Walter Bean Grand River Trail
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{{Short description|Trail in Ontario}}
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{{Infobox hiking trail
| name = Walter Bean Grand River Trail
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| photo = File:Walter Bean Grand River Trail June 2021.jpg
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| photo_alt = Paved path through a wooded area by a river.
| caption = The Walter Bean Grand River Trail in Waterloo, Ontario
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| length_km = 76
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- Walking
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| difficulty = Moderate{{Cite web |title=Walter Bean Grand River Trail |url=https://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/index.php?url=trails/view/walter-bean-grand-river-trail |access-date=22 May 2021 |publisher=Ontario Trails Council}}
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| surface = Gravel / asphalt
| ROW = Public roadways (partial)
| maintainer = Local municipalities
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The Walter Bean Grand River Trail (also sometimes shortened as the Walter Bean Trail) is a {{convert|76|km|adj=on}}{{Cite book |last=Arial |first=Tracey |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/57339561 |title=Hiking in Ontario |date=2005 |publisher=Éditions Ulysse |isbn=2-89464-683-6 |edition=2 |location=Montréal |pages=113 |oclc=57339561}} multi-use trail that runs along the Grand River in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo, Ontario, Canada. The trail runs through the cities of Cambridge, Kitchener and Waterloo and is owned and maintained by the cities.{{Cite web |date=2021-01-25 |title=Other trails |url=https://www.grandriver.ca/en/outdoor-recreation/Other-trails.aspx |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=www.grandriver.ca |language=en}} It is considered part of the larger Grand Valley Trail, a {{convert|250|km|adj=on}} route that runs along much of the length of the river.{{Cite web |title=Grand Valley Trail |url=https://www.gvta.on.ca/Grand-Valley-Trail.htm |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=Grand Valley Trails Association}} A section of the trail is labelled the Economical Insurance Trailway, spanning from the Waterloo city limits in the north to the start of the Cambridge city limits in the south.{{Cite web |last=Brace |first=Courtney |date=2020-08-04 |title=Economical Insurance Trailway on the Walter Bean Grand River Trail |url=https://www.chymfm.com/2020/08/04/economic-insurance-trailway-on-the-walter-bean-grand-river-trail/ |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=www.chymfm.com}}
Route description
File:Walter Bean Grand River Trail Donors Sign.jpg
The {{convert|76|km|adj=on}} long Walter Bean Grand River Trail runs along the Grand River. The Grand River serves as the eastern city limits for both Waterloo and northern Kitchener, so therefore the trail mostly runs on the eastern edge of both cities. The trail is between Woolwich Township and North Dumfries. A {{convert|6.2|km|adj=on}} section of the trail in Cambridge is part of the Trans Canada Trail, therefore providing access to the rest of the Trans Canada Trail.{{Cite web|date=2016-05-19|title=Explore The Great Trail of Canada|url=https://thegreattrail.ca/explore-the-map/|access-date=2021-05-28|website=The Great Trail|language=en-US}}{{r|chr}}
The route varies, either using {{convert|2|m|ftin|adj=mid|-wide}} gravel trails located on the river banks or travelling along residential roads to bypass private properties and unbuilt trail.{{Cite web |date=2021-03-14 |title=Walter Bean Grand River Trail |url=https://www.kitchener.ca/en/parks-and-trails/walter-bean-grand-river-trail.aspx |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=www.kitchener.ca |language=en}}
History
The Walter Bean Grand River Trail is named after Walter Bean, who created the idea of a continuous trail through the Waterloo Region. The project was announced in 1999.{{Cite web|date=|title=The Walter Bean Grand River Trail - Fundraising|url=http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/fundraising.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225064754/http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/fundraising.htm|archive-date=2019-02-25|access-date=2021-05-27|website=}} It was constructed in phases and by 2004 was 70 percent completed.{{Cite book |last=Veale |first=Barbara J. |url=https://www.worldcat.org/oclc/56923100 |title=Grand River, Ontario : a decade in the Canadian Heritage Rivers System : a review of The Grand Strategy |date=2004 |publisher=Grand River Conservation Authority |others=Canadian Heritage Rivers Board, Grand River Conservation Authority |isbn=1-894414-07-1 |location=Cambridge |oclc=56923100}} The basic construction cost was set to $6.4 million (U${{To USD|6.4|CAN}} million) or ${{Inflation|CA|6.4|2006}} million (U${{To USD|{{Inflation|CA|6.4|2006}}|CAN}} million) adjusted for inflation.{{Cite web |title=The Walter Bean Grand River Trail |url=http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/ |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180817113902/http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/ |archive-date=2018-08-17 |access-date=2021-05-21}} Ninety-nine percent of the total was fundraised by September 2006. After construction, the trail was further supported by donors, whom received recognition and plaques in various public spaces.{{Cite web|date=|title=The Walter Bean Grand River Trail - Donor Recognition|url=http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/recognition.htm|url-status=dead|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190225080517/http://www.walterbeantrail.ca/recognition.htm|archive-date=2019-02-25|access-date=2021-05-26|website=}} Later, the ownership and management of the trail was transferred to the cities of Waterloo, Kitchener, and Cambridge.
In June 2017, the Kitchener portion of the trail was temporarily closed due to flooding from the river.{{Cite web |date=2017-06-30 |title=Walter Bean trail closed as it awaits flood repairs |url=https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/walter-bean-trail-closed-as-it-awaits-flood-repairs-1.3484181 |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=CTV News Kitchener |language=en}} Beginning in 2020, a municipal initiative called Trail Mix, consisting of signs with QR codes linking to songs and poems, was implemented on the Walter Bean Trail.{{Cite web |last=Smith |first=Jessica |date=2021-04-19 |title=Trail Mix: Project pairs local artists with trails around Waterloo |url=https://kitchener.ctvnews.ca/trail-mix-project-pairs-local-artists-with-trails-around-waterloo-1.5393038 |access-date=2021-05-21 |website=CTV News Kitchener |language=en}}
See also
References
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External links
{{Commons cat}}
- [https://www.ontariotrails.on.ca/assets/files/pdf/Waterloo%20Trail%20Maps/Walter_Bean_Grand_River_Trail.pdf Trail map] of the Waterloo section hosted by the Ontario Trails Council
{{Waterloo, Ontario}}
{{Kitchener, Ontario}}
Category:Trails in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Category:Bike paths in the Regional Municipality of Waterloo
Category:Grand River (Ontario)
Category:Transport in Cambridge, Ontario