Guest Post: Further Info on $500,000 Trail Addition Requested
Posted by auroracitizen on June 19, 2010
I do a lot of hiking on a weekly basis in town & in Newmarket and thoroughly enjoy Sheppard’s Bush and the Nokiidaa Trail north of Green Lane in Newmarket.
I just read the article at yorkregion.com, Trail link project set to start this winter ( http://www.yorkregion.com/news/article/835366–trail-link-project-set-to-start-this-winter )
At the General Committee meeting Aurora Council approved going ahead with linking the Nokiidaa trail in Aurora to Newmarket section, but would still need final approval. I have followed bits & pieces of this topic from various sources but don’t have the whole picture. I do see that this does not include the “other planned enhancements, such as turtle ponds and snake hibernacula” and the project is going to cost $500,000 (1/2 million) and that’s without the already spent consultant’s fees, etc.
Fair enough, you don’t get anything for free and I’m all for trails since I am a user, but I on these trails, weekday evenings, mornings and weekend mornings and I don’t see heavy use. You pass by a few hikers, runners, a couple of families sometimes.
Yes, trails are great, but here’s the kicker $500,000 and its less than ½ kilometer of trail. Less than 500 metres ( 283 metres of trail and 185 metres of board walk – so it’s an average of $1,000 per metre.
There’s already a great boardwalk already there on St. John’s Sideroad, why is another boardwalk needed at that cost? I hope they plan on putting parking in somewhere there because I have always seen that area to hike as a problem since you have to park down on Industrial Drive at the dog park or further south at the Leisure complex.
Anyone have a quick summary as to what they are getting at $1,000/metre?
Aurora Citizen 
walt said
Has anyone ever noticed how close some of the trails in Sheppard’s Bush come to the back yards on Deerglen Terrace? How the hell can everyone get bent out of shape about proximity to Hadley Grange when the Sheppard’s Bush trails probably come even closer than the one proposed for Nokiidaa.
Oh, wait. Deerglen Terrace is in Aurora Grove, it’s not part of Aurora that actually, you know, counts for anything.
Bunch of freaking morons.
someone who loves this town more than politics said
You want a quick summary – council encourages and then listens to whiners and pays for securing their votes by spending our money.
If you want the longer explanation, I suggest reading Evelyn’s post.
We’re lucky its only $1,000/meter
I’ve never seen a council do so little with so much.
Thanks Will Be Given Come October said
Evelyn Buck’s latest blog at Our Town and It’s Business gives a good explanation of how the exhorbitant price was reached.
Don’t ya just love the way politicians in this country spend money. Maybe we can get some of the used G20 fencing to keep the riff raff on the new trail from getting too close to Hadley Grange.
Brickbat returns said
We are getting screwed.
Anna said
I don’t know if we read the same article, but there was also something mentioned about garbage. I actually like the idea of connection, because I do walk a lot and also in that direction, however, parking is an issue (similarly like you said) and I don’t like walking with a child on the busy Yonge Street. Going back to my garbage issue – it is an issue. I always see so much garbage in the natural areas and its not even funny. People don’t like to take it with them or carry to the designated garbage areas. Excellent summary on your part. Thanks. Anna.