NCC adds park spur to winter trail route

By Pricilla Khan

The current path goes from Westboro Beach in the west to the Canadian War Museum in the east, where trail users have ready access to the heritage centre’s café.

According to Kitchissippi Coun. Jeff Leiper, the trail will now include a branch extending south from main route’s riverside green space to the Champlain Park Field House, located in a City of Ottawa park west of Tunney’s Pasture and a short distance east of Island Park Drive.

The extra loop to Champlain Park means the trail — until now only crossing National Capital Commission property — will also embrace city property.

“For the first time the trail will cross over into city land and that’s a big deal,” says Leiper.

The extension to Champlain Park will grant trail users access to a change room and washrooms.

This is seen as a significant upgrade. “I know that’s something that users are going to appreciate,” said Leiper.

The trail is currently free to use, and easily accessible for various uses. “It is used to cross country ski, to snow shoe, to walk…the trail has been quite crowded,” said Leiper.

Experienced cross-country skiers Nicola Johnson and Robert Orange said they plan to use the link to Champlain Park. “We’re both so excited to go skiing on the new trail as a couple,” said Johnson.

The two also snow shoe and ride fat bikes together. Orange, who lives in Gatineau, said he will be more inclined to us this trail after the extension.

The multi-use path will be extended as soon as the grooming of the trail begins, said Leiper.

Once the snow accumulates over the asphalt, the grooming will begin.

The path usually undergoes grooming sessions about three to four times a week by head groomer David Adams. The grooming is done through the use of a snowmobile attachment that mainly reduces unevenness.

The trail still faces funding issues, said Leiper. “Right now a lot of the work has been done by Dave Adams, this is his labour of love. Without some sustainable on-going funding, at some point he’s going to run out of energy to continue grooming it every time it snows at 3 and 4 a.m.”

According to Leiper, increased funding would allow more groomers to be hired and reduce Adams’ workload.