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Nanaimo’s upgraded Bowen Park trail opens with winter fitness challenge

Widened, stabilized trail built overtop of sewer line
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Bowen Park trailway is wider, brighter and safer thanks to upgrades and a redesign that followed installation of a new sewer line through the park. The trail was officially opened Friday, Feb. 4. (Chris Bush/News Bulletin)

A project to upgrade utilities and Nanaimo’s Bowen Park trailway completed in time to kick off a winter fitness challenge.

The event launched Friday, Feb. 4, on the upgraded trail that now features widened paving, steep slope stabilization, lighting and other improvements. The upgrades were part of a project, started in April 2021, to upgrade the Millstone Trunk sewer line that serves more than 35 per cent of Nanaimo’s homes and businesses.

READ ALSO: Bigger sewer line will mean better commuter trail through Nanaimo’s Bowen Park

The project also added landscape restoration by planting 172 trees, including Douglas fir, western red cedar, big leaf maple and native shrubs and grasses, according to a press release from the City of Nanaimo.

The city says the Bowen Park trail improvements provide a safe alternative to cycling on Bowen Road and connects destination hubs such as downtown and the Nanaimo Regional General Hospital area.

The city’s Walk On winter wellness challenge encourages residents to stay active during the winter months and enjoy Nanaimo’s mild winter weather while they track their steps or distances covered by inputting the information into an online form. Participants have a chance to win weekly prizes and the grand prize is a new pair of running shoes from New Balance Nanaimo.

“We are so pleased to see this project completed. It looks fantastic and is already being enjoyed by the community,” said Nanaimo Mayor Leonard Krog in the release. “The sewer upgrades were necessary, but using this opportunity to increase connectivity, accessibility and safety was maximized. Staff and contractors did a wonderful job respecting the habitat of wildlife and limiting the impact to park users and the environment.”

To learn more and to participate in the Walk On challenge, visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/walk-on-challenge.

For more information on the Bowen Park trailway and utility upgrades, visit www.nanaimo.ca/goto/bowentrailutility.



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