What a stupid idea. The trail from the tunnel under Hwy 16 to Queensway is, depending on the level of overgrown brush beside it, a hang-out with little camps of homeless people and drug addicts sleeping it off.

I was running through there one morning and I found myself in the middle of an attempt by the RCMP to flush a perp from within the slough area. I have been propositioned to enjoy some of the “local” ladies while running there…and of course the inevitable 2-3 wide tough guy walk, where you must be willing to rock someone as you bump your way past them.

While I don’t really care where the trail is and I am thankful for a way to cross the VLA quickly, I don’t think pretending a network around the slough is worth spending the money on is realistic.

What a great idea! I applaud volunteers in this community who work towards improvements for all of us. Beautification and upgrading this area sounds very positive – don’t let the armchair critics stop your efforts and vision!!

I hope their project succeeds. Maybe if enough families and other good citizens use these paths it will change the flavour of the VLA and the slough for the good. I love the idea.

Better trails, no taxpayer money, sounds good to me. I would venture to say that walking and biking are the most popular recreational activites in the city. And on a cost per user unit, one of the cheapest. Prince George Naturalist Society, keep up the good work, the city needs you!

If that area is developed and more of the public uses it that should clear up the issues mentioned.

Look at the lake/swamp area in Salmon Arm that was developed, very pleasant spot now.

“No taxpayer money” Don’t kid yourself. The number one funding source will be the BC Government. We pay one way or another.
What is wrong with the existing trail?

I used to walk through that area everyday on my way to work. I never knew what I was going to encounter! One day it was the cops and ambulance attendants trying to remove a barely alive man from his log pillow. Side stepping needles, bottles and used condoms is not a good walking environment. As a lone female I often second guessed my decision to walk that way to work. Thankfully I never had to use the tunnel under hiway 16. Once your in that tunnel what’s to stop someone from blocking your exit from both ends?
This is one trail system my family and I will stay away from if it is built.

It’s a good trail system for families, if used during the day and in numbers. I applaud this effort to beautify our city. Go for it! I hope they succeed.

Wouldnt a Naturalist Society want to keep the area in its natural state???

Why do we need to change it??? So we can have a bunch of gooney birds looking at the birds???

What the heck is a gooney bird?

Honesty Palpou is there ANYTHING you are EVER happy about? How can you criticize these volunteers – who probably know a thing or two about “naturalist issues”, for wanting to improve our city?’ I just don’t get armchair critics – what is the purpose of spreading this de-motivation?

It must be very hard work for arm chair critics to really look things over to see where they can possibly criticize. Volunteers (which is probably something they’ve never done), no taxpayer money, trying to make an ugly situation into something good….. amazing how the creative juices flow to make that a negative. I’m pretty sure this Naturalist Society is aware of the current issues. I’d venture to say that is why they want to change the situation. Kudos to them for wanting to work at changing a negative into a positive.

You guys can read anything you want into what you read. Fact is I grew up in that area, and we used to swim in the water where the ducks now swim. The area was as natural as you could hope for.

Guess what. The City took out the wooden bridge on Queensway and put in a Culvert, and then for years and years they dumped snow (along with lots of salt) into the East side of Queensway into the water and basically killed off everything.,

It was only after the enviromentalists went after them that they stopped dumping.

There is no need to get carried away with paved trails etc;. Thats just BS. Much like putting paved walking trails through the bush. Pretty natural I would say. Im sure that the Moose and Deer and Bears just love the new pavement.

Ive been paying taxes of one sort or another for over 50 years, and have had the great opportunity to see hundreds of millions of tax dollars wasted in this City.

Im about as far as you can get from being an arm chair critic, and just as far from being a bleeding heart, with little or nothing to do but amble around a slough on a paved trail with a pair of binoculars looking at the flora, and fauna.

If you guys want to put rings in your noses, and have the City Fathers drag you around town like a bunch of Moo Cows, thats your business.

I’ve done my share of volunteering and dont have to defend it. However you wont get me standing on the street waving a bloody flag at a bunch of Winter Games boozoos, to get the games here, that will cost taxpayers $15 Million dollars. If thats volunteering you can have it.

I suspect that the real Armchair Critics, Sidewalk Superintendents, Sports Couch Potatoes, are the ones on this site that give the impression they actually do something, when in fact they do nothing.

NMG.

A Gooney Bird is from the Albatross species.

It is magnificent in flight, however it is hilarous when it tries to land, or take off, or walk (dance)

So on the ground it basically walks around looking somewhat foolish.

Huh, I did not know that. Thanks Palopu. Oh and I get the double entendre now as well, LOL ;)