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Mayor Greg Dionne (left), Dave Fischl (centre) and Coun. Don Cody (right) use shovels to spread asphalt onto the last meter of the Rotary Trail. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)
Paving the way

Rotary Trail now officially complete

Oct 10, 2019 | 5:56 PM

The smell of hot asphalt filled the air as crews finished the last meters of the Rotary Trail, with some help from city officials.

Nineteen years after the project began, Thursday’s ceremonial shoveling and ribbon-cutting marked the official completion of the 23 km trail which circles the city.

Dave Fischl, chairperson of the Rotary Trail committee, thanked a long list of community organizations that made donations. He said he was honoured to stand beside Coun. Don Cody, mayor when the project started, and Greg Dionne, the mayor who oversaw its completion.

The mood was light and celebratory, with Fischl even cracking a joke about Dionne’s recent heart surgery.

“A big special thank you to Greg who’s been one of the biggest supporters of the Rotary Trail… I know a lot of people said that he didn’t have a heart but apparently they went inside and checked it out and he does,” he told the crowd.

Crews lay asphalt on the final leg of the trail. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

“To think 19 years ago when they came to the office and said we’re going to build a trail around the city, you couldn’t hardly fathom it,” Cody told paNOW, speaking after the event. “But here we are today, so it tells you what can happen when people work together.”

Dionne shared his enthusiasm.

“It’s so well used by every age and group in the community so I’m very pleased it’s finally completed,” he said.

The trail was built in stages over the past two decades with a boost in 2018 from the so-called apology money given to the city by Husky Energy following an oil spill in the North Saskatchewan River.

Even now that the circle is complete, the mayor said residents can expect to see more new additions coming. The city ordered benches and animal-proof garbage cans which they hope will arrive and be installed before the snow flies.

He also noted in winter the trail will be cleared down to the asphalt for use by walkers, runners and bikers.

“It’s open 365 days a year. I’m surprised some days I think it’s used more in the winter than the summer,” Dionne said.

One meter of trail sits unpaved on Thursday afternoon ahead of the ceremony. (Alison Sandstrom/paNOW Staff)

alison.sandstrom@jpbg.ca

On Twitter: @alisandstrom