CN Rail Crossing at Camden Road - Image from Google Maps, 2009
After direction from council, the Town of Greater Napanee has published background information and a timeline on the former CN Spur Line as it considers the land’s future.
The rail line, which has a 15-year history in the town, was purchased from CN for $1 and surveyed at a cost of about $40,000. It includes public and private portions and runs from Dairy Avenue to the boundary with Stone Mills.
In 2023, an unsolicited offer to purchase a 2.5-kilometre section north of the 401 prompted a public meeting and the creation of the Ad Hoc Committee on Trails. The committee recommended prioritizing in-Town trail development, exploring alternative routes north of the 401, closing the CN Rail Bridge over the 401 to public access, and forming a multi-jurisdictional working group for connections to the Cataraqui Trail.
The Town has declared the Spur Line surplus and included funds in the 2026 budget for in-Town trails. No decision has been made yet on the north-of-401 section.
Full timeline details are available on the town’s website.
Written by Emily Chatwood
