The Town of Ajax has decided to join the Shared Services Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to complete the preliminary design for the ambitious Meadoway project stretching from Oshawa to Pickering.
In an early February report, the town had said: “This project supports the town’s broad sustainability goals, including increasing pollinator habitats, wetland restoration, and tree canopy expansion. It complements existing trail infrastructure and would align with the existing cycling network. Its implementation would also include a consistent strategy for public art, trailhead access and wayfinding signage throughout the project, including connections to the Trans Canada Trail.”
At that time, Ajax had said the town’s financial contribution was at $119,292.
Then, Pickering reported that Ajax had withdrawn from the MoU.
The City of Pickering’s May 4 Executive Committee report on the MoU (see below) was written when the Town of Ajax was not going to enter it, said a town statement. “However, since the May 4 Pickering report was prepared, the Town of Ajax passed a council resolution which entered them into the MOU.”
The council directed staff to participate in the Durham Meadoway Preliminary Design Study in accordance with the MoU.
Ajax Share at $119,292
The Town of Ajax’s financial contribution of $119,292 to Durham Region will be funded from Development Charges and Development Reserve and costs be allocated to relevant capital projects, the council directed.
Ajax’s contribution is based on the proportional length of the Meadoway within its boundaries, recognizing that much of the road infrastructure is already in place along Taunton Road.
The Durham Meadoway Project
The Durham Meadoway Project is a proposal to implement a regional active transportation corridor and linear park extending from the City of Oshawa through to Rouge National Urban Park at the Pickering–Toronto boundary.
In Ajax, the Meadoway, as proposed, would run adjacent to Taunton Road from the eastern border with Whitby to Westney Road, at which point it would follow the hydro corridor southwest through Paulynn Park including a portion along the Trans Canada Trail, to the Pickering border.
The Regional Council endorsed the Durham Meadoway Visioning Study in June 2024, and Region of Durham staff are proceeding with preliminary design work to advance the multi-use path and identify locations for gateways, amenities, and other features along the route.
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