Contractors are on site Monday, June 16 as work gets underway to pave the RC Cotton Trail in Williams Lake.
Work will begin at the Mackenzie Avenue South entrance to the trail near Margetts Meats, then proceed across the creek and through the RC Cotton Site to Nekw7usem Bridge at Scout Island.
The city is asking trail users to use caution, follow any posted signage and to give construction crews plenty of space to work.
"The paving project aims to improve accessibility for all trail users and keep the dust down," the city noted in a Facebook post.
During the regular council meeting Tuesday, June 10, council unanimously approved using $98,316 plus GST from Local Government Climate Action Program funds held in reserve to cover the cost of paving the trail.
Coun. Joan Flaspohler was not present at the meeting.
In a report to council, director of municipal services Rob Warnock, said during the Accessibility Advisory Committee meeting held May 6, 2025, it was noted the grade and type of gravel used for the path "cannot be traversed in a wheelchair."
Warnock said staff identified paving the trail was the only option to ensure the trail would be conducive to wheelchair use, mobility aids and all forms of active transportation.
The city received three letters about improving the trail that were included with Warnock's report.
Maureen Straza, chair of the Williams Lake Accessibility Advisory Committee, wrote they support improvements, such as pavement, that would "make the trail accessible and inclusive for everyone to enjoy."
In her letter, Jane Wellburn, regional manager Cariboo Chilcotin Fraser Basin Council, and part of the Williams Lake Active Transportation Working Group, said the group supports increasing accessibility along the trail.
"The group would like to see improvements that create a more compact and navigable trail but that still retains its natural qualities; they emphasize the importance the importance of drainage and temperature moderation within the riparian setting when considering these improvements," Wellburn stated in the letter.
Ruth Lloyd, writing on behalf of Streets for All Williams Lake, said in her letter the group also wants to see the trail upgraded to something which enables all ages and abilities access to the pathway.
"Ideally, the path would combine both accessibility and sustainability," Lloyd wrote. "Building a sold well-formed base shaped for proper drainage and combined with surfacing using compactable fine crush trail gravel to allow for wheeled travel of mobility devices and bicycles would be a win-win."
Lloyd also wrote "this could help work towards the city's climate and sustainability goals by allowing natural water flow and filtration as well as by supporting active transportation access for all."
Echoing Wellburn, Lloyd said riparian areas are critical for biodversity and watershed health.
During the council meeting, Coun. Scott Nelson said the trail paving project was "fantastic good news."
"We have put a lot of time and energy over the last several years," he said. "We've got two trails that we've added into this system and we've added two bridges into this system. This trail system is used fantastically by the community. One thing the community said very clearly is 'if you get a chance pave it.'"
Mayor Surinderpal Rathor mentioned the city had received the three letters and noted if council didn't accept the recommendation from staff to pave the trail, then city would be contradicting its own policy.
"This community being the hometown of world hero Rick Hansen," Rathor said, adding the city and city council have been working to make Williams Lake more accessible. "I'm glad everybody is on board and thank you staff for the report."
After the meeting Lloyd provided an additional comment, on behalf of Streets for All, to the Tribune.
“While our members support improved accessibility, we heard a lot of reservations around paving in the riparian zone versus using more sustainable options which provide natural drainage while not producing dust and reducing the heat island effect and improving traction in the winter on what is a really steep climb from the creek up to the RC Cotton site,” she said.
"Essentially, we would prefer not to have the trail paved, but instead the grade improved in the one section and proper crush used at a much lower cost."
Warnock's report noted the city will now consult with the Nature Trust of British Columbia and the Williams Lake Field Naturalists about a Phase 2 that would involve paving a pathway from the Scout Island side of the Nekw7usem Bridge to the parking lot at Scout Island.
