Fredericton trail group questions new route approved by council

A detailed plan for a new route for a section of the Fredericton trail network is raising questions from trail enthusiasts and advocates.

The Cross Town Trail is a section that has several key gaps from Regent to Smythe streets. Those using that trail have to go through a parking lot, a large field and several developed properties and cross a few traffic-heavy roads with no designated crosswalks.

It lacks a properly groomed route, either paved or gravel, as well.

Caroline Lubbe-D’Arcy, with the group Friends of the Cross Town Trail, says the original route, given the green light by city council in 2009, goes through the Sobeys parking lot on Regent Street, through a property recently sold for development, parallel to the old train station, through several other properties and adds two crosswalks on York Street and Westmoreland Street.

It falls in line with the old train track route, which is what the entire trail system is based on, and holds historical relevance to the city’s past.

But the route was changed in 2016 when the city made changes to Aberdeen Street that lined up with the trail going there instead of parallel to the train station, according to Lubbe-D’Arcy, and she said the route has been very limited in details, especially why council choose to change it.

“We’re seeing mixed information,” she said. “So, there are different things that are being thrown at the public.”

After a few things happened that raised suspicion, Lubbe-D’Arcy said the group started looking into what the city proposed.

“Suddenly, they weren’t really looking after the gravel trail … and the other things, we noticed there was a bike lane being built on Aberdeen, between Westmorland and Regent, and half-finished traffic pole, which of course was nowhere near where the trail was going to go beside the train station.

“We asked questions about this and we just don’t get any answers.”

She said not only is this a critical piece to the trail system but it also acts as a route for many people to get around the city, including those with mobility issues.

The city released an Active Transportation Community Plan in 2017, which outlines the changes to the trail system.

The Cross Town Trail does appear within the plan to be going through Aberdeen and Argyle before it connects to Smythe, with the first section on Aberdeen already developed, which the group said circumvents the wishes trail users had with respect to this section of the trail.

As well, the group said the city had already purchased much of rail corridor, and it wouldn’t make sense to now develop an entirely new manufactured trail just a few feet away.

It argues there was no consultation done on the changes leading to the switch to Aberdeen. The group, on Facebook, has demanded the city hold a question and answer session for Ward 10, where the trail is located.

It’s in the second phase, according to the plan, which adds that the city “would need to work with private landowners to acquire property for (the) trail as part of new development. “

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However, the plan doesn’t explain which private landowners or developments are involved in the further development of the trail.

Global News requested an interview on what the group is alleging and the Aberdeen Street route, but the city said in an email no one was available.

A spokesperson for the city said in the same email that the Cross Town Trail is an exciting project and it’s “eager to work on creating the trail connections that are needed to enhance our active transportation system.”

They added that staff are working on a plan and when it is available, it will be presented to the city’s mobility committee this summer, but gave no specific date for that presentation or the details it contains to be released to the public.