Trisha Shanks

Arrow Lakes News

A five kilometre trail which loops in a circle around the downtown core of the village of Nakusp could become a reality if the Trails Society has any say in the matter. Nakusp has a hidden treasure in the form of a series of walking paths which, if connected, would create a continuous five kilometre trail engulfing the village.

Piecing the sections together is not in the Trails Society’s jurisdiction. They have presented their suggestion to the village at two different times, including the last meeting and have done what they can to pave the way for the village to take up the reins.

Some of the sections would need construction; some require partnership with the Ministry because they are considered crown land.

At one time, sections of the trail were built to be used for recreation and that’s when things started to fall through the cracks. Parts of the trail are maintained and signed — the paved section along the waterfront is, but other parts like the steep section near the hospital are not.

“People love a loop. They love to start walking and then end up at the same place where they left their car. It’s short and the terrain is flat enough that anybody could do it if it was improved,” said Barb Chwachka, one of the founding members of the Nakusp and Area Community Trails Society. “When people visit a town, especially a small rural town like this one, they want to do a walk like this one,” Chwachka added.

It will be up to the village council to determine where the funding will come from to pursue the project if they decide to go ahead with it.

“It was always a matter of the extra funds,” village CAO Linda Tynan stated in the January council meeting.