A recently paved section of the Rotary Trail near the hospital on the west side of town. (Glenn Hicks/paNOW Staff) 

By Alison Sandstrom

Coming full circle

Finish line in sight for Rotary Trail

Aug 20, 2019 | 2:28 PM

The $375,000 in cash allocated from the so-called Husky Energy apology money will not be sufficient to finish the city’s Rotary Trail. So, $105,000 of taxpayer money is being used from a reserve fund.

The oil and gas company recently pledged a million dollars to Prince Albert following the 2016 pipeline spill into in the North Saskatchewan River.

The Rotary Trail has been built in stages over many years and Councillor Blake Edwards said it’s a relief to have it so close to completion.

“The Rotary Club has been working on this for years and years and years,” he told paNOW after Monday’s council meeting. “To have it finalized is a wonderful thing for the city of Prince Albert.”

Edwards noted the trail, which circles the city, is talked about around the province.

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In addition to paving the last kilometre of the route, the additional funding approved by council on Monday will cover landscaping and benches along the length of the 23 km trail, plus updated garbage bins.

“This was my concern about the whole deal, these open binned garbage cans are allowing garbage to fly out, it’s allowing birds to go in, and now we’re going to get appropriate [closed] garbage bins that will make it look far more attractive,” Edwards said.

Also on Monday, the city approved the acquisition of a piece of land that will allow for the trail to connect with the circuit at the west side of town. The land on Muir Drive was previously owned by the River Bank Development Corporation.

A graphic showing the piece of recently acquired land that will be used to cross the railway line as the trail heads west.

The final stretch of the Rotary Trail is expected to be completed by Sept. 15.

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alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca