Quick Launch Bar Navigation Missing From Web Part Pages in SharePoint

It's rather disturbing that the Left Side Navigation (Quick Launch) by default, does not display on new web part pages created in SharePoint. There are a number of workarounds on the web which include hacking each newly created page, or hacking an existing document template.

I like to use this approach, which modifies only the master page (inherited by each web part page). I only need to touch one file and be done with it.

1. 
   
   In SharePoint Designer, find your master page. 
2. 
   
   Find the line :
   <asp:ContentPlaceHolder id="PlaceHolderLeftNavBar" runat="server">
3. 
   
   Directly beneath it add:
     </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
   
4. 
   
   Find the real closing   </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>  element and remark it out like
      <!--   </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>  -->
5. 
   
   Find the line:
      <asp:ContentPlaceHolder id="PlaceHolderNavSpacer" runat="server">
6. 
   
   Directly after it add:
     </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>
7. 
   
   Find the real closing tag and remark it out
     <!--   </asp:ContentPlaceHolder>  -->
8. 
   
   Save the file

Essentially, we're letting HTML render the Quick Launch control on each page rather than let ASP manage it for us from the server. It's no longer conditional.