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Town of Eckville planning pathway around Manor and Villa

Plans for the pathway has changed slightly following feedback from the community
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Eckville Town Office. (File Photo)

By Sarah Baker

For Eckville Echo

There is a new walking pathway coming to the Town of Eckville.

The original concept for the path was to have it go down 52 Avenue, said Jack Ramsden, CAO for the Town.

Changes to the design were made so the pathway will now run alongside Eckville Manor House.

“The reason for the path by the Manor and Villa is because many seniors already use many of the trails in the community,” Ramsden said.

The initial design was to have the path connect 52 Avenue to Main Street. However, the plan was changed after community feedback and many concerns from residents.

“Even going into it I did expect there to be pushback because that would place an eight-foot walking trail in front of some residences, and that’s where we got the opposition,” said Ramsden.

Overall, people in the community are supportive of the trails, Ramsden says.

“I see the new pathway not just being used by the seniors, and due to the size of the pathways people will be able to walk with a friend while being able to social distance.”

After community feedback on the plan, the trail will connect to 51 Avenues rather that 52 Avenue.

The path will be a safe, wide, walking surface for the seniors and other people to use, Ramsden says.

“In the event of a person tripping you won’t be run over by the car because of the distance from the curb.”

Seniors living in the Manor wanting to use the walking path just for exercise is, won’t have to leave the path, which Ramsden believes to be another benefit of the new plan for the path.

“The seniors will be able to go directly from the Manor house around and back again.”

There a plan already in place to redo some of the six-foot sidewalks on Main Street.

The Town is planning to extend the sidewalks on Main Street to eight feet, which will connect with the eight-foot trail as well.

The path will hopefully be done by the end of August.