The money keeps rolling in to keep building the Boyle Centennial Walking Trails.
This time it was a $5,000 grant from Devon Canada through one of their three community grant programs.
Tracey Thompson, Devon’s community and municipal affairs lead, explained Boyle’s project won one of the coveted grants based upon its huge benefit to the entire community.
“They applied through one of the three grant programs Devon has available to community groups in the Alberta and B.C. areas where we have a base of operations,” Thompson stated.
“There was $50,000 available for community projects through this grant and this was a really good project. It’s one that benefits the entire community, connects infrastructure and is a safe and healthy place to walk. That’s really want got them the grant.”
The trails project manager, Terry Mudryk-Harbarenko, happily accepted the grant, which was awarded back in December, but finally presented to the group earlier this month.
Mudryk-Harbarenko explained the grant, combined with a grant from the provincial government through its community enhancement program as well as with a new partnership with Portage College could put the group ahead of their initially proposed construction timeline.
“(With these), we will be able to finish phase two and possibly phase three this year depending on the weather and the volunteer help we can get,” she said.
“We hope to get the project started on the first of May, weather permitting.”
Presently, just over a kilometre and a half of the trail system has been built and Mudryk-Harbarenko stated it is well used by young and seniors alike.
“It’s a beautiful serene place, taking you closer to nature and very relaxing,” she added.
Phase two of the trails comprises of extending them to run around the baseball diamond and making connections at three different spots to the present trail before taking them out to Highway 831 in two spots – beside the yet to be build Wildrose Villa expansion and in behind the new houses toward the fish pond. Phase three would run from Boyle school and down Highway 831 to the Portage College campus.
