by CONNIE TABBERT
Editor
COBDEN — There are now just over 300 kilometres of the former Canadian Pacific Rail (CP) that can eventually be used for trails from Smiths Falls to just outside of Mattawa, which means it runs through Renfrew County.
To ensure the trail is what residents of the county want, six open house style meetings have been held. Last Thursday evening, about 70 people attended the open house at the Cobden Legion.
“This is an opportunity to bring people up to speed with what’s happening with the CP Rail trail system,” said Bob Sweet, chair of the Renfrew County CP Rail Corridor Advisory Committee.
The committee has been working with CP Rail to acquire the assets for about 10 years, he said. In 2010, CP announced its discontinuation of the almost-300 kilometre stretch of rail line. Of that, 218 kilometres cuts through Renfrew County. He noted the 300 kilometres of trail includes 2,700 acres of land. It is 100 feet wide and in some places up to 400 feet wide.
The committee is made up of three partners: Renfrew County, the County of Lanark and the Township of Papineau-Cameron. The goal is to acquire the discontinued rail corridor in one continuous piece, he said.
The meeting Thursday night, as are all the meetings, was to listen to any concerns and reassure people of where the discussions are in the current situation, as well as answer questions, and take suggestions as to what people would like to see the trail used for, Mr. Sweet said.
“We want to keep everyone happy and informed,” he said. “We want go give as much information as we have.
“This is just the beginning of a very long journey.”
While the County has learned much from operation of the K & P Trail which is in Admaston-Bromley and further south, it is only 30 kilometres in length, compared to almost 300 kilometres.
It’s important that policies and procedures be developed as the project moves forward, but not so much that they can’t be changed as needed, Mr. Sweet suggested.
“We know we want it to be a multi-purpose four-season trail,” he said. “This is an opportunity to make something unique to Renfrew County.”
There has been “clear indication” from the people they want a passive and a mechanized trail, he said. There has to be a comfort level for walkers, which could include families with small children out for a Sunday afternoon walk, that they will be safe. Explaining, he said, children are known to dart here and there, and if mechanized vehicles are allowed on the trail, it could be disastrous.
“The trail is wide enough to address both walkers and mechanized vehicles, so we should be able to achieve safety for everyone,” Mr. Sweet said. “We want to make it safe for the bird watcher, the butterfly watcher, the cross-country skier, the joggers, those people out riding their horses as well as those on snowmobiles.
“We want to develop a trail that is compatible with all users,” he said.
Mr. Sweet noted the trail was appraised at $77 million, but the partnership was able to work with CP Rail and purchase it for $500,000. Renfrew County’s portion totalled $350,000, or 70 percent of the cost. He said the purchase money came from the general reserves in three payments, ending in 2018, so there will be no impact on taxes.
Whitewater Region Councillor Chris Olmstead, who sits on the committee, said, “We’re making the best case of a worst case. We lost the rail system. This made our communities smaller and put Renfrew County, put the Ottawa Valley, at a disadvantage.”
But, since the infrastructure is in place for a good trail system, grab “the great opportunity for Renfrew County and the Ottawa Valley to open themselves up,” he said.
This trail system will be good for the economy as well as tourism and will help connect the small regions together, like Cobden, Beachburg and Pembroke, Coun. Olmstead said.
He said many people have contacted him regarding the proposed trail system, and 90 percent of them have been in favour.
“They say ‘great, go after it, use the resources,’ but then there are the other 10 percent who have concerns, such as liability, trespassing and insurance.
“That’s why we’re having these meetings, so we can answer the people’s questions.”
There was a Record of Public Comment that people were able to fill out at the meetings or take home and fill out and send in. Written submissions regarding the proposed trail system can be submitted until Jan. 1, 2017 to [email protected] or write County of Renfrew, Development and Property Department, 9 International Drive, Pembroke ON, K8A 6W5.
