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Update on Central Alberta
2008
For many years, the communities of central Alberta have been meeting
regularly through the Central Alberta Regional Trails Society (CARTS) to
discuss ways to promote trails in this part of the province. Alberta
TrailNet (ATN) and the Trans Canada Trail Foundation (TCT) have offered
support and expertise as Central Alberta communities and volunteers have
worked together to help foster support for trail initiatives. Here is an
update on what has been achieved in the last few years and a glimpse at
what is on the horizon for trails in central Alberta.
- A little more than two years ago, the map for the TCT was changed in
Alberta to include a trail linking communities from Penhold to
Wetaskiwin. This was the culmination of several years of work by
volunteers and communities in central Alberta.
- Once central Alberta had a registered section of TCT, CARTS was able
to hire a TCT Coordinator (Derry Armstrong) thanks to funding support
from the TCT Foundation.
- CARTS realized that limited funding was available for trails. Central
Alberta communities brought forward a resolution at the Alberta Urban
Municipalities Association's annual general meeting to ask the Alberta
government to better fund trails in the province. This resolution was
passed with strong support from the AUMA.
- In order to link communities within Central Alberta, several bridges
will be necessary. The two key bridges are located between Blackfalds
and Red Deer over the Blindman River and in Ponoka over the Battle
River. CARTS helped municipalities in those regions apply for and
receive funding from the TCT Foundation for the engineering of both of
these bridges. We are currently working with communities to develop a
plan to get these bridges built and in the past year, we received
funding commitments of up to $400,000 towards the construction of these
two bridges. ATN has committed to fund $100,000 towards each bridge and
TCT Foundation has committed to fund $85,000 towards the Battle River
Bridge and will also provide funding for the Blindman Bridge. The TCT
has also been approached to provide bridge funding.
- The Town of Ponoka is currently working on a grant application to ATN
and TCT for trails adjacent to the planned bridge over the Battle River.
The Town has set aside a significant amount of funds for trail
development and we hope to be able to make an announcement soon on the
progress of this project.
- CARTS has been working closely with the Town of Lacombe, the Town of
Blackfalds, the County of Lacombe and the County of Red Deer on a
subcommittee originally struck to promote the building of the pedestrian
bridge over the Blindman River. The committee continues to make progress
on the bridge planning, but has also been working on a unique
opportunity to build a trail linking these communities. We hope to make
an announcement on our progress in the near future.
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