By BOB Awards

Best Place to Walk the Dogs: Rotary Trail

Oct 1, 2014 | 11:33 PM

Prince Albert’s Rotary Trail was developed so Prince Albert residents could enjoy walking, running and or biking around the city with convenience. It’s a project that began 11 years ago and now, in 2014, it is getting very close to completion.

Dave Fischl, chair of the multi-use trails committee, said there is approximately five kilometres (km) of trail left to pave in the city and then approximately another three km remaining to connect the trail to Little Red River Park.

“This year what we would like to see is getting the trail to the Alfred Jenkins Field House,” said Fischl.

“We have a couple areas that need to be linked up as well.  In front of Home Hardware they are putting some  paving stone down this year and also at the northeast corner of the city down by the river by the condo development there is a piece that they will fill in also,” he said

Fischl said once the gaps in the trail are completed it will be for the most part linked completely around the city except for the area around the Alfred Jenkins Field House.

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“It’s getting closer, I am seeing the light at the end of the tunnel,” said Fischl.

In total, the loop around the city will span out to approximately 27 km once it’s completed. The Little Red addition will be another three to four km.

The Rotary Trail has provided a safe place for families to go for a walk or a bike ride, it’s a convenient trail to take your dog for a walk and doggy bags are also available along some sections of the trail.

This and last year’s organizers of the annual Summit Run in Prince Albert, which takes place on the Rotary Trail, have donated the funds raised at the event to the trail committee. Last year the committee received a $10,000 donation as a result of the event and this year that donation was speculated to be the same.

“It’s taken on something of its own,” said Fischl. “People are jumping in and making things happen.”

“Every time someone has an opportunity to give us a little bit more and get us down the road a little bit farther that’s great and very appreciated. The City’s been doing their best to try and give us some money and their expertise to get this trail around the city also,” Fischl added.

Fischl said the mayor and city council have made it their commitment to help complete the trail. In September 2013 Mayor Greg Dionne announced the Rotary Trail will be front and centre in the 2014 budget cycle.

“We built the Rotary Trail to a standard, a national standard, so that 20 years from now it’s still going to be here and I think that is just awesome for the citizens of Prince Albert,” said Fischl.

“I am not going to stop until it [the trail] is completely done,” said Fischl. “That is my dream and it is getting extremely close.”