The K&P Trail reaches Tichborne

Julie Druker | Nov 18, 2015

On November 14, dignitaries and staff from the County of Frontenac and the Township of Central Frontenac, along with representatives from the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance, gathered with local supporters and sponsors of the K&P Trail for an official ribbon cutting ceremony in the hamlet of Tichborne. The ceremony celebrated the completion of phases three and four of the trail, which brought it to Tichborne.

Deputy Warden of the County of Frontenac, Dennis Doyle, thanked the members of the previous county council, specifically Janet Gutowski, Gary Davison, Jim Vanden Hoek and Ron Maguire, who Doyle said “had the vision to form a trails committee back in 2007; [the committee's] members then formed the Trails Master Plan that developed and opened the K&P Trail, which now travels from Lake Ontario to Tichborne.”

Doyle also thanked Ann Prichard of the Frontenac Community Futures Development Corporation, who over a number of years has assisted by securing over $250,000 in funding for the project.

Cindy Cassidy, general manager of the Eastern Ontario Trails Alliance, has been working on the trails master plan since its earliest days. She estimates that over 25,000 people are using the trails, which has created over 70 jobs, and that trails users are spending upwards of $6 million while en route. She anticipates those numbers to grow.

Local business people, Wayne Robinson and Marcel Giroux from W.A. Robinson Asset Management Ltd., made a cheque presentation to Doyle at the ceremony. The company has generously supported the trail project and has donated $25,000 over five years.

Also present was Wilburt Crain of Crains' Construction, who worked on the trail.

Mayor of Central Frontenac, Frances Smith, also spoke and promised that this term council will get the trail to Sharbot Lake.

Ann Marie Young, manager of economic development with the county, said she was thrilled to be part of “such a tangible, exciting project that so many people will benefit from and enjoy”. She said the trail would encourage economic development by bringing walkers, runners, skiers, ATVers, snowmobilers, and cyclists to the area.

Also present and thanked at the event were members of the Lennox and Addington Ridge Runners Snowmobile Club, who assist with regular grooming and signage; and trail maintenance volunteer, Wayne Bush, who reminded drivers not to drive cars on the trail.

Future phases of the plan will bring the trail to Sharbot Lake and beyond, and the planners are hoping that the 20 private property owners between Tichborne and Sharbot Lake will cooperate by allowing the trail to make its way sooner rather than later to Sharbot Lake.