Just as the E&N Rail Trail celebrated its new name, the Capital Regional District was forced to announce the indefinite closure of the trail due to forces beyond its control.

Last week, the CRD announced the trail will now be known as the Humpback Connector.

The regional trail project will eventually connect the Johnson Street Bridge to Humpback Road in Langford.

At this point, about 2.3 kilometres of trail have already been paved, running alongside the railroad tracks between Admirals Road in Esquimalt and Wilson Street in Vic West. Soon, the paving will continue to Esquimalt Road.

While pedestrians have already been using this section of the trail for weeks, the pathway remains officially closed.

That’s because upgrades haven’t been made at five intersections, including rail signals and pedestrian crossings.

These upgrades are on hold until the future of the railway is determined by the rail operator, according to the CRD.