The community trail, a non-motorized trail both paved and unpaved from Sentinel to the Leitch Collieries that is designed to connect all areas of the Crowsnest Pass, continues to make progress. On Tuesday, August 24, Community Services Director Cam Mertz and Trail Coordinator Jenice Smith provided council with the latest update.
Smith told council that there are two different types of trail that will comprise the overall project, based on standards laid out in the Alberta Recreation Corridor Manual.
The first is commuter trails, which are the major trails along the route. These will be paved and will have ramps to get on and off. The commuter trails are designed to be two metres wide.
The second, recreation trails, are less developed and will exist primarily in more natural areas between the major residential areas. They will be either compact granular trails at 1.5 metres wide, or natural trail surface at a minimum of 0.5 metres wide.
Smith reported that there is still a lot of work that needed to be finished before the ground freezes in 2010. The current funding for the project runs out in early 2011. With the trail from Frank to Bellevue worked on this summer, she told council that in the rest of 2010 they want to complete the trail between Blairmore and Frank along the Crowsnest River, and from Coleman to Blairmore along the CPR access road.
She said that they hope to begin tendering for these projects within the next few weeks. In addition, they hope to install trail signage and amenities, such as benches and garbage containers, before the end of 2010.

Smith said that there has been strong community support for the trail system, and that the private landowners along the route have been helpful in giving permissions for the trail to go through.
In the long term, she said, the trail will need to continue from Coleman to Sentinel and from Bellevue to the Leich Collieries.
"We're proposing a number of crosswalks as part of this plan," added Smith. She said that the proposed crosswalk locations provide proper sight lines and meet all standards. There are five crosswalks proposed as part of the plan, allowing trail users to cross roads where necessary.
The first would be located across 20th Avenue Blairmore, near 107th Street at the Home Hardware. The second would cross 129th Street Blairmore near the centre access, just north of the Blairmore Legion.
The third is proposed to cross 20th Avenue Blairmore by the River Ridge Restaurant. The fourth would cross Highway 3 at 150th Street Frank, and the final crossing would be across the Frank Slide Interpretive Centre access road.
Smith said that sponsorship from local businesses and corporations has been incredible, totalling $73,490 to date, more than $60,000 of which is cash toward the project.
She added that while the trial is non-motorized, an exception will be made for motorized handicap scooters. She said that these are allowed on non-motorized trails in other communities as well.