The Comox Valley Regional District (CVRD) officially opened the Royston Seaside Trail today. The CVRD chair and area directors, staff and residents celebrated the official opening of the project which was funded in part by a provincial Community Recreation Program grant.
“These improvements will help with accessibility and allow more people to enjoy our waterfront,” provincial MLA Don McRae said. “The work that has been done will protect the shoreline and ensure it will remain an attraction for tourists and residents for years to come.”
The CVRD received a $325,000 grant from the Government of British Columbia’s Community Recreation Program to help construct the trail. The CVRD contributed $223,000 of a total project cost of $548,000.
The project scope included construction of a 1.1 km long and 2.5 metre wide gravel trail along the waterfront, placement of logs and rocks and planting of native vegetation to prevent erosion of the foreshore, planting of native plants along the trail, and the development of a small parking area and a toilet. Future plans include installing interpretive signs and a picnic table.
“We are very pleased to see this project’s completion,” said Edwin Grieve, Comox Valley Regional District board chair. “This new trail allows residents and visitors of all ages to enjoy a safe and scenic walk as well as enjoying nature viewing and water based recreational opportunities along the trail.”
The newly constructed gravel trail follows the foreshore for 1.1 km from the end of Lince Road just north of Marine Drive in Royston to Chinook Road in Courtenay. Parking, kayak and canoe access are available at the end of Hilton Road which can be accessed from the old island highway north. The new trail has been very popular with the public, especially on weekends.
The provincial $30-million Community Recreation Program was developed to help local governments meet the costs of capital projects that make communities healthier, more active places in which to live. In total, 98 recreation projects throughout B.C. were funded through this program to help build everything from bike parks, trails, fitness facilities and walkways to playgrounds, rinks and recreation centres.
The Comox Valley Regional District is a federation of three electoral areas and three municipalities providing sustainable services for residents and visitors to the area. The members of the regional district work collaboratively on services for the benefit of the diverse urban and rural areas of the Comox Valley.