Some excellent news for our trail network this week — the city has been approved for a $550,000 Community Recreation Program grant from the province for the construction of an underpass of the CN Rail line at the former Praxair site on Mackenzie Avenue.
This underpass will be an important link in the city’s development of a trail network which connects the lake, River Valley, Westside, South Lakeside, downtown core, and the community. This is one of the top priorities in the Parks, Trails, and Outdoor Recreation Master Plan. This is another great example of how partnerships help build our community. Council has also committed about $138,000 to this project.
I want to highlight all of the volunteers who made the celebration of the city’s 83rd birthday last week a standing-room only success. Council appreciates the hard work our dedicated Museum of the Cariboo Chilcotin volunteers do to preserve, promote, and celebrate our heritage.
It looks like spring might finally be on its way! I spent a wonderful afternoon with my grandson at Kiwanis Park, and it was packed. We’re fortunate to have accessible, safe, and family-friendly facilities like this. He told me, “Gamma, I sure wike the park!”
I want to invite everyone to help us celebrate this Sunday as our hometown hero Rick Hansen comes to town as part of his 25th Anniversary Relay celebrating the Man in Motion tour. Hansen’s vision and leadership has been an inspiration to everyone. As someone who grew up with a family member in a wheelchair, I know how vital Hansen’s passion and the work of his foundation is to promoting accessibility and supporting spinal cord injury research.
The celebration starts at 4 p.m. with a family barbecue put on by Rotarians and local entertainers at the Cariboo Memorial Recreation Complex, and the official program begins at 5:30. Come out and celebrate!
Kerry Cook is the mayor of Williams Lake.