A n n ua l Report 2021 Y ear in Review
Member Trail Group Updates Friends of the Harte Trail
We re-engaged the Province of Manitoba & the Minister of Infrastructure , in partnership with the Headingly Grand Trunk Trail , to lobby for a direct , safe connection across the Perimeter Highway . Talks continued until more recently with the announcement of the Active Transportation Fund .
We applied for a grant for the completion of the western tree canopy and were awarded , via the City of Winnipeg Land Dedication Reserve , enough funding for 5 years ’ worth of plants or a total of $ 16,000 to plant trees for the
next half decade . The funding will be put towards plant purchase , maintenance , hole digging and watering . The labour consists of community volunteers .
We installed 3 new bulletin boards in replacement of the old ones . The new steel framed , plexiglass bulletin board , with the Harte Trail logo along the top , are fantastic additions to the trail .
The Friends of the Harte Trail team would like to give a massive thank you to Kim Sysa who volunteered to make these amazing road signs for the trail !
With the steady support of holemaking machinery , holes were predug and ready to be filled by eager supporters , who planted future canopy along the stretch of the Harte Trail past the new developments , closer to the Perimeter .
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Headingley Grand Trunk Trail
Trail usage continued to grow throughout the year . Support from the RM of Headingley and the TCT Seasonal Grant allowed portions of the trail to be cleared for the second year , creating greater access during the winter months .
A Nature Trail was developed which winds south of the main trail between Alboro St . and Wescana St . through willow and aspen woodland , wetlands and a remnant tall grass prairie . This is part of a larger project which will restore the prairie areas , build a shaded viewing area and interpretive installations . An adventure playground will also be developed in the same area .
Eight families participated in the “ Adopt a Bluebird Box Project ” in 2021 . We were short on bluebirds but big on enthusiasm as participants monitored each of our 21 boxes along the trail .
The association , along with the Harte trail , had also recently applied to the Federal Active Transportation Planning Fund . If successful , we will receive funding for a study on the feasibility of a safe , direct active transportation across the perimeter between our two trails . This also may lead to funding for the capital costs of this project .
The RM of Headingley has approved a Conservation Agreement which will protect the tall grass prairie and nature trail from future development . Prairie tours led by John Morgan will be part of this years programming .
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Prairie Restoration , Nature Trail and Playground
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