The Golden hill pathway comes to an abrupt end no more.
As of last week, the paving has been completed on the continuation of the Golden hill pathway, parallel to Highway 1, and the path is open to pedestrians.
The project is an extension of a request that went through UBCM many years ago, when the Town of Golden told the province that a pathway that connected the businesses and residences at the top of the Golden hill, with the town below, was needed.
The project was approved, and the path built by the Ministry of Transportation was completed in 2012.
Nearly two years later, another request was granted, and the Town partnered up with the ministry to complete the path, so that it did not just end, leaving pedestrians walking down the highway overpass.
The Ministry of Transportation took care of most of the work and cost, with the Town’s portion consisting of all paving costs, the concrete abutments, and the installation of fencing along major portions of the trail.
Golden’s cost is estimated at $70,000, all of which will come from the Resort Municipality Initiative funds, at no cost to the local taxpayer. The money is coming out of the budget for the larger Highway Corridor Enhancement project, scheduled to get underway this summer.
“It’s so great to see this project finally done,” said Mayor Christina Benty. “We’ve already been getting tons of positive comments about it.”
Right now the hill that runs along side the pathway is not landscaped, but the Ministry of Transportation is still looking into some options to spruce the area up a bit.
Although not currently in the works, the next step for the pathway would be to extend it along the highway towards the corridor, where the highway businesses are, to further enhance pedestrian access to town for visitors.
