Trails, trails, trails, Trail Creek, lights on trails, bridges over trails...and still more trails!
By Andrew Zwicker
Earlier in August, the City of Rossland approved and issued a tender for two new trail segments linking up the downtown core with Centennial Park and the Mining Museum. This past week, on the same day that the tender was awarded to Alpine Contracting for the construction of the new pedestrian route, yeet another trail project for this year was announced and officially put out to tender.
Continuing the City’s movement through the list of 26 trail segments outlined in the Active Transportation Plan completed in 2009 by Stu Spooner, the next project to be tackled will be phase one of the Trail Creek Trail. Phase two of the trail will be added to next summer’s work plan, dependant on funding.
With $40,000 allocated to trails and trail development in the City’s 2010 budget, the Trail Creek trail was able to be added along with the relatively inexpensive Mining Museum link up, expected to come in roughly around the $15,000 mark.
Building on the first project in the ATP (Starr Gulch Trail running from McLeod St to First Avenue) which provided an entirely off-road route from Red Mountain to Rossland’s downtown core. The Trail Creek trail will grow the non-motorized off route transportation route to now run from Red Mountain to Redstone through downtown.
Running through city-owned property, the Trail Creek trail will travel through the largely wooded area along the creek, starting approximately at the corner of Washington Street and the undeveloped section of Victoria Avenue. It will then run alongside the creek and connect to the Rubberhead Trail at Redstone. Construction on the trail (roughly one kilometre long) is expected to begin in September and should be completed before the snow flies.
Phase two of the trail, planned for the summer of 2011, will extend the trail from the Rubberhead connection near hole #17 at Redstone, along the creek, golfer’s left of hole #18 terminating at the Redstone clubhouse.
Crossing the creek on the undeveloped potion of Victoria Avenue, a feature of the trail will be a pedestrian bridge spanning the watercourse. The final look and design of the bridge won’t be known until the tender is awarded and may potentially get a touch fancier if a grant recently applied for is received.
As of August 1st, Bike BC, under the Cycling Infrastructure Partnerships Program, opened a short window for municipalities to apply for a 50% matching grant to construct new biking/hiking trails. If Rossland’s application for an up to $25,000 matching grant is approved, the city will have the opportunity to enhance the already-budgeted trail with a crushed dust surface as opposed to the previously planned natural surface. The grant may also allow for an upgraded pedestrian bridge.
This past Monday, Council approved and endorsed this grant application as well as an additional application under the same program for a $15,000 matching grant to enhance Centennial Trail. The improvements applied for under the grant would see construction of solar powered lighting along Centennial.
While some councilors saw this grant as an opportunity to increase after work recreational opportunities–particularly in mid winter when the sun sets before 5:00 PM–Councillor Jill Spearn questioned the need for lighting and suggested that she would not be in favour of adding the lights to the trail. Ultimately, the grant application was approved, however, with results expected back in early September.
See attached file for a map of the new trail.
Are you in favour of adding solar lights to the Centennial Trail?
