The City of Fernie and the Fernie Trails Alliance have been awarded $1,619,000 for segment 1B of the Fernie Valley Pathway.
The 1.69-kilometre transportation corridor will extend from McLeod Avenue in West Fernie to Mount Fernie Provincial Park Road.
The city said the corridor will provide access to the residential communities of Riverside and the Cedars and to businesses along Highway 3.
“The Fernie Trails Alliance has been dedicated to the development of the Fernie Valley Pathway as it provides an inclusive and safe link between the community of Fernie and Mount Fernie Provincial Park/Fernie Alpine Resort,” said Krista Turcasso, Chair of the FTA.
“Fernie’s multi-use trail network continues to attract more runners, hikers, and bikers and it is important for our community to meet this demand with amenities to not only enhance users’ experiences, but to decrease the impact of this use and keep trail users safe. The FTA board and the Fernie Valley Pathway committee are thrilled with this successful grant and look forward to continuing to work with the City of Fernie on this project!”
Segment 1B is a portion of the larger FVP, which is a 6.1 kilometre paved, multi-use pathway that connects the City of Fernie to Fernie Alpine Resort.
“Supporting our community to move safely around with active transportation options is a top Council priority as the City works through the active transportation master planning process,” said Mayor Ange Qualizza.
“We appreciate the hard work of staff and our partners at the FTA and the FVP committee in securing the support of the Government of Canada and Province of BC in funding the next segment of this vital transportation link.”
The funding for the path came from the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program and the COVID-19 Resilience Infrastructure Stream by the Government of Canada and the Province of British Columbia.