After years of talk and planning, shovels are finally in the ground for the Stanley Community Pathway. A sod-turning ceremony last week marked the official start of construction on the long-anticipated pathway that will connect Winkler and Morden.
James Friesen, Chair of the Stanley Community Pathway Committee, confirmed that the contract has been awarded to Meseyton Construction, a firm based in Portage la Prairie.
“They’ve done work here,” he said, “The 15th street roundabout, and Reinfeld paving projects and so on. They’re familiar with the area.”
Fundraising nearing the finish line
Those competitive results from the tender mean good news for the path’s original community fundraising goal of $1 million as well.
“We’re down. We’re looking at our target of $325,000, and that will help us have the capacity to do some of the rest stations and things like that.”
While full details on pathway features like signage and rest stops haven’t been finalized, Friesen said the committee is working on ways to get the community involved through donations or sponsorships.
“There’s actually been some community interest,” he said. “You get a bench out there, a little bit of a shade structure, put your name on it, right? So that will be part of the rollout of the community contribution — so a business or a name or an ‘in honour of’.”
Related stories:
- It’s official, a paved pathway between Winkler and Morden is on its way
- Provincial Grant Makes a Corridor Trail Between Morden and Winkler a Possibility
‘Too good an idea’
For Friesen, who’s been closely involved in the project for years, seeing construction about to begin is a powerful moment.
When asked if he’d ever considered giving up on the path, his response was, “I just refused to.. There are three municipal partners here, so good grief — we can’t do this? You know, the only thing was, like, structurally, can we do it?”
With work officially starting today, that question has finally been answered, and if all goes as projected—according to Friesen—the Stanley Community Pathway will be paved and functional in the fall of this year. To stay up to date on the pathway and get involved by financially donating, visit the Stanley Trail Association website by clicking here.
- with files from Mayor Henry Siemens -