It's a curving, stark white single line that runs from busy two-lane blacktop, through a vibrant greenbelt and ends at a Bold building. But beyond those specifics, area residents don't know much about a half kilometre of concrete sidewalk that has been built over the last month and now rests in the middle of a municipal reserve north of the Bold Center.
While it currently sits as a single sidewalk through a field, Lac La Biche County officials say the concrete path may at some future point be associated with a full roadway linking 91 Ave. at the Bold Center to Highway 881 near the Lac La Biche County Centre.
"The trail alignment is positioned about 35 metres west of the County Centre property boundary, which leaves room for possible future development of a connecting road as well," municipal spokesperson Alex Fuller told the POST last week, adding that the curving path follows the contours of the property and future connections. "The alignment follows the west boundary of the County Centre property, and then curves in order to connect with the Bold Center’s existing east sidewalk and access."
The sidewalk project — costed-out in the municipality's 2018 walking trail budget — has a price tag of $200,000.
So far, it is the county's only concrete walking trail, and will eventually connect to the sidewalk system around the Bold Center to the the north, and to the asphalt trail system between Holowachuk Estates and the Beaver Lake hamlet to the south. The sidewalk's eventual connection to the existing trail and sidewalk systems will likely wait until the 2019 construction season as Alberta Transportation approvals first have to be granted as the sidewalk approaches the highway. Other infrasturcture will also likely have to be added to link the sidewalk to other walkways.
"We are expecting there to be a crosswalk. However, speed zone changes and lighting requirements on Highway 881 are under review by Alberta Transportation and we’re waiting for approvals to proceed with construction," said Fuller. "Any development within the highway right-of-way is managed by Alberta Transportation."
Joining together
The sidewalk will be a link between rural pathways and the urban sidewalk system.
"We are looking at the future development of our walking trail system and this is currently under review," said Fuller.
