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Media News concerning trails in Central Alberta

Phil Lodermeier at opening of Blindman River Bridge - Lacombe GlobeJune 8, 2010, Lacombe Globe, by Treena Mielke
Blindman River Bridge is unveiled
   The grand opening of the Blindman River Bridge held last Saturday marked the successful completion of a long-term project which will serve as a key link of the TransCanada Trail, that links communities from coast to coast.
   The event, held at the new bridge, located about 1.8 km south of Hwy. 597 on Range Road 27-3, attracted dignitaries from federal, provincial and municipal levels of government as well as the public and representatives from other groups and organizations.
   Master of ceremonies for the event and president of the Central Alberta Regional Trails Society, Debbie Olsen said CARTS' dream to connect the communities of central Alberta using trails expanded to include the vision of not only connecting these communities to each other, but connecting them to the rest of Canada via the TransCanada Trail.
   "But one of the biggest challenges of building this trail was getting across the Blindman River. As a key part of the central Alberta trails system, this bridge took years of planning and coordination from all of the municipalities in central Alberta. We also received funding and support from several levels of government and provincial and national organizations. To be honest, some of us wondered if it would ever be built, but here we are."
   Lacombe County Coun. Linda Landmark who also spoke at the opening, said the bridge marked a new chapter in the county's history book and would be noticed by future generations.
   "Someday, someone's going to say, 'wow, who had the vision to put this all together.'"
   The original plan for the approximately $300,000 bridge, began in 2006.
   Construction was completed in April.
(Photo by Treena Mielke, Lacombe Globe - Phil Lodermeier, Manager of Operations for Lacombe County stands on the Blindman River Bridge following the grand opening held Sat., June 5. The approximate $300,000 bridge is a key link of the TransCanada Trail, a national trail system that links communities from coast to coast.)

Blindman River Bridge opening - Red Deer AdvocateJune 7, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Stacy O'Brien
Bridge Opens
Trail connects the dots for hikers
   The dream to have a recreational trail for hikers, bikers and roller bladers from Red Deer to the far end of Lacombe County is one step closer thanks to a pedestrian bridge over the Blindman River.
   The grand opening of the project on Saturday afternoon was a chance to celebrate International Trails Day and drew around 70 people to the site. The crowd was made up of members of the Central Alberta Regional Trails Society, federal, provincial and municipal politicians, those who built the project and others.
   The more than $300,000 bridge project, which was completed in April, is accessible from Red Deer by going to the end of Taylor Drive and then driving north close to five km along the C&E Trail until you get to the Blindman River.
   Debbie Olsen, president of the Central Alberta Regional Trails Society, said it seemed like a mammoth project when the society and the Central Albertan municipalities started working on it many years ago. They had the dream of connecting Central Alberta using trails that would allow people to walk or ride their bikes from Red Deer to Blackfalds and then to Lacombe.
She said the bridge will be a key link in that project and also in the Trans Canada Trail, which is a national network attempting to link trails across the country.
   Phil Lodermeier, manager of operations for Lacombe County, said the bridge is the start of a two-km paved trail, following north along the C&E Trail into Lacombe County that the municipality will be working on this summer.
   "It's really the start of our trail system in Lacombe County. We were a real rural county. We concentrated on core services.
   "We built roads and paved roads and we maintained them so getting into recreation was something different for us" Lodermeier said.
   "We think it's a huge amenity for our residents to have a healthier lifestyle and the ability to do something different. When we develop areas like this they can picnic and enjoy nature and get a good workout too."
   He said in 2011 Lacombe County has plans to continue the trail from Blackfalds to Lacombe, likely along the east side of Lacombe Lake. Eventually the county hopes to have 20 km of trails from one end of the county to the other.
   Lacombe County and the federal government each donated $50,000 towards the project. The Alberta Trail Net put $100,000 towards it. Trans Canada Trail gave $67,000 and the National Trails Coalition put $50,000 towards it.
   Armstrong Consulting Services did the project planning, with Sveinson Consulting Engineers Ltd. doing the bridge design and Timcon Construction Ltd. doing the bridge fabrication and installation.
   The 41 Combat Engineer Regiment, made up of the 33rd Engineer Squadron from Edmonton, installed the bridge deck and handrails as part of a training exercise in March for free, but the value of the work they did was estimated at $50,000.
   Capt. Anthony Wachtler said it only took the Canadian reserve unit a weekend to put the deck and handrails on the bridge, with 30 people from the regiment on site.
   On the Saturday morning they started the project it snowed, but they had no shortage of warm clothes and pressed on with the project.
   "It is a reserve unit so we like to practice our construction skills and to do that we try to do one project a year," Wachtler said.
   The bridge project offered the reserves a chance to practice their skills, while benefitting the community.
(Photo by Jerry Gerling, Red Deer Advocate - While dignitaries were sorting out the last-minute details of how to go about cutting the ribbon for the opening of the new C&E Trail bridge over the Blindman River, Michaela Dahl was doing some climbing on a nearby rock.)

