Longview residents are eager to set foot on the village’s first paved pathway, yet some are questioning the need to include glow-in-the-dark pebbles.
Longview Village council voted two-to-one April 19 to approve the Longview Arts, Recreation and Community (ARC) Society’s proposal to construct a $165,000 one-kilometre trail along the ridge of the Highwood River west of the village.
Michele Geistlinger, the society chairperson, said 50 pounds of a glow rock material will be purchased at a cost of $5,000. The eight-foot-wide pathway will include glow pucks along the edges and glowing pebbles will be incorporated into the path, with about 2.8 grams in every 600 square inches.
“It won’t give off light pollution and it won’t affect your night vision in one iota,” she said. “Once they see this in the dark I think they’re going to realize it’s very muted. The inclusion of any lighting on the pathway is only going to make it safer to walk on.”
Some of the more than two dozens residents in attendance wanted more details about the stones.
Resident Tom Hill said the committee didn’t provide adequate information to show the public what the final product will look like.
“If you were to examine on the website the product you will see that there are quite a variety of concepts that can be created,” he said. “Some are very highly illuminated like a runway. Others are very subtle.”
Hill said his property borders the Highwood River ridge and that he and his wife use the green space daily to walk their dog. While he has some concerns about how much the pathway could glow, Hill said he respects council’s decision.
“The decision is made,” he said. “It is what it is and we will support it because council has listened to everybody.”
The ARC Society is hosting a public meeting tonight (April 27) at 7 p.m. in the Longview Community Hall to provide more information about the glow stones and other aspects of the pathway. The society will show a sample of what the glow stones will look like at the meeting and ask for public opinion on the colour they prefer. Residents will also be asked for possible names for the pathway.
Geistlinger said getting the funding in place for the project has been a long process.
After receiving $10,000 from the Alberta Recreation and Parks Association (ARPA), $35,000 from the Legacy Oil and Gas Community Association, $35,000 from the Daryl K. Seaman Canadian Hockey Fund Grant Program and $1,550 in community fundraisers, the society was denied the Alberta Culture and Tourism Community Facility Enhancement Program funding last year.
It submitted another application for it last September and learned earlier this month that the $83,446 it requested was granted.
“I’m so thrilled and happy to be moving on this,” Geistlinger said. “This has been a long process trying to get all this money in place despite the recession we are in. It’s such a great addition to our community. It’s going to allow them a place where they can walk, get their exercise, talk with their friends and see our mountains.”
Longview coun. Cliff Ayrey said he is glad to see the project go ahead, adding it enhances active living in the community and is another outlet to get people out of their homes and enjoying the outdoors.
“It was endorsed by council so with that being said now that they have the funding in place - that was one of the holdbacks on the project - they approached council at our meeting last night, it was brought forward again, and passed by council,” he said last week. “We move together as one council.”
Ayrey said the next step is working with administration to extend a chain link fence on the west side of where the trail will go.
“At the end of the day it’s another aspect within the village that the residents will be able to use at their leisure,” he said. “Any improvement to the village is always positive and an asset for the legacy of the residents of today and the residents of tomorrow.”
The project also calls for benches, garbage and smoking receptacles, dog bag stations and historical signage to be placed along the trail.
The pathway was identified as one of many priorities in the society’s Active Community Strategy, developed in 2013 through the ARPA.
