International trails day is Saturday, and just in time, Meewasin is celebrating the completion of trail improvements on the Kinsmen Riverfront section of the trail, as well as the beginning of a new project.
Meewasin CEO Andrea Lafond says a five year, five phase plan took place at Kinsmen Riverfront to provide improvements such as better accessibility, additional parking spaces, and widened trails to accommodate increased usage, which the trail has seen a lot of. Lafond says Meewasin predicted that the trails would see 2.5 million annual visits by the year 2050, however trail numbers are already at 2.32 million as of this year. As that project wraps up, Lafond says the next area slated for development is Kiwanis South, an area between the Delta Bessborough and the Broadway Bridge. To assist with these enhancements, the Government of Saskatchewan announced Friday that it is providing over $1.8 million to Meewasin through the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program.
MLA Marv Friesen made the announcement today, alongside Mayor Charlie Clark.
Mayor Clark says, “As we build out these trail improvements, it’s all leading, we hope, towards a national urban park here, and the potential for this to become a model across the country.”
Lafond encourages Saskatoon citizens to get outside this International Trails Day, and to head to the Meewasin website to view new vendors and activities that will be taking place, such as Yoga in The Park.