The WE Check the Trails feedback form can be used to report and rate the accessibility and conditions of designated local trails. The public's assistance is needed to make this program a success. The form includes a button for geo-location, so users can pinpoint which trail they are using.
WE Check the Trails is a community engagement exercise, born out of the concept of inclusivity and access for all. The Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee and the County of Essex have implemented a data collection tool members of the community can use to report on features, conditions and issues that may impact the overall accessibility of local public trails. This information will be reviewed by the project team and reported to those who are responsible for the trails.
Phase 1 of We Check the Trails was a partnership with the Essex Region Conservation Authority (ERCA) and the trails that fall under their domain. Phase 2 expanded WE Check the Trails to include a cycle track connecting Kingsville and Leamington. Phase 3 incorporates the multi-use paths and bike lanes along County Road 2 in Lakeshore. All three locations are part of the County Wide Active Transportation (CWATS) network
Phase 1: ERCA greenways
We are fortunate to have more than 80 kilometres of connected, safe, off-road greenway trails overseen by ERCA. These include the Chrysler Canada Greenway, the Cypher Systems Group Greenway and the Rotary (1918) Centennial Hub. These trails were designed for multiple uses, including hiking, cycling, nature observation and, in some areas, horseback riding. The trail surface of tightly packed limestone screening is designed to meet provincial accessibility standards while also meeting the requirements of environmental sustainability and reduced carbon emissions.
Phase 2: CWATS cycle track
County Road 20 (Seacliff Drive) is a critical link that runs parallel to the shore of Lake Erie to connect the Town of Kingsville and Municipality of Leamington. In 2019, the County of Essex completed construction of six-kilometre, one-way cycle tracks along both sides County Road 20 through Kingsville and Leamington. These raised cycle tracks are adjacent to and vertically separated from the roadway with mounted curbs. They start at Dimenna Drive in Kingsville and ends at Sherk Street in Leamington.
Phase 3: CWATS multi-use path and bike lanes
Paved shoulders along County Road 2 (Old Tecumseh Road) between East Pike Creek Road and the roundabout at County Road 22 in Lakeshore include multi-use pathways for pedestrians and bike lanes for cyclists.
Help the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee assess the overall accessibility of these trails and active transportation routes:
WE Check the Trails feedback form
Below is a column about the WE Check the Trails project written when it launched in 2021 by Christine Easterbrook, who was chair of the Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee at the time:
How much time have you spent going for outings on trails and pathways in Windsor and Essex County in the last year?
Many local residents have been walking or riding outdoors close to home for hours in the past year. These are among the few recreational activities we can safely do during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Our trails and pathways have been important to everyone’s health and well-being, including those with accessibility challenges.
The Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee decided this is a perfect time to launch a project that will help us find out who is using our trails and what we can do to make them more accessible.
It’s called WE Check the Trails.
We want our outdoor spaces to be inclusive and accessible to all. WE Check the Trails is a way to engage the community to help this happen.
We are partnering with the County of Essex and the Essex Region Conservation Authority for Phase 1 of our project, which focuses on the Greenway trails. These trails are managed by the conservation authority and we are grateful for its involvement in our project.
With its support, we are providing members of the public with an online form they can fill out to report issues on the trails and point out barriers to access.
The WE Check the Trails project will provide ERCA with data and information it can use to assess and maintain the trails.
The conservation authority has more than 80 kilometres of connected, safe, off-road greenway trails. These include the Chrysler Canada Greenway, the Cypher Systems Group Greenway and the Rotary (1918) Centennial Hub.
These trails were designed for uses that include hiking, cycling, nature observation and, in some areas, horseback riding. The trail surface of tightly packed limestone screening is designed to meet provincial accessibility standards, as well as be environmentally sustainable.
But accessibility is often more complex than people who don’t have challenges can imagine. That is why we want everyone to look at these wonderful trails from that perspective.
We want them to answer questions like: How would someone using a wheelchair enjoy this trail? Would someone with a visual impairment feel safe walking here? Could this trail be used by someone with a chronic health issue and needs to rest after walking a short distance? Can someone who needs frequent access to a washroom walk here?
Here are some examples of other things we need trail users to look for:
- Is the trail wide enough for someone using a mobility aid?
- Are there any physical barriers, such as tree branches and roots, on the trail?
- Are there potholes or crevices where someone could fall or get stuck?
- Are there railings where the edge of the trail drops off?
- Are there shaded areas to get out of the sun?
In 2017, 22 per cent of Canadians over the age of 15 had one or more disabilities, according to Statistics Canada. Ten per cent had a disability that impaired their mobility. This doesn’t include children under 15. Nor does it reflect the fact these numbers will increase as our population ages.
Visiting trails and green spaces is just as vital to the health of those with disabilities as those without. They are public spaces where we should all have equal access – now and in the future.
Involving the community in making sure these trails are accessible helps ensure we are doing more than just meeting the legal requirements. We can address these issues if we know about them and the best people to tell us are the trail users.
There is no better time to start than during National AccessAbility Week, which runs from May 30 to June 5.
The Essex County Accessibility Advisory Committee is committed to ensuring our buildings, services and programs are accessible to all residents. We are continually working to identify accessibility barriers to remove them.
The WE Check the Trails project gives all residents of Windsor-Essex a way to help us and the conservation authority. We want to expand this service to other community partners in the future.
We hope everyone enjoys the outdoors this summer and takes us up on our invitation to “check the trails.”
