Princeton’s trail building crew has had a busy summer. The Princeton crew is one of six crews from Nelson to Princeton all working on the Spirit of 2010 trail which is mostly the Trans Canada Trail. Tricia Klein is the Project Assistant for Katim Enterprises – a company based out of Winfield. “All of the crews are from JOP, (Job Opportunity Program),” said Klein. “To be hired for the project, the workers had to be out of work forest workers which has been since expanded to include out of work resource workers, as well.”

“My role is administrative and as project management offering on the ground crew support,” Klein stated. The project started in June and will run until Dec. 17. The program has provided funding for brushing, gate and fence repairs and construction. Locally, the crew will be moving the caboose at the Sunflower Downs Fairgrounds down to the Weyerhaeuser Roundhouse.

“Five out of six of the crews hired through JOP are very involved with the trail stewards,” Klein stated. “We think very highly of our trail stewards. Jim and Judy Short took us on a tour of the trail here outside Princeton. The trail stewards are able to point out problems, suggest resolutions and give us their knowledge of the trail. I get taught about the trails and shown access points and historical features,” said Klein. “The trail stewards are a wealth of knowledge to us.”

Sixty per cent of the funding through the JOP goes to crew wages, 30 per cent to materials and 10 per cent to administration, Klein hopes that the funding will become available again in the New Year to continue the program. “If there is funding in 2010, Katim will 100 per cent reapply,” Klein stated, “and we will re-hire any workers we had that are not employed elsewhere.”

Six new signs are being made for the local trail and Katim crews will be continuing to do trail improvements. “We will be doing some more brushing and rock clearing,” said crew boss Don Armstrong “and more fixing of gates and fences. There are culverts to be installed, rip rap and a big wash-out to clear. We will be busy for quite a while yet.” The local JOP crew, Vermilion Trails Society and Katim Enterprises seem to have become a unified group with one goal in mind.

The Trans Canada Trail will be become a better place to travel on while at the same time giving Canadians some work. A better trail means more travelers. More travelers mean a boost to the local economy. Princeton should benefit from the improvements for years to come.