Central Saanich announced on Tuesday (May 28) the district has bought a bit of land to build an off-road connector between the Willow Way trail and Stelly’s Cross Road.
“This purchase is an exciting step towards improving the experience of getting around Central Saanich without a vehicle,” Mayor Ryan Windsor said in a press release.
“This is a key connection point for travel in the community and the trail is going to be a popular route, I have no doubt.”
This connector trail achieves a goal laid out in the district’s Active Transportation Plan to improve cycling linkages between Brentwood Bay, Saanichton and Keating.
“We are committed to seeing our Active Transportation Plan implemented quickly and affordably so people of all ages and abilities can get around the community safely,” Windsor added.
This site on Wallace Drive runs parallel to Stelly’s Secondary School and is comprised of a 380 metre by 10 metre strip of land.
The district had noticed a property near the school listed for sale and negotiated subdividing it, paying $115,000 for the slice of land in the end.
The purchase is funded from reserves and will have no impact on taxes, according to the district.
The Agricultural Land Commission must still approve the plan in order for the trail to be built, a process that could take several months.
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