Laurel Cronk and Morgan Ostler could barely contain their excitement as they showed off a section of the upcoming expansion to the Campbellton River Route.
They were excited because the Campbellton Neighbourhood Association had been granted $986,429 from the Destination Development Fund provided by the provincial tourism and arts ministry.
Ostler said that there was a “lot of excitement about actually having a place like this right here in town.”
While there is still a lot of work to be done, Cronk described the scope of the project. It will allow people to experience inclusive and accessible low-impact activities outdoors, while also including some educational experiences.
The route is a comprehensive tour of the Campbellton neighbourhood, where as Cronk says people can “take a closer look at the contrasts and character that define this unique neighborhood.
She added that the “river that once housed sawmills now serves as a peaceful backdrop for outdoor recreation… it’s a really it’s a lovely, lovely journey”
Cronk hopes that the new funding will help attract more tourists to Campbell River and build out locals’ access to nature in a meaningful way. The River Route Parks Project will be connecting the existing Campbellton River Route to three parks, expanding the length of the route and tying it in to other major cycling and walking trails in the area including the Greenways Loop and the Snowden Trails via the Pumphouse Trail system.
“I was just down at a tourism thing in Cumberland, and someone said to me ‘Campbell River never gets any grants,’” Cronk said. “They think they’ve got it (good) down there, but… because of the nature right here, it’s going to make it so much better.”
For now, the new trail expansion is still a work in progress. However, Campbell Riverites can explore the existing trail network through Campbellton. In the mean time, the CNA team will be hard at work bringing this new amenity to life.
“It’s quite significant,” Ostler said.
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marc.kitteringham@campbellrivermirror.com
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