Junction Creek trail development speeding up

A trail expected to change the way Sudburians get around the city is taking shape much faster than expected.

The 18 km Junction Creek trailmakes iteasier for cyclists and pedestrians in a city dominated by cars.

Much of the trail has already been completed, and the entire route should be finished in the next two years, the Connect the Creek group said.

'This can connect our community in a whole new way.' Dave Courtemanche, Connect the Creek group co-founder

One of the group's co-chairs, former Sudbury mayor Dave Courtemanche, said after all sections of trail are built, the real challenge will be finding ways to safely cross roads, railways and private property.

"This can connect our community in a whole new way," he said.

"So it's really important from our perspective, that the trail blades ... get connected."

The Junction Creek trail is a big part of city council's promise to make Greater Sudbury the most pedestrian-friendly city in Ontario by 2015.

The group told city council Tuesday night it completed four years of work in the past two years.

City councillor Evelyn Dutrisac said she is already looking ahead to the next project.

"[Now that] we've connected the creek, are you going to help us connect the city? To connect, for example, from Elm to Chelmsford eventually maybe to Onaping Falls," she asked.

But Coun. Dave Kilgour took exception to that way of looking at future trail projects.

"We don't do it by saying we'd like you to do it," he said. "We have to do it together."

The Junction Creek trail project is fuelled by $214,000 in city funding.

This summer the group aims to build new trails in downtown Sudbury and in the Flour Mill area.