SANDRA M STANWAY
Brooks Bulletin
The pre-cast concrete pads for benches along the path to Kinbrook Provincial Park are being installed and work on the trail head plaza in front of the county administration building is expected to begin shortly.
Mark Harbicht, the county’s director of municipal services, said he does not want to predict the timeline for the opening of the path but does want to see it open for the current council’s term.
Although the path’s concrete work is completed and a portion of it was plowed last winter the path remains officially closed and under the contractor’s responsibility.
“There are hazards present whether they are man made or natural,” said Harbicht.
“Please respect the signage that’s in place. It’s closed.”
While the care of the path, including anything overgrown is currently the responsibility of the contractor, it will be taken over by the county after all documents are signed.
Although there may be a future discussion about whether trees and other landscaping along the path should be done or if the path should remain as is across the prairie, Harbicht’s initial goal is to complete the construction.
“We only have five metres of land. The pathway’s two-and-a-half metres wide.
“To plant a tree along it means there are going to be roots, there’s going to be heaving. Maybe we just need to learn to enjoy nature as it is for our region,” he said.
As well, he said, there will be three garbage cans along the entire trail including at the county, at Kinbrook and at Bantry Bay.
“Pack it in. Pack it out. We don’t want to have debris and stuff littering our natural prairiescape,” he said.