The Village of Telkwa will be making improvements to pedestrian accessibility and cycling infrastructure in the downtown area.
This project is being made possible by an $87,000 grant from the The Northern Development Initiative Trust (NDIT) announced last week.
It will include three bicycle racks, each capable of holding six bicyles and 10 accessible picnic tables along the Riverside trail.
The Village has not yet released the exact locations of the various features.
The funding will also allow the Village to pave the currently unpaved section of the Riverside Trail from Hope Avenue to the Dockrill Rink.
QUOTE Leroy
The Village is hoping these improvements will encourage both residents and villagers to more fully enjoy the amenities, vendors and parks in the downtown area.
All of this comes as new census data from Statistics Canada indicates Telkwa is one of the fastest-growing municipalities in B.C. Between 2016 and 2021, the population of Telkwa grew by 11.1 per cent from 1,327 to 1,474.
The project is part of a larger revitalization vision for Telkwa that will also see a kiosk installed at the boat launch and trees planted in various locations with funding coming from various sources.
The Telkwa funding was part of a larger announcement of $2.3 million in grants for 11 projects in communities across northern B.C.
“It’s great to see so many communities investing in projects that are key in retaining and attracting residents and visitors. Places such as museums, libraries, ski clubs and cultural centres are at the heart of every community and offer a sense of pride and belonging.”
Other Northwest projects benefitting from funding include the rehabilitation of Prince Rupert’s CN station to make it ready for commercial occupation (300,000) and the development of three condominium-style fourplexes in Burns Lake.