The grassy stretch of Hydro Corridor is seven hectares and runs from Islington east to Royal York Road.
City officials are working to create a park with paved trails on a seven hectare grassy strip of Hydro One corridor that runs between Islington Avenue east to Royal York Road.
The 60-metre-wide corridor splits into two parcels at the eastern end, near Royal York, and is used for recreational purposes by the community.
Staff is examining if an East West Hydro Corridor Linear Park can be built with a paved three-metre all-purpose trail from Islington to Royal York, according to a report by the Parks and Recreation Dept.
Also being considered for possible use is dogs off-leash spaces, allotment garden opportunities, or picnic areas. The plan has to be approved by City Council and there has to be a public consultation process.
City staff are also looking at creating gardens, dog parks or picnic areas in the Linear Park.
“This small corridor currently provides informal pedestrian connections visible through a network of well-worn foot paths,” according to the report. “Many of the private residential rear-yard fences backing onto the corridor have gates for easy access to enjoy this quiet greenspace.”
The grounds are filled with green grass, trees and other shrubbery. The corridor houses two sets of Hydro One transmission lines in the centre of the greenspace and two Toronto Hydro transmission lines on wooden poles along the northern and southern edges.
The funds to build the park is expected to come from an Etobicoke Community Benefit $2.9 million fund.
The City of Toronto leases about 485 hectares, or 1,200 acres, of Hydro One corridors from Infrastructure Ontario for recreation purposes across the city. The lands support a network of multi-use trails and a variety of recreational uses as well as meadow re-naturalization projects.
A three-metre paved trail will link Islington to Royal York Road.
There are 13 of the corridors in Toronto, mostly dominated by high-voltage hydro transmission towers, but occasionally sharing space for oil or gas pipelines. They stretch a total length of 160 kilometres and covers an area of almost 1,400 hectares.
The project will require environmental and archaeological investigations, community consultation and full detailed plans, according to the City. Once formally approved by Hydro One, these lands will be added to the Master License Agreement and construction can occur.