The Mid Humber Gap is a critical barrier to establishing a continuous multi-use trail system along the Humber River Trail (HRT). It poses a major discontinuity in the future Loop Trail, a planned 65 km off-road, multi-use ring that will connect multiple ravines, neighbourhoods, and trail systems throughout Toronto. Currently, trail users are forced to detour along busy local roads that lack designated cycling infrastructure and are not fully accessible, creating significant safety concerns. This project aims to address these issues by completing the gap, enhancing connectivity and accessibility, and aligning with key city plans, including Toronto’s Cycling Network Plan, Ravine Strategy, and the Toronto and Region Conservation Authority (TRCA) Trail Strategy.

As part of this project, a preferred route has been identified through the Municipal Class Environmental Assessment (MCEA) process to establish a complete trail connection between Mallaby Park and Crawford-Jones Memorial Park. This connection is essential for realizing the vision of a safe, accessible, and continuous trail system from Toronto’s northwest boundary to Lake Ontario. The project is also one of 26 multi-use trail projects identified in the Bikeway Trails Implementation Plan, adopted by Toronto City Council in 2012, and was highlighted as a near-term priority in the 2019 and 2021 Cycling Network Plan Updates.

The trail alignment begins in Crawford-Jones Memorial Park, crossing the Humber River via a new pedestrian-cycle bridge. The trail then continues along the west bank of the Humber River through property owned by the Weston Golf and Country Club (WGCC). This alignment closely follows the preliminary Concept 1 full-in-valley design, taking advantage of relatively flat topography and offering an optimal route. A second pedestrian-cycle bridge will be constructed upstream near an irrigation pond, providing a vital crossing to land owned by a private land trust on the east bank of the Humber River.

A new paved trail through the land trust property will link to the existing HRT in Mallaby Park, completing the connection. This project, defined as an 800 m gap near Weston Road and St. Phillips Road, is critical to ensuring the continuity of the HRT and supporting the broader vision for the Loop Trail, ultimately providing a safe, fully accessible route for pedestrians and cyclists across the City of Toronto.