Residents of Brackley will benefit from enhanced public access to transit alternatives thanks to the completion of 2.6 km of trail development connecting the Community of Brackley and the City of Charlottetown. This new section of trail will provide residents with an area to walk, run or cycle and enjoy the outdoors. It will help promote healthy lifestyles among residents by giving them an off-road trail to use rather than the shoulder of the road.
The Honourable Gail Shea, Minister of Fisheries and Oceans; the Honourable Robert Vessey, Minister of Tourism and Culture, representing the Honourable Ron W. MacKinley, Minister of Transportation and Infrastructure Renewal; and Brendon McKenna, Councillor and Chair of Brackley’s Connection To Active Living Trail Committee, celebrated the official opening of this section of trail today.
“Investments in environmentally friendly public infrastructure that lead to healthier lifestyles for Canadians, are a priority for our Government,” said Minister Shea on behalf of the Honourable Chuck Strahl, Canada’s Minister of Transport, Infrastructure and Communities. “Today’s celebration is an example of our commitment to improving and strengthening Canadian communities.”
“This new trail provides an excellent venue for people to enjoy the outdoors and provides incentive for people to get active,” said Minister Vessey. “As MLA for the district and as Minister of Tourism, I’m very excited to see phase one complete. I look forward to the future of this trail and the benefits it will provide this community.”
“This trail system is intended to give the residents of Brackley safe access to the Brackley Commons as well as access to the city limits via biking, walking, rollerblading or by any other healthy choices they so desire,” said Councillor McKenna. “The community would like to thank the different departments of government that have stood behind us, the landowners who have given us access to the land and the businesses and private individuals who donated money and work-in-kind to this very worthwhile project.”
The total cost of the Brackley Road Multi-Use Trail Development project was $323,000, with federal contributions of $218,000 coming from the Public Transit Capital Trust and $100,000 coming from the Gas Tax Fund. The Community of Brackley contributed $5,000 for the balance of funding.
The Gas Tax Fund provides predictable, stable, long-term funding, increasing the capacity of communities to undertake the long-term financial commitments needed to address local needs. In Budget 2008, the Government of Canada announced that the Gas Tax Fund would be extended beyond 2013-14 to become a $2 billion per year source of permanent infrastructure investment. Between 2007 and 2014, Prince Edward Island will receive $88.5 million from the Gas Tax Fund.
Budget 2006 provided a one-time payment to provinces and territories through the $900 million Public Transit Capital Trust in support of capital investments in public transit and infrastructure both as a means to reduce traffic congestion and to reduce carbon dioxide and other emissions. Budget 2008 set aside an additional $500 million to support capital investments through the Public Transit Capital Trust.
For more information about the federal Gas Tax Fund and the Public Transit Capital Trust, please visit www.buildingcanada.gc.ca or www.infrastructure.gc.ca. For more information on infrastructure program in Prince Edward Island, visit www.gov.pe.ca/go/infrastructure.