The City of Hamilton Trails Master Plan is a comprehensive document which prescribes a multi-use, off-road recreational trail system throughout the City of Hamilton. This system links both current and proposed off-street as well as on-street systems into a fully integrated, City-wide system. This document is intended to guide trail systems, development and management throughout the City from the present into the future, providing clear direction and decision-making capabilities. The intent is to create a multi-purpose system that serves the broadest possible range of users.
The Mission Statement of the Hamilton Recreational Trails Master Plan includes the vision to use trails as a means to connect recreational, employment, commercial and institutional uses. This statement reflects the City’s mission statement “Vision 2020”, “Our transportation system improves community health by reducing the need for automobile use and making it easy and attractive to walk, cycle, skateboard or roller-blade”. The Hamilton Trails Master Plan is well suited to meet the City of Hamilton’s challenge to improve the community’s quality of life by providing opportunities to participate in outdoor fitness and recreation, helping the City meet it’s corporate goal of creating a “healthy, safe and green City”.
Landscape architects provided collaborative leadership in the preparation of this Master Plan. Staff landscape architects at the City of Hamilton worked closely with the consultant team throughout the project to ensure a comprehensive level of detail. The second important component of the preparation of the Master Plan was the extensive field work carried out by the landscape architect in collaboration with the plant ecologist. The third major area of collaboration was between the landscape architect and the environmental planner, who co-authored the report.
