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14TuesdaySeptember102013ByRENEFRANCOEURThescenicwalkingtrailssnakingthroughoutHayRiverareabouttoreceiveafacelift.HayRivertowncouncildecidedtostickwithorigi-nalplansfromthe20132013budgetandallocate100000towardsupgradingthelocaltrailsystem.ThatgurewillbematchedbyagrantfromtheTransCanadaTrailFoun-dationaswasagreeduponatbudgettimelastDecem-bermakingthetotalamountofupgradesworth200000.Workonthetrails-includ-ingsafetymaintenancesuchasremovingfallentreesandclearingvisibleroots-willbeginassoonaspossiblesaidIanFranktonthetownsnewdirectorofrecreationandcommunityservicesandwillcontinueuntilwinterweatherbringsworktoahalt.WevegotsomecostinginthatsbeendoneforsomeoftheproductonthetrailsomeearthwoodshavingsFrank-tonsaid.Potentiallywellbeliningupcrewsforcleanupintheareasthathavebeenindi-catedasneedingsomework...Thatswhatthe100000fromuswilldoaddressthegapsifyouwillinthetrailsystem.Fundingforthemainte-nancecamewithsomedebateaftertheTransCanadaTrailFoundationrevealeditactuallyhadfundsforagranttotalling207000-ifthetowncouldmatchthat.Thismeantover400000couldhavegoneintotrailupgradesincludinggrantmoneyfromthefoundation.AtthemeetingonAug.26councilwassplitoverwhattodo.Themotionontheoortore-allocateanadditional107000forthetrails-bring-ingupthetotaltomatchtheTCTdonation-wasdefeatedwhenMayorAndrewCassidybrokethetiebysupportingcouncillorsDonnaLeeJung-kindKeithDoheyRogerCandowandVinceMcKayinopposition.DeputymayorBradMapesJasonCoakwellMikeMaherandKandisJamesonwereinfavour.Itwasdecidedtheoriginalplanforthetrailswouldholdwith100000comingfromthetownplusa100000fromthetrailfoundation.Irealizeturningawayfreedollarsisveryunpal-atablehencethesplitde-cisionfromcouncilbutgivenwehadnotbudgetedanextra107000andtheproposedrecommendationwastotakethemoneyfromanotherprojectIwasnotcomfortablecommittingourtowntothisexpenseCassidywroteinaFace-bookcommentonapostbyatrailuserunhappyaboutthecouncilsdecision.FormercouncillorKenLatourwhoservedasthetownsactingmayorin2012afterKellySchoeldssud-denresignationtooktoHayRivertrailstoget200000worthofupgradesCouncildividedonallocatingextrafundsformoreimprovementsPoliticsMunicipalPhotoKenLatourIrealizeturningawayfreedollarsisveryunpalatablehencethesplitdecisionfromcouncilbutgivenwehadnotbudgetedanextra107000andtheproposedrecommendationwastotakethemoneyfromanotherprojectIwasnotcomfortablecommittingourtowntothisexpense.AndrewCassidyHayRiverMayorsocialmediaoutletsandex-pressedhisdiscontentwiththelostdollars.Itsmybeliefthatwhenthetownisinapositiontodoubletheirinvestmentinlocalinfrastructureitshouldgoforit.Thistownlikemanysmallmunicipalitieshaschallengeswithagingin-frastructureacrosstheboardsowhentheopportunityistheretogetfundingfromout-sidethetowntohelprebuildsomeifthatinfrastructureIthinkitshouldbeseizedLatourwroteonFacebook.Tothetownscreditworkhasbeendoneonthetrailsinthelastfewyears.Therehasbeenafairamountofplan-ningsurveyinganddesign-ingsolutionsaroundtryingtoconnecttrailsespeciallyaroundthetrickyareafromthebridgetoPintos...Istillthinkthoughthatitisashametoturnawayfreemoneyevenifitwasnotbud-getedfor.Budgetrealloca-tionsdogetmadethroughouttheyearandthereweresomecapitaldollarswatermainre-pairsthatwerenotgoingtobespentsofundshadbeenidentiedandthetrailscouldusetheinvestment.AccordingtoFranktonifthereallocationwastohap-penthemoneywouldhavebeentakenfromtheemer-gencymainsrepairfund-aprojectaimedatxingwaterlinesunderthehighway.Henotedthatwith400000thescaleofworkdoneonthetrailswouldhavebeenlargerbutthatthetownwillstillbeabletollthegapstoanextentwith200000.GoingintonextyearwelldenitelyhavemoreofafocusofhowwewillmaintainthetrailsystemFranktonsaid.LatourinthemeantimehasstartedagrouponFace-bookfortrailuserstogatherandsharestoriesphotosandconcerns.ThegroupiscalledtheHayRiverTrailUsersGroupTUG.OfceNumberofVacanciesWardNumberMayorOne1AtLargeCouncillorsSix6One1CouncillorsTwo2Two2CouncillorOne1Three3CouncillorOne1Four4OneoftheentrywaystothetrailsysteminHayRiveriscleanedandwidenedafteragroomingfromtowncrews.