35-km trail planned for North Shore
The Vancouver Sun
Thu 12 Apr 2007
Page: A1 / Front
Byline: Chad Skelton
The B.C. government and north shore municipalities announced plans Wednesday for a 35-kilometre walking and cycling path -- dubbed the North Shore Spirit Trail -- from Deep Cove to Horseshoe Bay.
The B.C. government also announced $3.7 million in funding for the project with matching contributions from the three North Shore municipalities.
"I think it will have the same impact on the North Shore as the Stanley Park seawall has had in Vancouver," Transportation Minister Kevin Falcon said Wednesday.
"I think it's that important."
Parts of the trail will run along existing paths such as the West Vancouver seawall but Falcon said much of it will involve new path construction.
"Significant chunks of it are going to be new," he said.
Falcon, who grew up on the north shore, said he couldn't say when the project will be complete, but said he'd like to have it finished by the 2010 Winter Olympics.
"That's an ambitious deadline but I think it's doable," he said.
Falcon said he hopes the project will encourage north shore residents to become more active and that it could also serve as a key commuting route for cyclists, much like Greater Victoria's 55-kilometre Galloping Goose Regional Trail.
"It will be a major catalyst for getting people out and about," said Falcon.
The bulk of the $3.7 million in provincial funding for the project -- $2 million -- will go to the District of West Vancouver.
Another $980,000 will go to the City of North Vancouver and $708,233 to the District of North Vancouver.
According to a news release from the province, the funding will help pay for:
- A 3.5-kilometre greenway in North Vancouver District that will link the district's alpine area to the waterfront, including a staircase with wheelchair accessible bypass.
- Greenway access in North Vancouver City from the Lower Lonsdale waterfront to Moodyville Park and onto Sunrise Park and Park & Tilford Shopping Centre.
- A 15-kilometre greenway in West Vancouver from Lions Gate Bridge to Horseshoe Bay, utilizing existing paths and new sections.
Provincial funding for the trail comes from the B.C. government's LocalMotion fund, providing $40 million over the next four years for capital projects to encourage fitness and reduce air pollution.
Several LocalMotion projects in other B.C. communities were also announced.
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