Council Approves Elk Point Trail Master Plan

Last Updated: June 14th, 2016By Jena ColbourneTags: Canada 150 Infrastructure Grant, Eco Centre, Elk Point Trail, Walking trail

The trail system in Elk Point is about to get a whole lot better! On June 13th, Town Council voted to approve the Elk Point Trail Master Plan, a vision brought to the Town by Public Work’s Superintendent Jay Duffee. The plan will enhance the current trail systems, as well as expand the trail to approximately 10 kilometres. It includes repairing & installing sidewalks, installing benches & solar lighting and planting trees. Mayor of Elk Point, Parrish Tung says the trail is an investment, “we’re doing something positive for our town and because of that we are building for our future.”

The project will cost $815,590.50. Before the shock sets in, the Town would like to announce they are going after a special grant to help fund the project, explains Recreation Coordinator, Jena Colbourne. “We’ve been working on securing a special federal grant. The Canada 150 Infrastructure Grant is designed for projects just like this one. It’s designed to promote recreation and clean energy, two of the Town’s main goals with this project.” Should the grant be successful it will match funds 50-50 with the Town, which means the Town’s expense will be reduced to $407,795.25. To get things rolling as soon as possible, the Town will use just over $97,000 from MSI funding in 2016 while waiting to hear back from the feds on the grant application.

The Town envisions the trail as a safe way for community members to maintain healthy lifestyles; while promoting clean energy. The trail will join with the Eco Centre, which is often used as a meeting place for trail users in Elk Point, as well as on the Iron Horse Trail. Elk Point is one of the only communities in the area with a building like the Eco Centre, a facility ran by clean energy. Building an artery of the trail on Railway avenue, will be the biggest project of the Master Plan. It includes building a sidewalk, erecting solar lights, benches, and planting trees and a large majority of that section of the Master Plan will be contracted out.

The remainder of the trail system will be done by the Public Works staff, with Superintendent Duffee overseeing the project. Sidewalk replacement will be done over two years, due to weather restraints. The following sidewalks will be repaired:

52 st street 223 feet
50th street 282 feet
50th avenue 118 feet

Enhancements will also be done to the trail around the grain elevator; including the installation of benches, permanent garbage cans, trees and additional solar lights.

Construction on the trail has already begun with the planting of trees on Railway ave. What’s really neat about the trees is that they were donated by community members, the Town envisions more donated trees to be planted throughout this process. “It’s a great way to honour a loved one or to leave a legacy,” says Recreation Coordinator for the Town, Jena Colbourne. Eleven trees were planted on June 13th on Railway Ave., donated by Steve and Marie Srdic. If you’d like to donate a tree, you can contact the Town Office, 780-724-3810.