Plans taking shape for new Minnedosa trail park

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This article was published 09/06/2022 (1442 days ago), so information in it may no longer be current.

A Minnedosa not-for-profit has made significant progress on a trail park project that has been in the works for more than two years.

After keeping Squirrel Hills Trail Park a secret for the first 18 months of its existence, Valley Life Recreation announced last summer it was in the preliminary stages of establishing a new multi-use trail park near Minnedosa.

At the time, however, it had garnered just $36,000 of an estimated $650,000 budget for the project.

The organization has since raised more than $300,000 and is closing in on the start of the expansion of the existing trail system in Squirrel Hills.

“It’s been an incredible ride,” said Dave Ternier, board chair of Valley Life Recreation.

“We went from being an organization with a vision for something and it’s been overwhelmingly embraced by not only the local community but the greater community.”

The project now sits at $371,000 raised and Ternier is optimistic there’s more to come.

Two funding agreements are pending but are expected to be finalized in the next couple of weeks, he said. That will get the group close enough to its target budget to facilitate the start of construction this summer.

Another funding agreement, that currently sits in the preliminary stages, would get the non-profit to its project goal.

A $22,500 donation from the Minnedosa District Foundation and Brandon Area Community Foundation, respectively, helped the peoject gain traction on top of the $36,000 given by the Town of Minnedosa.

Another $25,000 funded by Saputo Legacy Fund will help the cause along with the group being selected for the “Building Sustainable Communities” fund, a $75,000 grant offered by the province.

Ternier said an agreement was reached with the Saputo Legacy Fund to make one feature of the new trail park “The Saputo nature playground.”

“That was remarkable,” he said about receiving funding from Saputo. “That was not only a boost for the project its self, but it was very validating for them to reach out to us.”

Squirrel Hills Trail Park will reside on the west side of highway 10, kitty to Minnedosa, about 40 minutes north of Brandon.

It’s going to be a feature-heavy course, according to Ternier.

The trail will double in distance to 16 kilometers, and allow for hiking, mountain biking, tail running, snowshoeing and fat biking.

“It will truly be multi-use.”

The existing course doesn’t offer the versatility the new trail will provide, due to it being a quad-track in the summer.

A quad-track, typically meaning a flat, grass-only run, allows for more people to be side-by-side when walking, but is only suitable for hiking in the summer and cross-country skiing in the winter.

The expanded trail will be a single-track course, made up of dirt with varying degrees of undulation and constructed with runners and riders in mind.

“It has been designed with ‘progression’ in mind,” Ternier said. “There is something for everyone of all skill levels.”

Three trail levels will be available to support the novice, intermediate or expert rider.

Green trails will have limited grades, blue trails will require a little more skill and black trails are for experienced riders.

A pavilion for people to meet and eat, a skills area that features table-top jumps, berms and rollers for tricks, and an infinite loop that will also functuion as an outdoor walking area make up the other features of the park.

“Minnedosa has long been an exciting place for people to explore the outdoors but we wanted to bring a renewed focus to a larger-purpose trail system that cateres to many user groups,” Ternier said.

The inspiration to think of a bigger project was cultivated by the Dauphin Derailers Cycle Club after the group helped debut Northgate Trails, a system on the northern edge of riding mountain national park, Ternier explained.

“What they have built has served as a confidence builder for our project and the idea that professional trail design has a role to play in the future of outdoor recreation.”

“They’ve been instrumental in leading us through what has been a sizeable project.”

Following a harrowing, and in some cases traumatic spring for residents of Minnedosa after the bloated Little Saskatchewan River forced some to evacuate their homes, Ternier said he thinks the community is ready for some great news.

“I certainly won’t pretend this project is the answer to anybody’s woes, but I am looking forward to making some exciting announcements in a couple of weeks because the community could use something positive to look forward to .”

Valley Life Recreation has selected a trail-building company that will be announced by end of June, allowing construction to begin shortly after.

» jfrey-sam@brandonsun.com

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