Permanent closure of side paths near Victoria Road
Notice date: April 30, 2025
About the project
The City is permanently closing user-created paths that branch off the Speed River Trail near Victoria Road. Though the property is owned by the Grand River Conservation Authority (GRCA), the City has a maintenance agreement to maintain and operate the Speed River Trail. In line with the long-term goals for the property, the City is closing the unofficial user-created paths to:
- reduce forest habitat damage,
- protect environmentally significant lands, and
- ensure visitor safety.
With the paths closed, the forest space has a better chance of regenerating into a mixed forest over the next 20 to 40 years, as intended by the Grand River Conservation Authority and the City’s Official Plan. The forest is next to significant habitat and forms an ecologically diverse landscape. Nearby habitats include provincially significant wetlands, cool water rivers, open pollinator meadows and old growth forest.
The user-created paths in this area can cause environmental impacts, including but not limited to:
- Reduced bird nesting: travellers on the user-created paths disrupt potential bird breeding activity. Noise and activity on the paths impact bird nest site selection and development, reducing bird diversity in this forest.
- Loss of foraging area for birds and animals: path users disturb birds and animals that forage in the forest. Repeat disturbances reduce the number of animals using the habitat for foraging and is particularly disruptive to ground-foraging birds.
- Spread of invasive species through the forest: path visitors often arrive with mud on their shoes or wheels. This is often a way invasive plant seeds and root fragments spread to new locations.
- Fragmentation of plant communities: user-created paths prevent the growth of a connected underbrush layer in the forest, leaving insects, amphibians and other small animals vulnerable.
- Soil compaction and erosion: travel through the forest away from the Speed River Trail compacts and compresses the soil within the forest. Compacted soil can be more difficult for water to soak into, causing water to flow over the soil surface, increasing erosion, especially during extreme weather events and melt periods. Erosion negatively impacts the forest, river, and wetland environments in this area.
This area includes lands that are part of the Natural Heritage System in our Official Plan. A diverse and well-connected Natural Heritage System contributes to the City’s environmental, social, cultural and economic values. Protecting and restoring lands within the Natural Heritage System supports ecological functions and indigenous species while sustaining local biodiversity. These lands include areas that are designated and mapped in the Official Plan as Significant Natural Area and Restoration Area, Significant Woodlands and Cultural Woodlands, Significant Wetlands, and Regulatory Floodplain.This work to close the user-created paths also supports a safe park visitor experience. Unofficial paths can be a safety risk because they are:
- not maintained for hazards such as dead trees, exposed tree roots and hanging limbs,
- not mapped or known by emergency service providers making it difficult to find an injured person in an emergency, and
- are narrow, making picking up ticks more likely.
RS Landscape Construction is completing the path closure and forest restoration work on behalf of the City.
Restoration of forest space, late April – May 15 schedule
Focused restoration work will begin in late April and will be complete by May 15 to accommodate bird nesting season.
Pedestrian access
The main Speed River Trail will be open through the construction period. User-created paths will be marked as closed and the forest space restored.
The City appreciates your patience, understanding and co-operation during this important project. Project details and any updates will be posted on guelph.ca/construction.
For more information
For more information about the project, please contact:
Mallory Lemon, Acting General Manager
Parks, Public Services
City of Guelph
519-822-1260 extension 3560
[email protected]