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Salmon Arm  

Columbia Shuswap seeks provincial funding for new park and trail

Push for new Shuswap park

The Columbia Shuswap Regional District is making a push for a new community park and universal trail project.

At their last board meeting, CSRD officials voted to send applications to the federal and provincial governments for funding of the projects.

The first application will be to the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program – British Columbia – Community, Culture and Recreation fund to develop the Eagle Bay Community Park. The park project is expected to cost $480,000.

The application is for a $351,888 grant, which will cover 73 per cent of the cost. The remaining $127,981 will be covered by the CSRD's Electoral Area C Parks Five-Year Financial Plan, should the grant application be successful. The proposed park is planned to be built on the Eagle Bay Hall Society land at 4326 Eagle Bay Road.

"A final design was completed earlier this year, following community engagement, as well as support from the Electoral Area C Parks Advisory Committee," says Tracy Hughes, CSRD Communications Coordinator.

"The park's features include a multi-purpose sport court, a two-to-five-year-old playground, a five-to-12-year-old playground with accessible play features, a nature play area, seniors outdoor exercise equipment, a picnic shelter with a concrete plaza area for community events, as well as green space, new trees and landscaping."

The second application is for the Canada Infrastructure Program – British Columbia – Rural and Northern Communities Infrastructure fund, which will ask for $155,000 in funding for the trail project. The funding, if granted, will cover all eligible costs for a universal trail within Loftus Lake Community Park in Blind Bay.

"The trail would be a 1.34-kilometre loop, designed to be accessible to the widest number of possible
users, including those of diverse ages and abilities," says Hughes. "In addition to the universal trail, the park may include parking and a fenced dog park in future phases, however, additional engineering, planning and design work would be required."

All plans for these developments hinge on the applications securing the funding, and the CSRD will now make the applications and await the results.



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