Saskatchewan segment of the Trans Canada Trail complete
The province is the fourth in Canada to finish its section, bringing the Trans Canada Trail to 87 per cent completion
For 24 years, the Trans Canada Trail—otherwise known as the Great Trail—has been in the works, slowly extending across Canada since construction began in 1992. When complete, the multi-modal recreational trail is expected to be a 24,000-km playground for more adventurous cyclists, as well as hikers, cross-country skiers and others, providing a dedicated route between the Atlantic, Arctic and Pacific Oceans.
What remains now is the bridging of 6,200 km worth of gaps to connect the trail fully. On Oct. 1, the final links were bridged on the trans-Saskatchewan segment of the Great Trail, making Saskatchewan itself the fourth province in Canada to finish its share of the Great Trail.
Efforts to get the Saskatchewan portion of the Trail finished kicked into high gear within the past couple of weeks, the Moose Jaw Times Herald reported, when reserve squadrons from 38 Combat Engineering Regiment made its completion an all-weather, ’round-the-clock task. The finishing touch was a pedestrian and cycling suspension bridge, connecting Wakamow Valley with Connor Park and Kingsway Park in Moose Jaw. The bridge itself, reports say, is a key connecting point for the route, linking all directions of the trail’s compass where it crosses the Wakamow Valley.
Currently, 87 per cent of the trail has been finished, amounting to a fully complete, ready-to-ride 20,770 km extending across 10 provinces and three territories.
The Great Trail is expected to be finished in 2017.
