Construction of the Multi-Use Path will move ahead to an easier portion of the trail before returning to one of the more challenging areas of the project.
The completed portion of the Multi-Use Path (MUP) currently runs from its origin at Cardena Drive following Bowen Island Trunk Road and Grafton Road to Artisan Lane where it proceeds 80 metres past the intersection. The portion of MUP under construction – estimated to be completed in April – will add another 300 metres to the trail. While the cost of this current stretch is $1.22 million, various grants and funding left the municipality with just $17,102 to cover.
Once finished, a number of terrain difficulties make the next segments of the MUP difficult to tackle. Steep and deep ravines on the north side of Grafton Road won’t allow for an off-road path to be built, or the road to be widened. Director of engineering Patrick Graham explained the road will instead need to be widened on the south side, both before and after it curves at Charlie’s Lane. A large amount of rock removal will be involved in this process, though Graham did say it will have the positive effect of moving the majority of traffic further south and away from the ravines where the road is becoming less stable.
Other issues remain along the MUP’s path on Grafton Road which make progress difficult. A failed culvert near the intersection with Cates Hill Road is causing erosion and needs replacing. Crossing Terminal Creek near Connolly Road will also require some road realignment in order for the path to pass over the relatively new culvert there.
For these reasons Graham proposed shifting the next stretch of work further west to the portion of path between Connolly Road and Forster Lane. In addition to being the easiest upcoming part of the path to construct, it would also allow the municipality (BIM) to take advantage of a BC Active Transportation (BCAT) grant of $500,000 which must be used by the end of March 2026. The cost to BIM for this segment would be $236,000.
Council deliberated on approving the $236,000 in this year’s budget, as well as supporting a grant application to Housing, Infrastructure and Communities Canada (HICC) to help fund the part of the MUP which requires major road realignment along Grafton Road. This portion is estimated to cost $2 million with the grant covering 60 per cent, leaving $800,000 for BIM to pay. Graham says he’s optimistic the municipality can secure another BCAT grant of the same amount as the current one, reducing that cost to $300,000.
“This seems like a good use of taxpayer dollars, to leverage it (MUP plan) to get higher amounts of money from granting organizations that benefit life on Bowen Island and safety on the road,” said Coun. Sue Ellen Fast.
Some councillors felt the focus for current BIM spending needed to lie elsewhere. “I’m on record as thinking we need to deal with hard infrastructure, things like roads and getting water and wastewater dealt with, in a manner that contributes to other things like being able to add the homes that we’re talking about,” said Coun. John Saunders. “In my mind it’s tough to be spending money on this path right now.”
Council voted to refer the $236,000 spending on the next phase of the MUP to this year’s budget process, where it is currently included as of the second draft of the Five-Year Financial Plan. An application for the HICC grant was also approved to help fund the MUP when work returns to the S-curve portion of Grafton Road.
The MUP path from Forster Lane to Harding Road will be the responsibility of the Lakelands development project in the Grafton Lake area. Graham says the timeline on this portion is unclear as it’s based on when the project begins construction on the south side of Grafton Road, which is subsequently based on securing a water source. Design work for far future segments of the MUP beyond Harding Road has been put on hold until appropriate grant sources can be found.
