The Uxbridge Moraine Trail workshop will let residents and trail users help shape a long-term plan for a safer, more connected Oak Ridges route.
The Oak Ridges Trail Association and Greenbelt Foundation are holding a community workshop at the Uxbridge Senior Centre, 75 Marietta Street, from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. on Thursday, September 17.
The session is part of the trail’s first major public engagement process in more than 20 years. Organizers are asking hikers, landowners, volunteers, residents and other users to identify missing links, safety concerns and places the trail should better connect.
At about 268 kilometres, the existing route crosses the Oak Ridges Moraine from west to east. However, road sections and gaps can make it difficult to travel as one continuous journey. The broader strategy aims to establish a primarily off-road route while improving access to the protected landscape.
Feedback will guide trail priorities
Workshop participants will be asked what landscapes and experiences the trail should help people reach, where connections can be improved and what would make the network more accessible and welcoming.
The Greenbelt Foundation says the strategy also considers land access, trail infrastructure, ecological resilience, stewardship and the cultural significance of the moraine. Its longer-term work includes Indigenous participation in planning and governance, along with partnerships involving landowners, conservation organizations and municipalities.
Uxbridge has a direct role in that discussion. The township promotes itself as the Trail Capital of Canada, and sections of the moraine and its trail network are important local recreation and tourism assets.
Online participation is available
People who cannot attend in person can provide feedback through the project’s online engagement survey. The consultation period runs through October 12.
Additional workshops are scheduled in Richmond Hill on September 19 and Port Hope on September 22. Registration is appreciated but not required for the in-person sessions, according to the Oak Ridges Trail Association.
The feedback will help organizers identify a preferred trail route and priorities for future improvements. It does not mean every suggested connection has funding or approval; detailed planning, land access and implementation work would still be required.
Sources: Oak Ridges Trail Association; Greenbelt Foundation; Durham Post.
