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New rail trail will give hikers and bikers two more kilometres to explore

August 27, 2026   ·   0 Comments

Hikers, runners and cyclists in Orangeville will soon have a fresh two-kilometre stretch of trail to explore, as phase two of the Rail Trail nears completion between Broadway and Town Line.

The new section will feature a stone dust surface built to handle regular foot and bike traffic, along with feature trailheads at both the Broadway and Town Line ends for trail users to gather or take a break, said Jaden Ingram, the town’s project manager of stormwater for Capital Works.

Bench rest areas and bicycle repair stations will be placed throughout the route to give walkers and riders spots to stop and fix up along the way.

“We have a lot of active people in the community, a lot of dog walkers,” said Ingram. “I think a lot of people are excited to see this project get completed.”

The build-out clears away old railway infrastructure — including hydro poles and utility boxes — to make room for the trail, which picks up where phase one left off. That earlier stretch ran from Veterans Way to Blind Line. The project also includes rehabilitating a stretch of Mill Creek between Dawson Road and Bythia Street, along with planting trees and naturalizing areas along the route.

The trail is reserved strictly for human-powered activity, with no e-bikes or other motorized vehicles permitted, keeping it geared toward walkers, runners and traditional cyclists. Ingram said the project is about giving the town’s active community more room to move, and it’s already generating buzz among residents who use the trail network regularly.

“It’s to promote active transportation in the town — it just better connects the town, and it’s for recreational use,’ Ingram said.

Trail users should note there’s no winter maintenance currently planned for the route.

The new stretch also has bigger ambitions: it’s meant to be a key link in Orangeville’s broader trail network, eventually stretching from Veterans Way to the train yard near Broadway, right past the town’s transit hub. Ingram said the Town of Caledon is looking at expanding its own trail system as well, with an eye toward eventually connecting to Orangeville’s trail near the train station — opening the door to longer treks between the two communities down the road.

Derek Currie, the town’s manager of Capital Works, said the trail is an important part of Orangeville’s connectivity and is a major part of the town’s active transportation plan.

Construction on phase two is expected to wrap up by the first or second week of November, with the exact opening date depending on weather conditions.

Phase one, which ran from Veterans Way to Blind Line, cost approximately $765,000, while phase two, running from Town Line to Broadway, is expected to cost approximately $900,000.

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