Photo supplied.
The Federal Economic Development Agency has confirmed approval of a Township application for funding for the expansion of a section of the Millbrook Valley Trails. A $6000 grant will flow from the Canada 150 Community Infrastructure Program which will be used to improve the existing 6.7 km trail system and expand it by approximately 1.5 km. The expansion will link the new Towerhill subdivision to the existing subdivision on Brookside Street and result in their connection to the downtown core, Medd’s Mountain/Millpond Park and the Millbrook Valley Trails System at the Millbrook Fair grounds. All construction permits are already in place, including authorization from ORCA, with much of the proposed expansion building on a portion of the Grand Trunk Rail Bed where some preliminary clearing has already taken place.
The entire project will cost $19,000, which includes planning, design, materials and installation. In order to receive the $6000 grant, the project must be completed by August 1st, a target staff is confident they can meet. The $13,000 township contribution to the project will be funded from the 2017 Capital Budget, where funds for the trail have already been earmarked.
The project embraces the urban planning tool referred to as “walkability”, a factor that research shows has a significant influence on the health of community residents. The attraction of this characteristic is not lost on realtors, as evidenced by the inclusion of a “Walk Score” on all residential listings designed to indicate how easily everyday activities can be conducted on foot from that address. Evidence shows that neighbourhoods where retail outlets, restaurants and services are reachable on foot are inhabited by healthier residents, and not just because they tend to get more exercise by walking to the store instead of driving; walking the neighbourhood tends to build social connections as well. By developing pathways to village amenities, the new trail link will certainly improve the chances of engaging new residents within the community instead of simply seeing it as a quiet a place to sleep. KG
