The City of Cornwall has completed accessibility upgrades to several key sections of the Riverside Trail, improving the waterfront route for local cyclists and pedestrians. As of May 2026, crews have finished laying new asphalt between the Cornwall Canal and St. Lawrence River in the west end, on a section just east of Brookdale Road, and along the eastern stretch from Gray’s Creek to Glen Stor Dun Lodge, where a retaining wall was also replaced.
The 23-kilometre Riverside Trail serves as a major piece of the city’s active transportation network, which currently includes over 62 kilometres of off-street paths and 42 kilometres of dedicated bike lanes. These paths provide essential links to local landmarks such as Lamoureux Park, the Civic Complex, the Aquatic Centre, and the Benson Centre. The trail is also a featured component of the wider Great Lakes Waterfront Trail, a 3,000-kilometre path that connects 140 communities across the region.
These latest improvements are supported by the City of Cornwall Recreation, Culture and Tourism Department, which maintains an annual budget for infrastructure repairs and regular trail inspections. The city’s commitment to walking and cycling has earned it a Silver-level status from the Share the Road Cycling Coalition, an honour that highlights local efforts to improve safety and accessibility over the last several years. The path network continues to grow through long-term planning, such as the 2010 Bicycle and Pedestrian Master Plan, and past investments like the 2022 lighting upgrades in Lamoureux Park funded by the Federal Economic Development Agency for Southern Ontario.
Beyond local recreation, the trail plays a role in the broader regional economy. Destination Canada has included Cornwall in the Ottawa-Montreal-Cornwall Cycling Corridor, a tourism marketing initiative designed to promote the area to visitors. By maintaining these paths, the city aims to provide accessible transportation options that support both daily commutes and outdoor tourism.
