The Corridor Trail
A trail for the Squamish way of life: Corridor Trail provides access to vast local trail network
The Corridor Trail is an environmentally friendly, non-motorized path that links our villages to school, shopping and sport centres. It also provides access to our vast network of trails. Trail number 1 is paved from the Blind Channel bridge to Harris Road. Since the part from Garibaldi Way to Harris Road was completed in February, only that section north to Depot Road remains to be completed “in the near future,” according to municipal notices.
The Corridor Trail is our municipal contribution to the Sea to Sky Trail from Nexen Beach to D’Arcy. This popular project has seen intermittent progress since its creation in 2005. Political will and constrained community budgets have led to interrupted growth. Increased tourism levels are providing impetus for finishing the sections north of Squamish. The Sea to Sky Trail was added to the Trans Canada trail system in 2009. Corridor Trail is open year-round but only cleared of snow in the busy urban section from Cleveland Avenue to Harris Road. Accessibility for wheelchairs, strollers and prams is a high priority – no more putting your life on the line by riding along the edge of overly busy Highway 99.
Trail # 111, the Rose Park connector, is the safe link along the western shore of the Mamquam Blind Channel from the highway bridge to the Loggers Lane trails just north of the Squamish Adventure Centre.
The heritage of the Corridor Trail goes back thousands of years to the trade routes of the Squamish Nation. Their trade in mountain goat wool and obsidian blades with interior nations was an important source of revenue.
The B.C./federal Gas Tax Fund is specifically designed to fund projects that deliver “cleaner air, cleaner water and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Each year the $22-billion fund makes distributions of cash to selected community projects. Squamish has received funds for multiple years and projects. It is planned that future distributions from this fund will be for completing the pavement, improving lighting, adding shelters and placing bike racks along this important commuter trail. These improvements for non-motorized commuting will ease traffic congestion and slowly improve our quality of life. Towns experiencing population growth need to minimize the resulting increase in motorized transportation.
THE CORRIDOR TRAIL
Having a well maintained central link like the Corridor Trail is crucial to the long-term success of all trails. Trail maintenance is done by the municipal parks crew and the Brush Back Brigade of the Squamish Trails Society. The brigade, which is small in numbers but active in years, is hard-pressed to keep ahead of the maintenance required by the increasing use of our trails. More volunteers would be appreciated. Trail stewardship develops a personal connection to the land and also helps reduce the tax burden.
A biker and pedestrians enjoy the Corridor Trail.
Map provided by www.trailmapps.com
