Two years into a 20-year plan to create more than 700 kilometres of trails in Essex County and a link to the Trans Canada Trail is worth celebrating — seven times.
So beginning Tuesday, residents are invited to come to free events in seven county municipalities to celebrate the County Wide Active Transportation System and its charter — a 20-year commitment to increase walking trails and bike lanes. There will be T-shirt and gift card giveaways.
“It’s one of those it takes a village kind of stories,” said Jane Mustac, manager of transportation planning with the County of Essex.
So far, about 180 km of trails, paved shoulders or signed routes have been completed, she said. That’s in addition to the Chrysler Canada Greenway trail.
Mustac said the plan is for the county and the seven municipalities to set aside funds each year to add more trails and bike lanes which will eventually equal more than 800 km of routes and link all the towns in Essex County. The estimated cost is $71 million.
“We’re all on board. We’re all in,” she said. “This is important and we realize we have to work together and so that’s what we’re celebrating.”
A connection to Chatham and the Trans Canada Trail is planned. An 11-km trail on an abandoned railway line has been built in Leamington, running north of County Road 18 to County Road 8. That will be celebrated May 21. Phase 2 will take that trail north towards Highway 2 in Lakeshore to connect the Greenway with Chatham and the Trans Canada Trail. She said Phase 2 is expected to be approved and built this summer.
In Harrow, a May 22 celebration will officially open the Harrow High School Trail. It is an off-road connection that links Kael Drive and Erie Road on the west side of the high school to Pollard Park, the Kinsmen Participark Trail and Walnut Street to the east.
Doug Sweet, director of community services in Essex, said it’s safer for students and should also be used by residents of the nearby senior’s home. It’s the first County Wide Active Transportation System trail in Harrow.
Paved bike lanes on Dunn Road south to Colchester should be completed this summer which would make it possible to cycle from Windsor on the Greenway to Harrow and then to Colchester in the heart of the wine route.
“I’m a strong believer that we want to connect our neighbourhoods and our communities and this is making those links,” Sweet said.
Events planned for the first County Wide Active Transportation System celebration include:
May 19 – 1:30 p.m. at Lacasse Park, Tecumseh
May 20 – noon at LaSalle’s Vollmer Culture and Recreation Complex
May 21 – 1 p.m. at the Leamington Kinsmen Recreation Complex
May 22 – 11 a.m. at King’s Navy Yard Park, Amherstburg
May 22 – 1:30 p.m. at the Pollard Park and Kinsmen Participark Trail, Essex
May 26 – 1 p.m. at the Carnegie Arts and Visitor Centre, Kingsville
May 27 – 10 a.m. at the Atlas Tube Centre, Lakeshore
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