A long-term plan to transform 麻豆AV鈥檚 Lower Mill Creek into a connected, nature-friendly park space is moving ahead.
City council endorsed the Lower Mill Creek Linear Park Strategic Plan at it鈥檚 July 7 meeting.
The 20-year initiative lays out how the city will restore habitats, improve trails, and make the creek corridor more accessible.
鈥淭his is a tremendous job. Tremendous plan, and one more thing to enhance 麻豆AV for not only visitors but also locals,鈥� said Coun. Charlie Hodge.
The plan divides the 7.5-kilometre corridor into 25 sections, each with cost estimates, allowing phased improvements to be blended into the city鈥檚 10-year capital plan. Some areas could see action within five years, while others will take longer鈥攗p to two decades.
Coun. Luke Stack suggested celebrating these early milestones to raise public awareness.
鈥淎s little chunks open up, will there be little celebrations saying this next phase is open so the public is aware?鈥� he asked staff.
City landscape architect Keith Pinkoski acknowledged that parts of the corridor could open to the public sooner rather than later.
鈥淐ertainly, yes, we can make efforts to have a little bit more of a smaller celebrations for that for sure,鈥� he said. 鈥淭hrough the zero to five year timeline, there are several initiatives in there that could be more of a loop and so that they can come online a little bit sooner.鈥�
The corridor weaves through some of 麻豆AV鈥檚 busiest neighbourhoods. Much of the trail system will follow existing public land, but in some areas, space is tight. That means walkers and cyclists might need to detour onto nearby streets, especially where properties back directly onto the creek.
鈥淭here鈥檚 gonna be some sections where there just isn鈥檛 room to build right up next to it,鈥� noted Coun. Rick Webber.
Pinkoski agreed.
鈥淚n many instances, that is the case. Where we have the appropriate amount of buffering and where it鈥檚 feasible to put the trail鈥攖hat鈥檚 why we have presented several different sections today.鈥�
Pinkoski added that property owners will continue to be consulted throughout the design and construction phases.
鈥淎s we get into more of the detailed design and finite routing...we will certainly go in and connect with property owners and residents as we build along.鈥�
Accessibility was also a focus for council.
鈥淚t may not meet all accessibility guidelines, but it will certainly be something where folks of varying degrees of accessibility can access," Pinkoski noted. "But we鈥檒l do the best we can to make it...compliant.鈥�
City Manager Doug Gilchrist said 麻豆AV has a good track record in managing similar projects.
鈥淭here鈥檚 some fantastic examples for our city where we鈥檝e built Mission Creek through what was once backyards,鈥� he said 鈥淏randt鈥檚 Creek is a more recent example of where we did that, I think, quite sensitively.鈥�
New features along the Mill Creek corridor will include improved trail crossings, shared streets in quieter neighbourhoods, benches, public art, and rain gardens to manage runoff.
