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Local cyclists gear up to span city with sustainable bike trails (2 maps)

50-kilometre trail network could be used by mountain bikers, fat bikes, hikers, trail runners and snowshoers

If Sault Cycling Club gets its way, a three-kilometre sustainable trail at Finn Hill approved by City Council last week will eventually blossom into a city-spanning network of linked natural-surface trails.

"The plan is to connect everything in the city eventually," says Andre Riopel, the club's advocacy director.

"What we're trying to do here is look at a way of connecting the system so that all schools, recreational areas and shopping areas would be within a short distance from the system," Riopel said in a presentation to city councillors. "Of course, these trails are also accessible for pedestrians and snowshoers, fat bikers and non-motorized activities."

"The idea is that no matter where you are in this town, you would be able to join the system anywhere and connect without having to drive or be on a road. Sault Ste. Marie is so gifted in its geography for trails because we're so spread out. There's a lot of green space around. And there's a lot of trails on these green spaces that are not officially recognized."

Last week, the cycling club made a major step toward accomplishing its vision, securing permission to build a three-kilometre trail and skills area as a pilot project on the city-owned Finn Hill.

"This is the first time that the cycling club has had a relationship with the city as a landowner," Riopel told councillors.

"A mountain bike trail, unlike other trails, is very easy to build. There's a lot of trails that exist in the community right now, we call them 'desire' trails, because they're not official."

"This particular trail is to help us develop a relationship with the city, to demonstrate that we can do high-quality trails. We've been planning this for five years."

"We're trying to up the game. We're looking at developing a trail so people realize what a first-class trail looks like. This particular trail will be a flow trail, which is a one-way trail meant for mountain biking mostly, but people can walk."

Sault Cycling Club is working to raise $100,000 toward the cost of local cycling/pedestrian trails.

It will return to City Council next month with representatives of Sault Trails Advisory Committee to present an updated version of its vision for a citywide active trail network.


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David Helwig

About the Author: David Helwig

David Helwig's journalism career spans seven decades beginning in the 1960s. His work has been recognized with national and international awards.
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