Cataraqui Trail survey

Nov 03, 2021

The Friends of the Cataraqui Trail presented their annual users survey to South Frontenac Council on Tuesday night (November 2)

The survey was circulated over the summer and garnered 308 responses, 111 (35%) of them from South Frontenac residents. Residents of Leeds Grenville, and Lennox and Addington were also well represented. with 60 and 51 respondents respectively. The largest demographic represented were the over 51-year old crowd, at almost 60%.

Most of the responses 60% came from people who use the trail daily or weekly, and most of them are primarily hikers, although cyclists were well represented as well.

The common theme among trail users was the love of the trail.

Most of the trail users from South Frontenac said that the South Frontenac section of the trail needs the most improvement, and resurfacing and mowing and trimming are the improvements that residents identified the most.

The locations that were prioritised for resurfacing, in descending order, were the 3km section from Loughborough to Portland Road, a 5.2 kilometre section from Botting Road to McFadden Road, the 2.1 km. section from Norway Road to Perth Road, and finally the 17.8 km. section from East of Perth Road to the Township boundary.

The mowing request for council was based on tick concerns mostly. Other respondents would like to see the speed limit on Perth Road north and south of the trail lowered to 60 from 80., and more parking at access points. Requests for amenities include more garbage cans, especially around Sydenham, more frequent entering of garbage cans in Harrowsmith, and more benches or washrooms.

Among expanded uses, survey responses were looking for the trail to be paved near high population areas in order to encourage baby stroller, roller blade and skateboard use.