City wants feedback on proposed trails and pathways master plan

The parks and recreation department wants residents to complete a survey about the proposed trails and pathways master plan to guide how the city handles trails during the next 10 years.

The municipality is working with E. Lees + Associates Consulting Ltd. to create the master plan that will inform the development of a comprehensive, destination-based trail network as part of a greater active transportation network within the community.

The survey questions are intended to gather information about residents’ experiences on community trails and will be used to develop a draft trails and pathways master plan. City hall says it is important to have strong community input, so residents’ participation is vital to developing the document.

Some questions the survey asks include:

By Moose Jaw Express staff

How often residents use the trails system

· Why people use the trails and pathways

· The activities people do on the trails

· The area residents most use

· What prevents people from using the pathways more

· The priorities people want for the trail network

The City of Moose Jaw has a network of over 40 kilometres of trails and pathways that were established concurrently with the growth of new city neighbourhoods and in partnership with non-profit and community groups, the project website says.

The trails and pathways master plan will build upon the existing network and focus on improving connectivity, safety, accessibility, and environmental resiliency while providing opportunities to better educate the community on the benefits of active transportation.

Some green spaces in Moose Jaw include Crescent Park, Elgin Park, Happy Valley, Spring Creek, Sunningdale Nature Park, Connor’s Park, River Park, Tatawaw Park/Old Wild Animal Park, and River Park Campground in Wakamow Valley.

“The development of the city’s trail network is dependent on several systems working in harmony and a dedicated plan is required to ensure our trails and pathway systems are fully interconnected while accommodating a wide range of uses,” said Derek Blais, director of parks and recreation.

“The goal of the trails and pathways master plan is to create a long-term strategy that will enhance the city’s pathway systems with a strong focus on improving trail connectivity, accessibility, and safety,” he continued.

“We are excited to partner with the team at E. Lees + Associates Consulting as they bring extensive experience in planning and designing trail networks, and we look forward to the launch of our public survey this week.”

The parks and rec department is using grant funding from the federal government’s Active Transportation Fund — intended to support Canada’s national active transportation strategy — to finance the project.

The survey will be open until the end of March. The next steps will include drafting the plan through March and April, engaging in a second round of community consultations in April and May, and creating and presenting the final plan in May or June.

The main web page for the trials and pathways master plan project is moosejaw. ca/parks-recreation-culture/parks-trails, while the survey’s at www.surveymonkey. com/r/MooseJawTrailsSurvey.