to her letter and questions surrounding upcoming construction. Delays and future closures Part of the trail near Perth Avenue has been closed since January 2023, but it was due to open more than a year ago. Another section from Wallace Avenue to Ernest Avenue was fenced off last July, and construction there was only supposed to last 10 weeks. Instead, it took about a year, and the path only recently reopened. With more closures on the horizon, including one from Perth Avenue to Dundas Street W. this summer, there's reason to be concerned, Bravo said. "What we need to know is: A closure begins on this date. It's anticipated to last this many weeks or months — with an end date." Many residents in the area who use the trail are growing impatient and frustrated, says Scott Dobson, a Junction Triangle resident and a member of the Friends of West Toronto Railpath, a volunteer-based organization that promotes the trail and its expansion. "It connects people, it connects communities, it brings people to and from local businesses, and so the bar for taking it out of commission has to be really high and as short as possible, and that's not what's happened here," Dobson said. "It feels to the community very ongoing and never-ending." In a statement to CBC Toronto, Metrolinx didn't provide an opening date for closed portions of the railpath, but said, "We will keep the community and key stakeholders informed with timely updates as we continue our work." Customers and residents impacted The current West Toronto Railpath runs 2.1-kilometres north-south, from the Junction neighbourhood to Dundas Street West at Sterling Road. Construction of a future extension is also scheduled to start this year, connecting the existing paved trail south from Dundas Street W. at Sterling Road to Abell and Sudbury streets. WATCH | Some councillors question growing cost of railpath extension: Questions swirl over ballooning price tag to build 2-km trail 11 months ago Duration 2:45 Some Toronto councillors want the city to rethink plans to extend a multi-use trail in the west end due to its ballooning price tag. The West Toronto Railpath Extension was expected to cost $23 million in 2016. Now, the city will have to put up over $100 million to get it done. CBC's Naama Weingarten has more. Corridor closures mean people are having to navigate inconvenient and confusing detours on top of losing a cherished gathering place, Dobson said. "The ironic thing is that the closures of the railpath have actually made it harder for people to get to the train station… in a weird way, like they're actually impacting their own customers," he said. Sagal Ali, who lives beside the UP Express and used to walk the trail to get to work, calls the drawn-out blockades annoying. "It's so inconvenient… It's going to be OK after they finish, but they never tell [us] when this is gonna be over, so that's my only frustration." Many residents agree that the projects to improve transit and the Bloor GO station are important, but they want Metrolinx to do better, Bravo said.