A long-planned extension of Peterborough’s Little Lake Loop is moving forward with more than $6.5 million in federal, municipal, and community funding for a new 1.15-kilometre section along Crescent and Haggart streets.
Peterborough MP Emma Harrison joined Peterborough mayor Jeff Leal on Tuesday morning (September 29) in front of the Art Gallery of Peterborough to announce the funding.
The federal government is contributing $3,914,203 through its Active Transportation Fund while the City of Peterborough is providing $2,534,469. The Survivors Abreast Peterborough Dragon Boat Team, which hosts the annual Peterborough’s Dragon Boat Festival on Little Lake, is donating $75,000.
The funding announcement came one day after Peterborough city council gave final approval to the concept plan for the Otonabee River Trail and Shoreline Improvement Project and authorized city staff to complete detailed design and prepare tender-ready contract documents.
The city currently estimates the project will cost $7 million, although that is a preliminary figure that will be refined through detailed design. City staff had applied for federal Active Transportation Fund support that could cover up to 60 per cent of eligible active transportation construction costs.
The project will extend the existing 2.34-kilometre Little Lake Loop by another 1.15 kilometres. The new section will include 250 metres of lakeside pedestrian paths, 600 metres of two-way cycle tracks, 860 metres of sidewalk, and 350 metres of multi-use paths.
Plans also include a “woonerf” — a street designed as a shared space for pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles — along with landscaping and plantings, shade structures, and seating areas.
“The Little Lake Loop is part of a long-term vision that will help make Peterborough a more connected, active, and beautiful place to live,” MP Harrison said in a media release.
“I am grateful for the federal government’s support for multi-use trails across the country, which strengthens communities and improves people’s lives. I’m pleased to see funding support this important project for Peterborough — a project residents have long advocated for and care deeply about.”
The Little Lake Loop has been contemplated for years as part of the city’s plans for its waterfront.
The 2010 Little Lake Master Plan, which was intended to guide city activities and investment around Little Lake over 20 years, identified completing a continuous waterside trail for pedestrians and cyclists as one of its guiding principles. The plan noted there were already only a few breaks in the trail system around Little Lake and the Otonabee River.
The current project is focused on the Crescent Street corridor between Haggart Street and the entrance to Del Crary Park.
When the city began public consultation on the Otonabee River Trail and Shoreline Improvement Project in May 2025, it described the project as the first phase of the broader Little Lake Loop and a key objective of both the Central Area Master Plan and Little Lake Master Plan.
At that time, the city identified possible improvements including active transportation infrastructure, shoreline erosion protection and naturalization, improvements to aquatic habitat and native planting, better recreational access to Little Lake, traffic calming, and enhanced public gathering spaces.
On Monday night, city council met for the last time before the October 26 municipal election and approved the concept plan for the Otonabee River Trail and Shoreline Improvement Project, authorizing the city to complete detailed design and prepare tender-ready contract documents for the project.
The concept plan approved by council will see Crescent Street between Lake and Haggart streets reconstructed with a south-and-eastbound one-way vehicle lane, a two-way cycle track, new sidewalks, dedicated parking areas, a gathering space at the T-Warf, and improvements to public space and shoreline features.
“Completing another segment of the Little Lake Loop is an important step toward creating a more connected and accessible trail network in Peterborough,” Mayor Leal said during Tuesday’s announcement.
“This investment will provide more opportunities for residents and visitors to walk, cycle and enjoy the natural beauty of Little Lake, while connecting people to our parks, businesses and tourism destinations. We’re pleased to see this vision continue to take shape and to invest in infrastructure that will serve our community for years to come.”
The federal funding is being provided through the Active Transportation Fund, which supports new and expanded pathways, sidewalks, bike lanes, trails, and other infrastructure intended to encourage walking, cycling, and other forms of active transportation.
The September 29 announcement follows an earlier Active Transportation Fund investment announced in 2023 for improvements to Peterborough’s Rotary Greenway Trail.
Federal funding for the Little Lake Loop project is conditional on the signing of a contribution agreement.
