From teenagers to a nonagenarion, the recently completed Moir Park Trail Phase Two project was a true community and multi-generational effort.

Rotary Club of Cranbrook, JCI Kootenay, City of Cranbrook and corporate supporters gathered in Moir Park this afternoon (Oct. 12) to officially open the trail with a ribbon cutting ceremony.

“Without all the volunteers who made this happen, we wouldn’t be standing here today,” said ribbon cutting emcee and Cranbrook Rotary Projects Chair Dave Kaiser.

“It’s a perfect example of the three-leg stool. On one hand we have the City of Cranbrook that owns the property, owns this great park here and has cooperated so much to make things happen, like moving sprinkler heads and all the stuff we need so we can get a project like this done.

“Then we’ve got all these great community partners and then we’ve got the Rotary Club and the JCI (Kootenay) club and the volunteers and three groups just make a perfect team. And then you’ve got Joe McGowen offering prime rib meals for those who came out to work. Is that good or what?

Kaiser outlined key supporters from Columbia Basin Trust with a helpful grant and McElhanney Engineering for providing all engineering services, ensuring grades were friendly for complete accessibility.

Sandor Rentals, FabRite Rentals, Canadian Rockies Landscape and New Dawn Construction all chipped in with skid steers and staff.

Southeast Maintenance, Rangeland Equipment and GFL provided equipment and BA Blacktop “did a paving job that you’d kill for” and EMCO Waterworks provided geotechnical expertise, Kaiser noted.

The Heidout Restaurant and Brewery cooked “that great meal” for the volunteers and Colombo Lodge also provided cooking facilities, he said.

“And you know, Joe (McGowen) likes to fly under the radar but Joe is the master at organizing this kind of stuff so it works out well and kudos to him. He gets us at Rotary all hyped up and doing it and he really brought this centennial project into a reality,” he said, followed by a round of applause from the approximate 30 people gathered in the park.

Finally, Kaiser praised the small army of volunteers who gathered in work parties to complete the project.

Heidout owner and Rotary Club of Cranbrook President Heidi Romich echoed Kaiser in lavishing praise on volunteers and supporters.

“It was a phenomenal community joint effort,” she said of the almost one kilometre long paved trail.

“We had over 50 volunteers and 11 pieces of equipment and the volunteers were from high school to over 90-years of age; eighties, nineties, we had every generation out contributing on this project,” she said, adding two more phases of trail building are to follow.

JCI Kootenay’s (and Rotary’s) Jonah Gowans said, “We really appreciate the ability to bring projects like this to life.”

Acting Mayor Ron Popoff (also a Rotarian) told the gathering the trail is “officially called the ‘wheelchair accessible, all age friendly, active transportation network’” at city hall.

“It’s the network that unites a lot of neighbourhoods throughout Cranbrook. And thank you for that on behalf of the city and residents and visitors.”

Lead/above image: The ribbon is cut. Pictured left to right – Kootenay East MLA Tom Shypitka, Ryan Gibbard with McElhanney Engineering, Ryan Detcheverrey (BA Blacktop), JCI Kootenay’s Jonah Gowans, Rotary Club of Cranbrook President Heidi Romich, City of Cranbrook Acting Mayor Ron Popoff, Justin Roberts (EMCO) and Joe McGowan Rotary Project Operations. Ian Cobb/e-KNOW photos

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