The Howard Watson Nature Trail, established in 1982, is poised to remain part of the community for years to come.
A celebration was held Saturday following improvements that helped maintain and upgrade the 16 km trail. More concrete paths and signage were installed, and a number of other improvements made thanks to a grant from the Canada 150 Infrastructure Program.
“We enjoy a legacy that was given to us from a group of dedicated people,” says Tony Barrand, the chair of the Bluewater Trails Committee. “If we let this trail degrade, then the community might not support it.”
The Trails Committee was created in 1999 to oversee trails throughout the city. Committee member Ati Powell thinks the increased usage of the trail speaks to how important it is to people of the community.
While the bulk of the work on the trail was completed in 2016, some improvements are still coming. Some sections are still being converted to roadways, but Powell says there won’t be any delays or interruptions for users of the trail.