Letter dated September 29, 2013 from I. Brown regarding Proposed Trail along Craigflower Creek

328 Stewart Ave. Victoria, B.C. V9B 1R8 September 29, 2013

Mayor and Council Town of View Royal 45 View Royal Ave. Victoria, B.C. V9B 1A6

Council agenda For Action copy Engineering

Dear Mayor and Council,

I have been on either the Transportation, Trails or Parks Advisory Committee for the last six years. Despite an expressed interest by Councillors in creating a walkable community and building trails for that purpose, there has been no consistent budget for trails. In fact, only once has money been set aside for trails, resulting in the McLennan Trail. Your trails committee has offered you several proposals for trails that would enhance our town and encourage people to walk more. Since there appears to be no hope for any money to pursue any of these for the foreseeable future, I have a proposal for you. The proposed trail along Craigflower Creek behind what was once the Chan property would offer a lovely loop of walking connected to View Royal Park. I and a number of equally aged friends, retired old guys, have built and maintained a number of trails in the Sooke hills. We would be delighted to spend a couple of days brushing out and clearing a trail from the base of the trail that descends from Viewcrest Ave. to the bank of the creek, over to either the Mclennan Trail at the point where the creek goes under the highway or to the trail in View Royal Park nearest where the creek goes under the highway. This might not be a metre wide well gravelled trail but I assure you a simple path would soon get lots of traffic. Of course there are problems to be dealt with: the steep slope up to the McLennan Trail and protecting the fish viability of the creek. I don't see any of these as insurmountable and with the bunch of bright guys I have helping me I think we can solve them all.

So, all we need now is your permission to proceed.

Sincerely,

Ian D. Brown