The Municipality of Trent Hills, located in Northumberland County, Ontario partnered with CIMA+ to develop its Active Transportation and Trails Master Plan, a long-term strategy designed to improve mobility, recreation and connectivity for residents and visitors of all ages and abilities. The project’s primary objective was to create an integrated, sustainable network of active transportation and trail facilities that would encourage walking, cycling and other forms of active travel, contributing to community health, environmental sustainability and economic vitality.
Designing a blueprint for active living
CIMA+ led the planning process, including public and stakeholder engagement, active transportation and trails planning and network development, feasibility analysis, and development of supportive design guidelines and standards, policies, programming and implementation guidance. Through a collaborative and iterative approach that combined technical analysis with extensive community consultation, CIMA+ helped create a practical and ambitious roadmap that reflects local priorities while positioning Trent Hills as a leader in rural active transportation and recreation planning.
The plan established a comprehensive vision and set of goals for the municipality to guide the plan and future work related to active transportation and trails. The infrastructure network outlined in the plan includes 193 km of signed cycling routes, 43 km of new trails, 10.75 km of waterway connections along the Trent-Severn system and 7.7 km of walkability improvements throughout the community. The plan also includes policies, programming initiatives, design guidelines and implementation recommendations to support safe and accessible active transportation.
A premier destination for Ontario cyclists
Uniquely, the Trent Hills master plan is centred around specific goals that both guided and are directly linked to the project and recommendations within the plan. For instance, the goal to “make Trent Hills a premier destination for touring cycling within Ontario” is supported by recommendations for rural touring cycling projects, recommended gravel routes and intermunicipal connections through Campbellford, Hastings and Warkworth. The project also incorporates cycling network recommendations in urbanized village and hamlet areas, along with new off-road trails, upgrades to the existing Trans Canada Trail, and numerous other walking and multimodal improvements.
These recommendations evolved based on input from the community and key stakeholders, building on previous work by Northumberland County to establish cycling routes and on an active local cycling community. They also came about through a comprehensive analysis of municipal roadways that identified which had the lowest vehicle volumes and speeds, and provide access to key destinations and scenic landscapes, and thus would be most appropriate for shared cycling use.
In all, this forward-thinking active transportation project demonstrates how rural communities can lead in sustainable mobility and recreation planning, setting a precedent for other municipalities across Ontario and beyond.