May 28, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Paul Cowley
Rural residents won't sell land for trail
   A two-km trail from Blackfalds to the new pedestrian bridge over the Blindman River will be built this summer despite a failure to convince a couple of property owners to sell strips of their land for the project.
   Lacombe County operations manager Phil Lodermeier said on Thursday that winter-long negotiations failed to produce a deal with two landowners, who were concerned about allowing a walking trail next to their properties. They were mostly worried about garbage, trespassing dogs and the prospect of people scouting out their property.
   As an alternative, the county will create a walking trail next to an existing gravel road that will lead from the bridge to Blackfalds. The county plans to pave 1.2 km of the road from the bridge and mark out a two-metre-wide pathway.
   "This is our best that we can come up with at this point in time," said Lodermeier.
   A right-of-way was secured a short distance from the remaining 800-metre portion of road so it will be left gravel.
   Lodermeier said the area the paved road passes through is zoned commercial/industrial. When that area is developed, the builders will be expected to create a trail as part of their development approval.
   The county has earmarked $225,000 for construction of the trail.
   A $60,000 day-use area is also planned at the bridgehead on the north side of the river. It will include parking for six to eight vehicles, a washroom and several picnic tables.
   The county has applied for a $58,000 grant to cover most of the cost.
   Council unanimously approved tendering and awarding the trail contract. A motion was also approved to take $60,000 out of reserves to cover the cost of the day-use area construction in case the grant doesn't come through.
   It is hoped the two-km section of trail will become part of a 71-km route from Penhold to Ponoka. The project an effort being led by the Central Alberta Regional Trail Society.
   Sections of the trial are close to or nearing completion, including a stretch running through Red Deer County between Springbrook and Penhold, stretches within Red Deer, and a portion south of Ponoka. A pedestrian bridge was built over the Battle River in Ponoka this year similar to the Blindman River bridge.

May 25, 2010, Red Deer Advocate
Grand opening of bridge scheduled for June 5
   A crew of soldiers who helped build a bridge for hikers and bikers will join in celebrating its grand opening on International Trails Day, Saturday, June 5.
   Members of 41 Combat Engineer Regiment helped install the bridge crossing the Blindman River between Red Deer and Blackfalds.
   The bridge was placed this spring on the C&E Trail, between Hwys 2 and 2A, where a highway crossing was removed a number of years ago.
   It will become a part of the Central Alberta Regional Trail, running 70.6 kilometres from Penhold to Ponoka, through Springbrook, Red Deer, Blackfalds and Lacombe. Access to the site is from the north side of the river, off of Hwy 597 and then south on either of Range Road 27-3 or the C&E Trail.
   Celebrations begin at 1 p.m. with a ribbon-cutting and remarks, followed by a picnic lunch.
   Please call 403-782-3017 to learn more.

