Soper Creek Trail extension in Bowmanville now complete

The newly paved and extended Soper Creek Trail in Bowmanville is finally complete, with residents now able to take in the beauty of the Soper Creek Valley on a 3.3 km asphalt trail that follows the natural lay of the land.

Crews wrapped up the final phase of the Soper Creek Trail extension last week, work that added 650 metres to connect the trail to Mearns Avenue, just past Cotton Street.

The path features newly installed amenities like benches and waste receptacles. Mature trees, shrubs and plants line the scenic trail and offer views of the creek.

Clarington announced the third and final extension of the Soper Creek Trail last year, with the goal of the project to maintain as much existing mature vegetation and natural creek valley landscape as possible while maintaining a safe setback from the Soper Creek watercourse.

The project included:

• Construction of a three-metre-wide paved asphalt trail
• Installation of a chain link fence to provide a safety barrier from the existing creek retaining wall
• Construction of swales, ditches, and culverts to allow continued drainage across the valley lands
• Planting vegetation to compensate for any vegetation that was removed
• Installation of benches and waste receptacles

Recreational trails were identified as a priority for residents under Clarington’s Parks, Recreation and Culture Master Plan and the Soper Creek Valley project is part of the municipality’s 2024-2027 Strategic Plan to help create a ‘connected’ community.

There are now approximately 50 kilometres of asphalt, gravel and natural recreational trails in Clarington.