Clearwater County is moving ahead with the first portion of a new path in Condor — with a second portion pushed back for future budget discussions.
Back in March, a delegation from Condor pitched the idea of refurbishing an abandoned rail bed east of Charlotte Small School into a walking path that could be used for school activities, as well as for the benefit of residents.
At its May 25 meeting, council weighed the pros and cons — as well as the cost — of moving forward with the project.
Ag Services Director Bettina van Nieuwkerk says the first half mile of the trail is in excellent shape, as it has been maintained by the school and community. However, the second half mile further east would require much more attention to get it up to standard.
For the first half mile, the cost for tree removal, grade improvements, picnic tables, signage and lighting would be handled by county staff with an associated cost of around $6000. However, due to the rougher condition of the second half mile, a contractor would be required to handle the much heavier workload, increasing the cost of that section to around $20,000.
Questions around a name
The March delegation has requested the name Alberta Central Railway Trail.
However, county staff have raised concerned about using that name as there are other trails in Alberta with similar names including in Red Deer and Wetaskiwin.
Staff suggested students at Charlotte Small Elementary School could hold a naming contest.
Pros and Cons
Pros for the project were identified in that it is a great win for the community and would promote residents getting outside and getting exercise.
However, cons included difficulties accessing the trail entrance and the possibility of trail users from outside the community having to utilize the community centre parking lot. Another con was concerns about an increase in service level.
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Amended project scope
Deputy Reeve Drew McKay questioned the request for lighting along the trail, saying that there is not much existing street lights inside the hamlet of Condor itself.
Reeve Jordon Northcott suggested promoting the trail as a day use amenity, adding that removing lighting could shed as much as $11,000 off the total project cost.
Council passed a motion to go forward with mile one of trail improvements this year with lighting removed. Mile two of the project would be included in 2027 budget discussions.
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