Trails Task Force On Track

By 250 News

The UNBC Connector Trail  is a priority for the Trails Task Force

The Prince George Trails Task Force has submitted its interim report to Prince George City Council and it calls for funding for maintenance and improvements to trails.

The Task Force says there are 85 km of trails in the City and they are broken down into three types:

City:      3.o metre wide, paved, multi season use link major destinations

Local:   2.0 metre wide, granular, variable use, multi season, located in neighbourhoods

Rustic:  1.0 metre wide, earthen, restricted use, multi season, located in natural settings

The report notes that development of trails  is below the  targets that had been set for each type of trail .  The target for City trails is 56.5 K but  so far, there are  7.2 kms, or 13% of the target. The development of  Local trails is  only at 3% of the target of 30.5 kms and  the Rustic  trail development is  at 27% of the 44 km target.

There are several issues that need to be addressed, including the safety and accessibility of the Highway 16 underpass, repairs to the Heritage River Trails have fallen off and that trail needs to be resurfaced and widened, control of doggie doo is also an issue, as is signage.  The Task Force is raising concern over the planned “trail” that will   be part of the Simon Fraser Bridge twinning as it is only 2.5 metres instead of the standard 3 metres.    

The Task Force has labelled the Hart Connector Trail and the UNBC Connector Trail as priority projects.

The Task force also called for increased funding.  The Task Force says the budget should include at least a thousand dollars per kilometre of trail for general maintenance.  That would mean at least 85 thousand dollars.  They also call for a budget of $150 thousand for minor capital to allow for protection and rehabilitation of existing infrastructure.   The funding wouldn't necessarily come from the city of Prince George as the Task Force outlined several other sources that  should be considered.

While funding is one issue, there is also  a concern about  liabiity.  The question was raised that if, for example,  a mountain bike trail was developed  who would be  liable if someone got hurt?  The issue of liability should be shared with the Province, suggested one Task Force member.

Counillor Don Zurowski  requested that the Task force come back with some comparisons with "winter cities" to see what the maintenance issue would be for cities that have to  remove snow or face a freeze-thaw situation.

 Here’s how Prince George’s spending on trails stacks up to other communities:

Trails are used by 70% of the Prince George population. According to  Trails Task Force Chair, Dan Rogers,  the trails are "The most used public facility, in '98 there were 700,000 uses.  The trails are  the best return on public investment, bar none".

The Trails Task Force is holding another Public Consultation session.   It has been set for November 29th in room 208 at the Civic Centre, from 6-9 p.m.

The Task Force plans to  submit its final report in March of 2008.

Mayor Colin Kinsley  told the presenters the interim report was "A good piece of work" he and the rest of the members of Council  said they looked forward to the  final report and the action plan.

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