District of Clearwater is to receive a $240,000 BC Rural Dividend grant from the provincial government, according to chief administrative officer Leslie Groulx.
Of the total, $40,000 will go towards development of mountain bike trails, the remainder will be used to help pay for a multi-use pathway from the hospital to Murtle Crescent.
“It's so awesome. It's really going to connect our community,” she said.
The proposed pathway would be paved, 1.5 km long, three m wide, and built to the standards in the District's trails master plan.
The trail will be suitable for walkers and scooters, but Groulx says bicycles shold continue to use the bike lanes at the sides of Park Drive.
Total costt of the project is put at $440,000. The balance of the funding is to come from Wells Gray Communty Forest.
“That means it will all be covevered through grants, thanks to our hard-working trails committee,” Groulx said.
The chief administrative officer said a meeting next week will begin developing a work plan, with construction to begin as soon as the ground is ready in the spring.
The province earlier announced that it was giving about $10,000 Rural Dividend grant to Simpcw First Nation to explore becoming a contractor on the proposed Valemount Glacier resort, and another $10,000 to the Village of McBride for a development project.