May 11, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Brenda Kossowan
Trail development tops society agenda
   A pair of bridges are now finished and progress is being made on a regional trail running between Penhold and Ponoka, says the president of the Central Alberta Regional Trail Society.
   CARTS members, including the various trail groups and municipalities taking part in the 70.6-kilometre proposed trail, will review progress made to date and look for ways of getting more trail built over the next number of years during its annual general meeting on Wednesday, president Debbie Olsen said on Monday.
   Olsen said members hope the meeting will attract people who would like to learn more about trail development in the region.
   While not directly involved in building trails, CARTS was formed to provide support and guidance to local trail development groups, said Olsen.
   Sections of the proposed regional trail are at or near completion, including a portion running through Red Deer County between Springbrook and Penhold, some sections inside the city and the section working south from Ponoka toward Lacombe County, she said.
   Trails within the Town of Lacombe, built largely by marathon runner Bill Neilson, have been included in the route.
   Neilson has been invited, providing the weather co-operates, to lead a one-hour hike on the Lacombe trails in advance of the meeting, set for the Town of Lacombe municipal offices at
7 pm.
   While much of the trail remains incomplete, bridges were built earlier this year over the Blindman River, south of Blackfalds and inside the Town of Ponoka, crossing the Battle River, she said.
   Funding for the bridges was shared between all three levels of government and with federal and provincial agencies involved in the Trans Canada Trail, including the National Trails Coalition and Alberta Trail Net.
   CARTS will host a grand opening of the Blindman River bridge on June 5, which is International Trails Day.
   Included on the guest list are members of the Canadian Army Corps of Engineers who played a key role in its construction. Details of the celebration are to be announced shortly.
   A grand opening date has not been set for the bridge in Ponoka.
   The Ponoka section of the trail is now moving southward toward the Lacombe County boundary, with members hoping to connect at the J.J. Collett Natural Area, said Olsen.
   Other key sections still to come are trails connecting the city and towns along the route, which will provide a safer ride for people who currently use Hwy 2A to ride between Red Deer and Lacombe, she said.
   One of the biggest challenges still facing the group is convincing rural landowners to support construction of trails along abandoned railway lines running past or through their properties, said Olsen.
   A number of rural landowners in Alberta still resist the idea, concerned that garbage will be strewn along the trail and that there will be an increase in vandalism.
   Records to date have shown that vandalism and littering are actually less of a problem in areas where trails have been built, said Olsen.

Apr. 20, 2010, Springbrook-Waskasoo Life online magazine
Open Spaces and Trail Plan Gets Award
   Red Deer County's Open Spaces Master Plan has received the Recreation Industry Excellence Award for Parks and Open Spaces from the Recreation for Life Foundation. The County, along with consultants Dillon Consulting and EVS Labs, worked on the plan for four years after the 2003 Community Services Needs Assessment determined that residents wanted for parks, trails and open spaces.
   The first project under the plan is the Springbrook to Penhold trail which got under way last year and is expected to be completed this year. Future elements of the plan include trail linkages from Springbrook to the Red Deer River, the city of Red Deer and Gasoline Alley. Another future element is a trail between Red Deer and Sylvan Lake using portions of the former Alberta Central Railway right of way that will connect with trails to Springbrook.

Mar. 19, 2010, Red Deer Advocate
Army reservists finish their work on pedestrian bridge
   Army Reservists have completed their portion of the construction of Blindman River pedestrian bridge ahead of schedule and will not be on site this weekend, an Armed Forces spokesman said Thursday.
   Great weather, great planning and a lot of hard work allowed the Army Reservists from 41 Combat Engineer Regiment to complete the installation of the decking and hand rails in one weekend, March 13 and 14.
   Originally scheduled to be installed over two consecutive weekends, the wood hand rails and decking were the final phase of Blindman River pedestrian bridge project.
   The bridge is located north of Red Deer on the C&E Trail. It is part of a regional trail system linking communities throughout Central Alberta.
   Lacombe County and the federal government each donated $50,000 towards the bridge project. Alberta Trail Net contributed $100,000, Trans Canada Trail $67,000 and the National Trails Coalition $50,000.
   The reservists donated about $50,000 worth of their time and expertise.
   41 Combat Engineer Regiment was created to provide engineer support to 41 Canadian Brigade Group.
   The home station of the regiment is in Edmonton and it consists of a Regimental Headquarters, 25 Engineer Squadron in Edmonton and 33 Engineer Squadron in Calgary.

