Crosstown Trail Meadow Pilot Project – Preconstruction Monitoring Underway

In 2024, Council approved a pilot project to transform a section of the Crosstown Trail, between Guelph Line and Fisher Avenue into a vibrant, low-lying meadow habitat to enhance biodiversity, support pollinators, and improve the natural beauty of the space.

While this initiative has received Council approval, additional approvals from Burlington Hydro and Infrastructure Ontario are required before implementation.

Conservation Halton is currently carrying out preconstruction monitoring along the trail. This passive monitoring is focused on tracking existing plants, insects, birds, mammals, pollinators, and bats. During this time, the grass and plants are being left unmown. This is only temporary. Once the monitoring is complete, the area will be mowed back down and maintained on its usual schedule until the project receives all remaining approvals. The preconstruction monitoring is expected to be wrapped up by the end of September, 2025.

This monitoring work is an important step in ensuring that the City of Burlington and Conservation Halton can establish a baseline of current ecological conditions to determine the feasibility of converting the area into a low-lying meadow habitat.