The Capital Regional District expects to start work soon expanding the E&N Rail Trail from Savory School to Atkins Avenue in Langford, but a local advocacy group worries about what effects the work will have on area trees.
The Atkins Alliance Neighbourhood Group says it is concerned about 200 trees B次元官网网址� some Garry oak, broadleaf maple and Douglas fir B次元官网网址� set to be cut down for trail expansion.
Beth Cruise, a member of the group and former executive director of the Canadian Earth Institute said the group is made up of neighbours whose homes back on to the E&N Rail and Millstream Creek. She and her neighbours look out at the trees every day.
B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 a huge biodiversity back there,B次元官网网址� Cruise said. B次元官网网址淭hereB次元官网网址檚 deerB次元官网网址� the salmon come up there too and big woodpeckers, ravens, eagles.B次元官网网址�
READ MORE: All 13 CRD mayors call for province to fund E&N rail segment
Cruise said removing the trees would harm habitats for various species.
B次元官网网址淚t would be disturbing a very sensitive ecosystem,B次元官网网址� Cruise said.
The group has spoken with the Capital Regional District, sent letters and petitions around and is trying to get the word out about its concerns, Cruise said.
She also noted that group members are not opposed to expanding the trail, they just want to see the trail built without harming the ecosystem.
B次元官网网址淲hy canB次元官网网址檛 we have both?B次元官网网址� Cruise said. B次元官网网址淲e canB次元官网网址檛 come up with a solution where we can have this incredible biodiverse area and have a trail? I would love to have a bike trailB次元官网网址� personally, I bike.B次元官网网址�
According to the CRD, construction for this portion of the trail is to begin in the spring with tree removal scheduled for February. It will take approximately one year to complete.
READ MORE: Work continues on E&N Rail Trail
It will extend west from the railway crossing at Atkins Avenue to Savory School. The trail will cross the tracks west of Atkins Avenue and continue towards Millstream Creek, where it will cross back to the south of the tracks through a culvert tunnel. From the tunnel, it will continue to Savory School.
A bridge was previously proposed to cross Millstream Creek but the latest plans are to build a tunnel instead due to B次元官网网址渋ncreasing clarity on technical, cost and environmental risks associated with the proposed bridge section over Millstream Creek,B次元官网网址� according to a CRD bulletin.
B次元官网网址淚 have to give the CRD creditB次元官网网址� theyB次元官网网址檝e been listeningB次元官网网址� they changed the trail by putting in this tunnel,B次元官网网址� Cruise said.
The CRD bulletin says the culvert tunnel B次元官网网址渇urther mitigates environmental impacts and largely bypasses the designated environmentally sensitive area around Millstream Creek.B次元官网网址�
A spokesperson from the CRD said six alignment options for the trail were assessed to B次元官网网址渆nsure the chosen route minimizes, to the greatest extent possible, the impacts to environmental features.B次元官网网址�
The spokesperson said the CRD also worked with an environmental consulting group while planning the trail route to identify things like ecological attributes, wildlife and bird habitats and opportunities to minimize impact.
The CRD was also able to reduce tree loss from 300 to 200 trees which are mainly younger and will be replaced in the area.
Currently, the E&N Rail Trail is 12 km long and will be 17 km when complete. It is being developed in phases as funding becomes available. The Savory School to Atkins Avenue section is Phase Three of trail construction.
The estimated cost of construction for the entire trail is $36,000,000. It will connect downtown Victoria to Esquimalt, View Royal and Langford.
shalu.mehta@goldstreamgazette.com
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