Western Forest Products has donated $20,000 to continue the next phase of the rotary trail in Port McNeill.
The Port McNeill rotary club’s vision for the community trail is a 10 kilometre circle from Port McNeill into Hyde Creek and then back along the coast, which the club hopes will celebrate the natural environment, and promote healthy lifestyles for locals and visitors.
“How proud I am to be a part of this community,” said Port McNeill Rotary Club President Deborah Murray, at a Western Forest Products Chamber of Commerce member meeting, which was held on June 20.
“Rotary started this vision of the trail and the community responded so well,” added Murray. “All you have to do is go down Campbell Way every morning and there is someone on this trail.”
The funding from Western Forest Products will support the completion of phase three, which will see the trail extend from Campbell Way and Highway 19 to the airport.
“For a project like this to be able to happen in a town of 2,500 is pretty incredible,” said Stuart Abernethy, who is in charge of special projects for the rotary club. “You could have 250,000 in a town down island, and I think it would be really difficult to put a project like this together,” he added.
The phase three section of the trail will be the same quality and type of trail as the other sections, which is accessible for scooters, baby strollers, and bicycles.
Rotary is also taking donations of $100 which sponsors one metre of trail.
These donors will be able to have their name appear on a sign at the end of the trail. “We’ve raised over $3,000 this way, which is another indication of how incredible this trail is,” said Murray.
Construction on phase three of the trail is scheduled to begin at the end of July.
– Hanna Petersen article