Mar. 15, 2010, Red Deer Advocate online
military placing decking on Blindman River bridge
Military build
Canadian Army reservist engineers from the Edmonton-based 25th and Calgary-based 33rd Engineer Squadrons of the 41st Combat Engineer Regiment, which is also based in Edmonton, donated about $50,000 worth of their time and expertise Saturday afternoon, by installing handrails and decking on the pedestrian bridge skeleton linking the C&E trail just south of Blackfalds and become part of the Trans Canada Trail system. They will be back next Saturday, March 20, from 1:30 to 3:30 pm to complete the job. (Photo by Jerry Gerling, Red Deer Advocate)

Mar. 4, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Laura Tester
Trailblazing document
City of Red Deer, Red Deer County reveal plans to extend
Waskasoo Park, trail system

   Red Deer's parkland is anticipated to grow by more than 7,135 acres by the time the city's population increases to 300,000 in the next several decades.
   The City of Red Deer is working with Red Deer County on extending the city's popular park and trail system collectively known as Waskasoo Park. On Wednesday, a public open house on the River Valley and Tributaries Park Concept Plan was held at Balmoral Bible Chapel on 55th Street.
   The plan was developed to identify lands best suited for potential trails and parks within the city's growth area, some of which is currently within county boundaries. It's estimated the city, at more than 89,000 people, could reach 300,000 in about 45 to 75 years.
   Besides parkland, the plan proposes 358 km of trails.
   It also suggests having 13 park nodes, which are larger gathering areas such as Red Deer's Bower Ponds. Some of those nodes would occur along the Red Deer River, while others would feature natural areas and passive recreational opportunities.
   The estimated 2010 cost to fully develop the parkland and trails is $191 million, or about $52,000 per hectare (2.47 acres).
   Red Deer County Mayor Earl Kinsella said this is a plan that will allow prized parkland to be protected as development occurs.
   "One of the things you can't do is develop a green space if you already put a housing complex over (top)," Kinsella said.
   County Community Services manager Jo-Ann Symington said the planning tool looks at a time frame of up to 50 years for development.
   "We're not saying we're going to go build a trail or park through someone's land tomorrow," she said. "But as development and annexation occurs, those are things we will take into consideration."
   Dave Kyme attended the session so he could get a close-up look at the concept plan. His farm is 10 km northeast of the city and directly next to the river.
   Since he knew parkland development would occur eventually, Kyme said he's prepared for it to happen.
   People can give input on the concept plan during Saturday's Let's Talk 2010 session with council and department staff. The event runs 9:30 a.m. to 6 p.m. at Parkland Mall.
   Red Deer Parks Superintendent Trevor Poth said the plan wil likely go forward to city council for consideration in early April.
Blindman River bridge under construction
Mar. 2, 2010, Red Deer Advocate
Blindman Bridge
A Tar-ific Construction worker passes timbers to a colleague working inside the foundation of the new Blindman River walking bridge south of Blackfalds Monday. It and another over the Battle River in Ponoka are part of the Central Alberta Regional Trail's long-term plan to build a 70.6-kilometre, multi-use trail between Ponoka and Penhold as part of the Trans Canada Trail Network.
(photo by Randy Fiedler, Red Deer Advocate)


Feb. 26, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Paul Cowley
Lacombe County embraces trail concept
   Enough Lacombe County landowners have warmed to the idea of a trail on their land so that a route from the Blindman River to Blackfalds could be ready this summer.
   "It's been a bit of a challenge for us in negotiating," said Phil Lodermeier, the county's operations manager, on Thursday. However, two or three property owners on a route near the C&E Trail have come on board and a route is now almost secured.
   "If we get one more, it looks like we'll be able to do it."
   The county put $225,000 in its budget to build the trail and $50,000 for the bridge. Alberta Trail Net contributed $100,000 towards the bridge and the National Trails Coalition $50,000.
   The project took a leap forward earlier this week when crews erected the framework for a pedestrian bridge across the Blindman River about two km south of the town.
   Dozens of Canadian Armed Forces engineers are going into action March 12 and 19 to lay the planking for the bridge and bolt on handrails.
   If all goes to plan the trail to Blackfalds should be ready for hikers and cyclists by July or August, said Lodermeier.
   A similar bridge over the Battle River near Ponoka was put in place earlier this month and will be finished off in the spring.
   The two bridges are part of a long-term plan to build a 71-km multi-use trail between Ponoka and Penhold as part of the Trans Canada Trail Network.
   The Ponoka project also received $100,000 from Alberta Trail Net and $85,000 from the coalition.
   Lodermeier said the 12-km stretch of trail between Lacombe and Blackfalds could be complete in the next two to five years. That trail would also link up to trails within both communities.

