The Ontario Greenway Trail is a relatively new park that was created in the Town of Ontario. This park is a unique conservation move by the town of turning something ugly into something beautiful. This land was formerly a landfill. As is the case, this land is unsuitable for any other use. However, after filling it in and venting it, it became the perfect place for a park. Have no fear of smelling garbage. If it weren’t for the strange pipes that poke out of the ground, venting it, you wouldn’t even realize that it once was a landfill.
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Trail
This park has a main trail that is about 3/4 mile long and very flat. The gravel trail has a few flower beds and benches for relaxing and bird watching. Another shorter trail (about 1/4 mile) follows the water. There are lots of flowers to be seen on the main trail, and a stroller could be easily pushed here as well. This is also a good place to run if you are so inclined.
Iron Ore Beds
There is a large elongated pond on one side of the park, with a short trail that travels down to and follows the water. This is not a natural pond but man-made one. It is an empty iron ore bed where iron was mined from the ground creating these gigantic trenches. Ontario was rich in iron ore in the 1800s, and there are a number of these “long ponds” in this area of Ontario. Casey Park is home to another one of these
These ponds are excellent for fishing and a good place to relax in the shade on a hot summer day. Swimming is prohibited as there are no lifeguards, and it is not safe.
Artwork on the Trail
One of the neat features of this park is the installation art displays that change from year to year. These pieces vary from year to year, and they are usually made from recycled materials such as old doors or shudders. These pieces are made locally by volunteers.
Stunning Sky
Unlike other trails, the sky above the Greenway is wide open and allows visitors to see spectacular sunsets as they spread across the evening sky. If you want to take a lovely stroll under a painted sky, this is the place to do it.
Address
There is no “physical address” for this park. The park is about 1/4 mile up Ontario Center Rd from Route 104 on the left-hand side. There is a large parking lot, so you can’t miss it.