London has invested significant funds towards making the city greener and more sustainable. Pathways have been built along London’s Thames River, with nearly 40 kilometres of trails running throughout the downtown core to various neighborhoods. This system of paths is known as the Thames Valley Parkway (TVP), and its design is structured into main, north and south branches.

The main branch of the TVP runs from the west end of Springbank Park at Commissioners Road West and Boler Road and runs into the core of the city, intersecting with the other two branches of the TVP.

The southern branch of the TVP begins at Pottersburg Park, in the Hamilton Road and Gore Road area. This branch of the TVP runs all the way to Ivey Park in downtown London, at the intersection of Thames Street and King Street.

The northern branch of the TVP runs from Highbury Ave North and Edgevalley Road to Wharncliffe Road South.

These pathways connect to various city parks, both big and small, so access to the TVP is very easy. Depending on what area of the city you commute from, the TVP offers a nice alternative to the often congested roads of the city. Londoners, and visitors to the city, are fortunate that this “green expressway” exists as an alternative to road cycling, lowering the risk of cyclist-motorist collisions. The TVP links into an estimated 150 kilometres of additional pathways located throughout the city’s many parks.

Points of interest around the TVP are Environmentally Significant Areas (ESA). These areas are protected by the municipality and feature anything from wetlands, forests, river corridors and significant wildlife.

With 11 ESAs in the city, the casual or seasoned rider can always rest assured that there will be a spot to visit that provides interesting aesthetic appeal. These areas offer a more rugged, off-road experience, with shorter distance paths to ride, in comparison to the longer, more polished pathways of the TVP.

If a major trek along the city’s TVP seems a daunting task, there are other options available on a smaller scale that can still assist your cycling efforts. Major areas near Fanshawe College that provide multi-use lanes for biking, walking and hiking are at Stronach Park, just north of the College’s north entrance.

Huronview Park also has multi-lane usage in a much smaller park as well. Cayuga Park/Ted Early Sports Complex, at 1375 Clarke Rd, just south of Killaly Rd., is another park nearby that offers these multi-use pathways. These shorter distance laneways lead into adjacent neighborhoods, and often, through careful navigation, into other multilane pathways at other parks. No matter where you are in the city, there are ways to keep cyclists’ exposure to road travel at a minimum, and in some cases, eliminated altogether.

As you can see, the city of London has something for every type of cyclist. From the shorter distance pathways of some of the city’s neighborhood parks to the impressive 40 kilometre cycling expressway of the TVP, you will find that cycling in this city is an experience and not just a way to get around.