ATHABASCA – A $5,000 grant to Alberta TrailNet, a non-profit society that helps maintain and support the provincial trail network, will be on hold until Town of Athabasca councillors get a better picture of what the towns funds are being put towards.
During their Dec. 19 council meeting, councillors voted 5-1 – Coun. Ida Edwards was opposed and Coun. Dave Pacholok was absent – in favour of a motion to hold back the 2024 funding until further information on the trails system and funding is provided.
“We can’t just throw money at something when we don’t even know what it’s going towards,” said Coun. Jon LeMessurier during the meeting. “When we discussed this at our previous budget meeting, I don’t think there was much discussion about not agreeing with (the grant), it’s more that we throw $5,000 at the organization every year and that’s not fiscally responsible for our community.”
The town is responsible for a small section of the Athabasca Landing Trail, a 150 kilometre route from Athabasca to Fort Saskatchewan that follows the historic trail of the same name. While much of the trail has lapsed or is now on private land, the town helps maintain the northmost section.
“The trail goes across all of Canada, it’s the Trans-Canada trail,” said mayor Rob Balay during a Jan. 4 follow-up. “We’re responsible for less than, it might be a kilometre? When you compare that to parts in entire county, and Westlock county and all that, obviously it’s not that big of an impact, but we’re also at the very end of the trail, and we’re a destination place as well.”
Edwards, who represents the town on the Athabasca TrailNet Steering committee, spoke passionately about the value the trail brings to the community, sharing letters community members had written as well as her own viewpoints.
“There are few maintained walking trails in the region — having these trails promotes the physical and mental health of citizens. It gives a tangible connection to the history of many people who live in the area,” read Edwards from one such letter. “These trails connect towns, and if properly mapped would increase business in the area.”
Balay stressed that the grant was still in the budget — the town just wanted to know what their money was going towards and invited TrailNet to come as a delegation to a future meeting.
“Until we get some clear answers about what that $5,000 is being used for, we just want to make sure that what it’s being invested in makes sense for our region,” said Balay. “It isn’t clear to us right now what those benefits are. I don’t think there was a hard no to say, ‘We aren’t going to support this.’”
