By Breanna Himmelright
Work will soon be underway to better accessibility and flood protection at the Annex Park trail loop in Fernie, backed by a $500,000 grant from the province.
The city announced the latest funding Friday (Sept. 24) for the 1.9 kilometre trail loop between the West Fernie and Leo T. Nimsick bridges.
In a news release, city officials said the paving of the trail will improve accessibility to the popular route and enable people of all ages and abilities to walk, bike and roll along the Elk River on a fully paved, inclusive trail network from the visitor’s centre to Mount Fernie Park Road.
“Combining flood protection with active transportation and great experience for trail users was very important to us,” Mayor Ange Qualizza said.
“This project brings together many benefits including accessible stations that are inclusive of fitness, rest and reflection, complemented with artwork that highlights the natural, historical, and cultural heritage of the region.”
The project, targeted to be completed in the Fall 2022, is the latest in a series of infrastructure projects designed to create an accessible active transportation corridor in the city. The Annex Dike project is currently in its final engineering and design phase, backed by a $4.9-million grant.
The completion of improvements to the dike brings the total investment in flood protection to $8.2 million.