The Bragg Creek Trails Association (BCTA) is paving the way – quite literally – in the hamlet this spring.
The non-profit association, which monitors and maintains the region's network of recreational trails and pathways, has secured grant funding from multiple levels of government to complete a trail-paving project that began in 2020.
According to a post on braggcreektrails.org, the BCTA intends to pave the remaining 3.1 kilometres (km) of the Trans Canada Trail from Meadow View Road going west to Range Road 54, and then south on Range Road 54 to Iron Creek Trail.
Eric Lloyd, a board member of Bragg Creek Trails and the association's special projects director, said the motivation for paving the paths – which are currently gravel – is primarily related to the safety of the trails' users, as it would minimize potential risk of traffic collisions with pedestrians.
“It’s pretty logical. If people don’t use the trail, they’re on the road, and that’s not good for public safety,” he said. “The more people we can get on the trail and off the road shoulder, the safer it is.
“And of course, it’s much better for biking or for disabled people who might be using something that has wheels.”
Other benefits for paving the trail include less erosion, easier snow-clearing in the winters, and a smoother overall trail experience.
Particularly in the early weeks of spring, Lloyd said trail-users often tend to prefer using the public roadways, since the gravel pathways are still wet and muddy.
“This time of year, our gravel trail is very soft, wet, and muddy, whereas our paved sections are bare,” he said. “People are now walking along the side of the road shoulder because the gravel trail is so soft.”
According to Lloyd, this year will complete what the BCTA deemed phase two of the paving project. He added the association previously paved 2.5 km of trail back in 2020, starting at Bracken Road and leading toward Range Road 52. Phase two then started with paving the trail from Range Road 52 heading west toward Meadow View Road.
“So we’re basically going to finish paving the last of the gravel trail that we built starting in 2015,” he said.
Lloyd added the BCTA noticed a significant increase in trail users after paving the paths, as well as a lot of positive feedback.
This year's grant funding came through all three levels of government, Lloyd remarked, including Rocky View County’s Recreation Governance Committee, the provincial government's Community Facilities Enhancement Program, and the federal government's Active Transportation Fund. Lloyd said the Trans Canada Trail Foundation is the fourth and final source of funding for the project.
However, Lloyd declined to mention the amount the BCTA has secured, as the association is still going to tender for the paving project.
The section of the Trans Canada Trail the BCTA plans to pave is highly popular – according to the association, it is used by approximately 17,000 trail users per year, ranging from cyclists, to dog-walkers, to scooter-users and even equestrians.
“Lots of people are probably quite happy we’re paving it because then their kids can ride to Banded Peak School from Elk Valley,” he said.
Before paving gets underway this spring, Lloyd said the BCTA is seeking community feedback in the form of a three-week public consultation. From April 10 to 30, residents of Bragg Creek are encouraged to answer a feedback form on the association's website about the upcoming project.
“We’d like to hear from everyone and we appreciate the support of our generous sponsors, and the support of the community,” he said. “We hope people think this is a positive thing.”
The link can be found at braggcreektrails.org/paving-the-tct-phase-3/
