The Town of Qualicum Beach received $695,308 to complete the separated bike path on the upper portion of Memorial Avenue.
The funding was possible through a BikeBC grant.
BikeBC, along with the Province of B.C. and the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure, support projects in B.C.
Eighteen communities throughout B.C. received funding grants Wednesday, June 13.
Qualicum Beach town planner Luke Sales said the completion of the bike path “will fill in the missing link needed to make Memorial Avenue a safe and convenient part of the transportation network and encourage healthy living through cycling.”
Sales said the funding for the bike path is for Memorial Avenue from Crescent Road to Village Way.
“It’s a short stretch of very challenging construction, but the result will be a safe and convenient pathway similar to the pathway that’s already been completed in front of the golf course.”
The Government of B.C., according to its news release, has invested more than $34 million in 117 cycling projects throughout the province since 2014, benefiting 70 communities.
The BikeBC 2018-19 grants represent a total investment of $6.11 million.
To encourage healthy living and to help address climate change, the Province of B.C. is cost-sharing cycling infrastructure projects with local government through their BikeBC program.
The separated bike path, according to a news release from the town on June 13, was part of the reconstruction of Memorial Avenue from uptown Qualicum Beach to the waterfront.
“Improvements to the cycling route to link uptown to the waterfront along Memorial Avenue was a top priority in the Official Community Plan Review, Qualicum Beach Cycling Plan and Age-Friendly Transportation Plan Update,” according to the news release from the town.
The Memorial Avenue upgrades first received funding in April of 2017 from the provincial government through the Clean Water and Wastewater fund. The third phase included a bike path, but on the lower portion of Memorial Avenue.
The third phase of the Memorial Avenue upgrades are still underway with plans for a roundabout at Memorial Avenue and Highway 19A and for foreshore, Beach Creek and estuary improvement.
— NEWS StaffTown of Qualicum Beach news release
