I live on the south side of the street. The houses cast shade on the sidewalk all winter. The sidewalks were built in the “roller coaster” style with “crazy kitchen”-style tilts. The results are known. Always icy. Always slippery. Frequently puddled. High snowbanks that cave back in onto the walkway.
Best to be avoided.
What a joy it is to walk on the Trillium Pathway. The city deserves great kudos for keeping it very well-plowed, to its full width.
Sometimes the plows really move at a good clip, which throws the snow further back off the path. I watched a plow the other day “tidying-up” the path by just knocking the pile of snow along the path a few feet further back.
On my walk, I only saw two cyclists, but the pedestrians! Hordes of them! Students heading to the Carling Station. Elderly folks out for a “walk”. Dog walkers too. A father with a baby stroller, and I subsequently noticed he had another sprout in his backpack. Two elderly gents, hands waving wildly to add emphasis to their conversation.
I had walked the length of Preston going southbound to go to my dentist. For the return trip, I chose the Trillium pathway thinking it would be quieter than Preston. Fewer cars, for sure. Fewer intersections. And way more people. And birds chirping. And squirrels. Rabbit tracks!
Last year I saw a swooping owl around 9 at night.
Ahh, life in the City.
That path is great. I will bike it today and see if it is open at the Ottawa river or if it unceremoniously ends with unplowed pathway along the river.
The path is kept snowy from Bayview to the Ottawa River to allow skiers to access the SJAM Winter Trail along the river.
Fyi Eric, you live on the south side.
It was well worth the pressure we put on to get and keep that pathway cleared of snow several years ago. It only made sense. Until then it was a three season path and certainly not as usable in winter. Glad you wrote about it. Lots of people I know use and recommend it and it’s one of my favourite ones too. We rediscovered the Pinecrest Creek path on Sunday since we were out that way. It suddenly seems to end at the ramp leading down from Carling Avenue to the parkway since it isn’t plowed. So great! except for winter. The Trillium path is a gem alright. Don’t get me started on the wavy sidewalks.
Where is this path? Is this the one behind City Centre that is parallel to Preston? Thank you!
Yes, access is from Bayview Station, south side of City Centre Bldg, Somerset, Gladstone, Beech, Hickory, Carling.