Battle River bridge under constructionFeb. 24, 2010, Ponoka News
Welding the walking bridge
Work to install the new 140-foot long walking bridge over the Battle River is nearing completion. The bridge north of the 57th Avenue train crossing was built by Will's Welding, and after it was placed on pilings by crane, a crew from Will's has been welding the joints and installing the wooden planking. Here, Kyle Penrod welds a joint in the railing. Deadline to finish the bridge and provide an accounting of federal grant funding is March 31. The trails through Ponoka's river valley are part of the TransCanada Trail system. There is also a new footbridge over the Blindman River that will help create a trail linking Penhold to Ponoka.
(Photo by George Brown, Ponoka News)


Battle River bridge under constructionFeb. 5, 2010, Red Deer Advocate
Trail over the Blindman
Jason Witvoet of Will's Welding in Ponoka works to connect the bridge structure to the piles on a bridge over the Battle River in Ponoka on Thursday. Over 13,000 kg of steel went into the construction of the pedestrian bridge, which will form part of the Trans Canada Trail network. A wooden deck will be added to the steel structure and landscaping will be completed in the spring. Later this month, Canadian Forces engineers will install another bridge across the Blindman River south of Blackfalds that will further connect the Trans Canada Trail. (Photo by Jeff Stokoe, Red Deer Advocate)

Jan. 29, 2010, Red Deer Advocate, by Brenda Kossowan
Bridges for pedestrians to be completed by the spring
   Work is to be finished by the end of March on pedestrian bridges connecting the Central Alberta Regional Trail.
   With support from the Town of Ponoka and Lacombe County, members of the Central Alberta Regional Trail Society are guiding construction of bridges crossing the Blindman River, south of Blackfalds and the Battle River inside Ponoka town limits.
   Construction of both projects has to be finished by the end of March to qualify for federal economic stimulus grants announced last fall, said Ponoka town councillor John Jacobs, one of the key figures in the trail project.
   Footings for the Ponoka bridge were placed last fall and a local welding shop has been building the five sections. They are to be welded together at the site, likely on Feb. 3, said Jacobs.
   A crane has been arranged to put the sections in place, but whether it goes ahead will depend on the weather, he said.
   CARTS president Debbie Olsen, who has been more closely involved with the Blindman River project, said the group has set a tentative date to bring military engineers from reserve units in Calgary and Edmonton to build the bridge deck.
   The group hopes to be able to arrange a safe viewing area for people to watch progress on the deck, which will be part of a military exercise, said Olsen.
   Ponoka could not get military engineers because its construction work will be underway at the same time as Blindman, said Jacobs.
   Military engineers are fully occupied in Haiti and Afganistan, so they were unable to offer enough people for both projects, he said.
   The Blindman bridge will be the second trail bridge military engineers have built in Alberta, he said.
   The two bridges are part of a long-term plan to build a 70.6-kilometre, multi-use trail between Ponoka and Penhold as part of the Trans Canada Trail Network.
   Bridges are going up right away, even though large segments of the Central Alberta trail have not been put in place, said Jacobs. The trail will have to cross some rivers, so organizers felt it imperative to get the bridges in place first, he said.
   At this point, the section from the south side of Ponoka to the Lacombe County boundary is now ready for use, with further construction to take place over time.
   Support for the Ponoka bridge has included donations of public and privately-owned land to give access to the bridge, said Jacobs.
   The Ponoka project has received $185,000 in federal money through the National Trails Coalition, $85,000 from Trans Canada Trail and $100,000 from Alberta Trail Net.
   The Blindman project has received $50,000 through the National Trails Coalition, $100,000 from Alberta Trail Net and $50,000 from Lacombe County.
   CARTS is seeking additional funding to start building a trail from the new bridge to the town of Blackfalds.

Media News re trails 2009         Media News re trails 2008          Media News re trails 2007              Media News re trails 2006

 

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