Work is expected to begin in early June on the first phase of preserving and rehabilitating the Upper Canada Heritage Trail in Niagara-on-the-Lake.

The section of trail from John Street south to Paffard Street at Charlotte Street is the first segment that will be improved, the town’s heritage trail committee announced this week.

The three-metre-wide trail will have a fine, crushed stone surface. The project is expected to take four weeks to complete, depending on the weather.

In 2019, the committee was formed to preserve and rehabilitate the trail along the old rail line, which follows the historic Erie and Ontario Railroad along Concession 1. This was one of the first railroads in the province and was used for over 100 years.

The committee’s objective is to incorporate the Heritage Trail as an integral part of the active transportation system in Niagara-on-the-Lake, connecting communities and offering a multi-use trail for residents, the town said in a news release.

Thanks to generous donations from local “trail blazers,” the committee can afford to start the work now.

Many of the donations have come from supporters in town and from people whose homes back on to the trail, the committee said.

“Thank you to everyone who has generously donated toward this trail rehabilitation,” stated Lord Mayor Betty Disero.

“I’m so proud of our residents and community partners for valuing transportation connectivity and taking pride in the heritage legacy of this town. A big thank you to the heritage trail committee members for their dedication to this project. A job well done.”

The committee, a group of dedicated volunteers, hopes to achieve more milestones that will continue to raise awareness of the trail and sustain its maintenance.

Visit www.heritagetrail.ca for a list of donors.