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Media News concerning trails in Central Alberta
 June
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.)
 June
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
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.
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.
 Feb.
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)
 Feb.
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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