- A nature trail for pleasure walkers, joggers, hikers & bird-watchers. Accessible for baby strollers, motorized scooters and wheelchairs. The trail is a photographer's paradise, from the Mill Pond through to the woodlands and the West Perth Wetlands.
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In 2001, the West Perth Thames Nature Trail Committee and the Optimist Club of Mitchell developed the south end of the West Perth Thames Nature Trail, with funding from the Ontario Trillium Foundation. Currently there is a loop on each side of Whirl Creek on the flats south of Parmalat. The dream is to join the two loops with a footbridge to make our trail continuous to the wetlands. The north end of the trail (Medical Centre to Dam) has had very high usage and as soon as this south section went down, people were eager to experience it also.
A bridge committee was formed (January 17, 2002) to investigate different options & the conclusion was that a self-weathering steel bridge would be the best choice. The bridge would come assembled on a truck & would be lifted onto poured concrete footings. The bridge will be no maintenance and vandalism should be minimal.
The bridge will span 85ft. and will be 6ft. wide. It will have support structures & will be raised up for the winter months & through the spring floods. This will meet the requirements of the Upper Thames River Conservation Authority. We now (May 6, 2002) have a permit from UTRCA to proceed with the project and fund raising is in full gear. We would like to see this footbridge in place by the fall of 2002, but it is up to the participation of the community if this is to happen.
Plaques are available as a way of raising funds for the project. They may be in memoriam or individuals or families may purchase them. The plaques will be attached to the bridge. There are three different prices and finishes. (See plaque donor forms for details).
Members of the bridge committee are as follows:
Foot bridge for trail approved... May 08, 2002 (Mitchell Advocate)
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