Welcome Park in Oak Bay. (Christine van Reeuwyk/News Staff)

Widening work closes popular pedestrian, cyclist path in Oak Bay

Work started Monday and is expected to finish the week of Sept. 20

  • Aug. 26, 2021 12:00 a.m.

A popular connector path between Oak Bay Village and the recreation centre is closed into next month.

The path was 1.8 metres wide, too narrow for a shared pathway used by pedestrians and cyclists. Numerous studies over the years identified a need to enhance this pathway, including the 2011 Active Transportation Strategy, the 2016 Age Friendly Oak Bay study, and the 2014 Official Community Plan.

RELATED: Pathways through municipality need improvement

In 2015, Oak Bay commissioned a study on widening the Elgin connector. To hit the three-metre width that is standard for multi-use trails, Oak Bay would need to acquire land and remove about 11 existing pine trees.

The same study identified a second option where the path could be widened to about 2.4 metres without removing trees.

Work started Monday on that option and is expected to finish the week of Sept. 20.

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c.vanreeuwyk@blackpress.ca

Oak Bay News