(08-17-2016, 06:40 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: This is a problem that can be solved technically fairly easily, with some creativity.
I don't think anyone doubts that. From an infrastructure standpoint, it's dead easy. The point I'm making is that what seems easy to us, isn't, because of all the red tape and rules and regulations on the "other side" that forbids things like this for reasons that are not apparent to us, as armchair civil engineers and city planners.
(08-17-2016, 06:40 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: In the event bureaucrats (Transport Canada) get in the way, officially have the trail detour to the path immediately north of the parking garage from King to the laneway. In any case, install an excellent crossing of King St. right at the tracks.
I can't imagine that the Region would actually undertake any form of construction or upgrading of the path here to turn it into a "non-official trail" and somehow try to lie to Transport Canada that "No no, it's not really a trail! Honest!".
(08-17-2016, 06:40 PM)ijmorlan Wrote: One more comment: the Laurel Trail officially runs/ran next to the tracks between King and Regina. It was cleared of snow right up to and including last Winter and was shown as a trail on the City's map. I don’t see why the slight route adjustment being done now needs to interfere with the routing of the trail. I assume this was done in the 80s or early 90s and was apparently fine at the time so it should be allowed to continue, especially now that the spur line will be getting precisely no traffic at all except in the early morning hours. I find it hard to believe that even the paranoids at Transport Canada would have a problem with this.
That's really interesting that it was officially through that gap until recently. I think that's pretty telling of what's happened here - that this path flew under TC's radar for many years, and only with the Rapid Transit project coming along bringing it to light.
With regard to the second bolded statement - I absolutely do believe that they will have a problem with it. My guess (since we're all only guessing, right now) is that the rules and laws probably work in such a way that "if you touch it, it's now going to have to follow the new rules". "If you leave it alone, it can stay as it was, grandfathered in." Because there was work on the tracks around there, it's possible that TC rained down on them and said "This whole trail situation can't happen anymore."
Think of it this way: Look at all the fencing along the Waterloo Spur. It's there because of the same one freight train at night that goes through that gap in the buildings between Regina and King. So, if it was ok to have people walking along the tracks there, why on Earth would TC require all these fences along the spur? It doesn't add up.