The Regional District of Nanaimo wants to initiate changes that will improve a trail off the beaten path at Nanaimo River Canyon Community Park.
At a July 4 meeting, the RDN electoral area services committee directed staff to begin adding a new trailhead and markers at the park situated off Nanaimo River Road in Electoral Area C. Park users are currently using an access road through private property and there are sections of the trail with difficult terrain, according to an RDN staff report. The improvements will keep park-goers off private land and direct them to an existing trail that doesn't have direct access from the road, stated the report.
Rick Daykin, RDN manager of park services, said work will provide an enhanced experience for park visitors.
"Some of the key project scope of this Nanaimo River canyon trail improvement include a new boardwalk for the seasonally wet area, a new trailhead so that visitors can easily identify where the trail enters the park, without going onto private property, some wayfinding, informational signage, regulatory signage ... there will be some trail alignments to avoid some sensitive areas along the trail, where there are some wild orchids," Daykin said at the meeting.
Further, the report stated the trailhead will have a display with maps, and the RDN consulted with Nanaimo Area Land Trust to ensure the new trail alignment would not compromise environmentally sensitive areas.
As part of the work, staff would submit an application to the B.C. Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure seeking a permit for roadside parking, the report said, and work would be funded by $245,000 of Area C gas tax money.
