© Herald photo by Tyler Clarke
Prince Albert Rotary Trails Committee chairperson Dave Fischl approaches the podium to address city council on Monday, during which he expressed a keen interest in getting the trail done next year.
There’s an optimism the Rotary Trail will circle Prince Albert next year
Beaming with enthusiasm, Prince Albert Rotary Trails Committee chairperson Dave Fischl reflected on 13 years of hard work nearing an end.
Speaking in front of city council during Monday’s budget committee meeting, Fischl centred his presentation more on past success than future budgetary requests.
Perhaps it was because the end is within sight, with the trail only 1.5 kilometers shy of the committee’s end goal of seeing it circle the city.
“This hasn’t been easy, but it’s well worth it,” he told council. “I think it’s brought the city closer together. I’ve seen a lot of people on there and they all say ‘hello’ -- they love it.
“It’s been an interesting journey for our committee, and I can’t believe we’ve managed to keep the committee together for that long.”
This year saw the trail receive an $180,000 injection, of which half came from the federal government.
Paving came a bit late this season, but warm weather prevailed and they got a stretch around the Alfred Jenkins Field House done before it got too cold.
“Thank God it didn’t snow until now, because I don’t think we would have got it done, but we did get it done,” Fischl said with a smile.
After his presentation, Fischl clarified that the cost of completing the Rotary Trail’s remaining 1.5 kilometres will be around $300,000.
Various funding sources outside of taxpayers will be sought in the coming months, Fischl said, noting that the committee has plenty of irons in the fire to get it done.
Although the Rotary Trail has taken 13 years to get to this stage, Fischl commends the current batch of municipal leaders for getting the ball rolling at a greater pace.
“I can handedly say that this mayor and council … has given us the political will,” he said, noting his confidence that the trial will be completed in 2016.
The city’s elected officials are poised to make their 2016 budget decisions at two budget committee meetings at City Hall later this month.
The first will take place on Nov. 19, from 4 p.m. to 9 p.m., and the second will take place on Nov 20 from 8 a.m. until approximately 5 p.m.
@TylerClarkePA • tclarke@paherald.sk.ca