WHAT'S GOING ON HERE? $360K investment in rail trail connecting East Gwillimbury, Georgina

Sutton Hill/Zephyr Rail Trail purchased by York Region, connecting East Gwillimbury, Georgina

Yorkregion.com
April 17, 2023
Amanda Persico

The Region of York purchased the historical Sutton Hill/Zephyr Rail Trial from Infrastructure Ontario for about $360,000. The trail is part of the region’s trail network connecting Georgina and East Gwillimbury.

JUST THE FACTS

• The Sutton Hill/Zephyr Rail Trail stretches about 13 kilometres from Baseline Road in Sutton to the northern edge of the Zephyr Forest Tract, north of Holborn Road in East Gwillimbury.
• The region is taking the lead on long-term trial rehabilitation projects while the towns would be responsible for day-to-day trail maintenance.
• The region is assessing the trail to identify future construction works, which includes trial rehabilitation, clearing debris, trail surface improvements, updated signage, marking road/trail crossings and rehabilitating the three bridges along the trail.
• Improvements to the bridge south of Catering Road are estimated to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million and another $500,000 for the surface improvements on the bridge south of Baldwin Road, both in Georgina.
• A new bridge is required between Ravenshoe and Holborn roads in East Gwillimbury, which is estimated to cost between $1 million and $1.5 million.
• The trail remains open while improvements are made to the trail surface and improvements will be done in phases over the next three to five years.