NG receives $84k for accessible boardwalk, Loch Garry

Image of Shawna O'Neill
By Shawna O'Neill
NG receives $84k for accessible boardwalk, Loch Garry
Glengarry Trail Network by Gina Dragone Photography. Courtesy of SDG Tourism.

ALEXANDRIA, Ontario – Endowed with a Trillium Grant of $84,000, the Glengarry Trails and Lochiel Street Boardwalk will soon see a significant upgrade.

With construction set to begin this year and completed by May 2020, community members will be able to explore the forest surrounding Loch Garry by an accessible boardwalk, inclusive to individuals with restricted mobility.

“Trillium Grant funding will be used to replace the 460 ft. long Lochiel Street Boardwalk, which had fallen into disrepair over time,” said Jeff Manley, North Glengarry Councillor and Chairman of the Friends of the Glengarry Trails Association, Boardwalk Replacement Committee. “The existing boardwalk was constructed more than 20 years ago by the Friends of the Glengarry Trails Association, in collaboration with the Raisin River Conservation Authority.”

Members of the Boardwalk Replacement Committee are currently working to select a new design for the boardwalk, involving inclusive, accessible ramps.

Additionally, a Community Grant of $3,300 was awarded to Friends of the Glengarry Trails by the Township to create a panel storyboard feature along the trails. The goal of the continuous story is to capture the interest of children and families visiting the trails, further enhancing the experience for visitors.

“The storyboards represent a collaborative effort between the Glengarry Encore Education Centre members who will be writing the fictionalized stories and members from the Glengarry Artists’ Collective, who will be providing the illustrations,” read a Township of North Glengarry press release.

Trillium Funding will be used to pay for the remaining costs of this project, which is also expected to commence this year.

“During the summer, flowers, birds and wildlife are active on the trails. In winter, the trails feature some of the County’s most beautiful sunsets and they represent a true jewel in Ontario’s Celtic Heartland,” read the press release.

The Glengarry Trails system is located west of Alexandria in the Garry River watershed, featuring both wetland and woodland areas. Boardwalks, bridges and interpretive signs have been built by Friends of Glengarry Trails Association along the length of the trails, which are open year-round.

For volunteer inquiries or to find out more about the Friends of the Glengarry Trails Association, visit their website at www.glengarrytrails.com.

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