The Ravine Ecological Preserve has a new boardwalk.
The first boardwalk was installed at the location on the City’s west side in 1985, explained Mayor Bob Maloney at an official unveiling of the new one Monday.
“It was a great fixture of the park,” he said, noting the boardwalk stretched across the ravine joining the east and the west sides of the trail system.
However, the boardwalk was damaged in the flood of 2010, necessitating an upgrade. Repairs were made to reopen the boardwalk and it continued to be in use until flooding again in 2014 significantly damaged the walkway rendering it unusable and resting on the eastern bank of the ravine.
The new boardwalk was installed this fall at a cost of $78,000.
As the ravine trail is a designated portion of the Trans Canada Trail, the City was able to apply for funding through the organization’s 2018-2019 Capital Improvement Plan grant.
The application was successful in accessing a $35,000 grant toward the project, noted Maloney, adding the system has been designated part of Yorkton’s portion of the Trans Canada Trail.
The City began the tendering process for a new replacement boardwalk, with the project being awarded to C-Squared Innovations Inc. from Silton, SK. Installation of the first half of the boardwalk was completed in September, with the second half installed and the boardwalk opened for use on Oct. 5.
The new boardwalk has been designed to rise and fall with the level of water in the ravine, and ramps located on both ends of the ravine make it easily accessible from the nature trail. As the ravine does not see significant changes during the spring runoff, and with limited ice flow, the boardwalk will remain in the ravine over the winter months to be enjoyed year round, explained Maloney.
Kristen Gabora, Trail Development Manager, Central Canada, Trans Canada Trail said the Yorkton trail is part of a 24,000 kilometre network that “connects Canada coast to coast to coast” encompassing 15,000 communities and 400 trail groups. She encouraged people “to go out and experience these great trails. Spend an hour, spend a day, spend a week, I guarantee it will make you proud.”
The Ravine Ecological Preserve is an approximate 80-acre natural park space which includes a walking/hiking trail that winds through rolling grasslands and aquatic and aspen parkland habitats. The preserve is also home to the Dulmage Farmstead, a municipal heritage site, as well as the arboretum and peace grove.
