While the ink is still fresh on the deal for the Town of Drumheller to lease former CN Rail railbeds, plans and budgets to complete upgrades to develop these right-of-ways are already underway.
Any updates or upgrades to the former CN Rail right-of-ways will be at the expense of the Town, and some $25,000 in funds has already been allocated within the 2022 Capital budget for this development.
“Our plan is to determine what that gets us for work this summer and determine in the next budget cycle what an appropriate annual amount would be going forward,” says Drumheller Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) Darryl Drohomerski.
To help offset some of the expected costs to build the trails, the Town is looking to develop some partnerships or sponsorships, such as naming rights, with local businesses and individuals.
“We already maintain many kilometres of trails, so adding a few more (kilometres) per year shouldn’t be too much of a challenge,” CAO Drohomerski adds.
During the regular Monday, April 4 council meeting, Councillor Tom Zariski recommended scheduling the first segment for development between 19 Street East near Walmart and connect to downtown Drumheller to provide a safe pedestrian walking path.
