Work party volunteers and more funds needed

The Partners Creating Pathways group is hard at work on their next project, hot on the heels of the successful campaign of their original path which currently runs along Lower Ganges Road from Wildwood Crescent to Blain Road.

“‘Build it and they will come’ has certainly proven to be true,” states a recent press release on the group’s progress. “Our new pathway is being used by young and old, cyclists and pedestrians, physical education classes and dog walkers, people going to work/school and people just out for a leisurely walk. It brings a smile to our faces every time we see someone on the pathway, so we are smiling a lot these days.”

The Island Pathways group has partnered once again with the Salt Spring Transportation Commission (SSTC) and the Salt Spring Trail and Nature Club in order to realize their second project, which will include three distinct parts: a pathway down Atkins Road past Meadowbrook to Swanson Road (so islanders will be able to use Swanson and other back roads in order to get to the pool, schools and the Ganges centre); a short pathway on Blain Road from Braehaven to Lower Ganges Road; and another short pathway on Crofton Road leading from the hospital, past Heritage Place to the crosswalk on Lower Ganges Road.

The group has been busy since June applying for grants, getting surveys completed and meeting with other stakeholders, and is well on their way to raising the needed funds for the new project.

So far the project has received $15,000 from the SSTC, $10,000 from a CRD grant in aid from director Gary Holman, $5,000 from PARC, $5,000 from the Salt Spring Island Foundation, $2,000 from the Legion, $500 from the Lions Club, and $10,000 from the B.C. Transmission Corporation, which matches their grant from last year, bringing the total to $47,500.

Despite “many irons in the fire,” the organization hopes to have funding for this project in place by the end of February so that preparations for construction can take place by the end of May, allowing the pathways to be constructed in June.

“Pathways are an idea whose time has come. Thank you to all our volunteers who worked on the pathway, to all of you using an Island Pathways Smile Card or putting your GVM slips in our box and especially to our funders. We chose the name Partners Creating Pathways carefully.”

If you are available to help at pathways’ work parties, contact Jean Gelwicks at 250-537-4859.