Urban Trail Will Link Kimberley and Cranbrook
The Trans Canada Trail is about to get one of the most breathtaking vistas that BC has to offer, a 100 mile panorama of the Rocky Mountain looking over the Wycliffe plains.
This marks a new era of Mountain biking, and trekking in the East Kootenays that starts in Kimberley, rolls past the new Shadow Mountain Development Lifestyle Community and connects to the hub of the valley Cranbrook.
“I know that I can speak for Shadow Mountain Family when I say that we truly thrilled that this project happening right in our back yard!” said Fred Mehl, “This new trail system is going to provide our future residents year round recreation, from hiking and biking in the summer months to snowshoeing and cross country skiing in the winter. This is going to be just fantastic.”
The federal and provincial governments are investing more than $1.8 million to turn an abandoned railway into a 25-km urban trail. The funding enables the City of Cranbrook to turn an abandoned railway along Highway 95A into a 25-kilometre, three-metre wide commuter and recreation path that connects to existing trails in Cranbrook and Kimberley.
The recently abandoned railway line provides a timely opportunity to link the region’s two largest communities and complete a section of the Trans Canada Trail that connects the Kootenay region with Alberta. This project is conditionally approved pending the successful completion of an environmental assessment.
“The rails to trails project will convert this unused railway grade into a community recreational trail, encouraging residents of Cranbrook and Kimberley to be active and get outdoors,” said Honourable Jim Abbott, M.P., “Our Government is working in partnership, through the Canada-B.C. Municipal Rural Infrastructure Fund, to build healthy, prosperous communities.”
For over a hundred years, the railway between Kimberley and Cranbrook has been in place. With the mighty Sullivan Mine being closed for more than 6 years, the “Rails to Trails” program is beginning of a new Chapter for the area – that of year round recreation.
Kimberley Boomed over the Holidays
KIMBERLEY, BC – The Kimberley Ski Hill experienced phenomenal Christmas Season, blessed by both visitors an snow.
“Today is the first day we’ve been able to relax,” said Chris McCurry – Public Relations for the Kimberley Alpine Resort. Long time staff staff of KAR say that these were crowds like the Resort hasn’t seen before.
The premier on-hill condo development, Sullivan Stone was booked solid throughout the holidays, and into January. There are several units available for purchase in this development, please contact me if you have any questions.
The snow conditions over the festive season were great! There was a great dump of snow just before Christmas Day, and another one a couple days after. It was perfect conditions.
Sioban Staplin, Manager of the Kimberley Chamber of Commerce, says that things have been very busy at the Tourist Information Centre over the holiday period.
“We’ve had lots of folks in from all over – Brits, Albertans, Kiwis – and a lot of tour buses. Every time I’ve been in a store it was packed. The sporting stores especially were doing a booming business,” Staplin said. “The accommodators were really full and so was the ski hill parking lot. There were lift lines, but they are nothing to complain about. They weren’t too long.
The demand for the Downtown to Resort shuttle bus was on the rise as well. This bus operated this year by Kimberley Transit through an agreement with the Chamber, saw the need to add another run in mid-after noon at 2 p.m. to bring people downtown.
“We are trying to get people down to Dynamiter Hockey Games and the a Aquatic centre with the shuttle and also promote other activities like bowling or taking in a movie,” she said.
The Chamber is planning for WinterFest activities over the Alberta Family Day weekend in February.
“We’ll have lots of fun events and while there won’t be a big air event this year, RCR is going to have a Rail jam.”
If you would like to visit Kimberley and see what all the fuss is about, I have arranged for VIP Package pricing for my clients to stay at Sullivan Stone Lodge. Please give me a call at 432-9200 for more information.
