Salisbury, a small town west of Moncton, is almost ready to unveil the project taken on with money awarded by the 2023 ParticipAction fitness challenge.
A 1.8 kilometre pedestrian-only trail is being constructed, with a bench every 200 metres. The trail, accessible for those with walkers and strollers, is set to be completed by the end of October.
“The intent is to provide a more enhanced trail experience for residents,” said Austin Henderson, Salisbury’s chief administrative officer.
Salisbury was named Canada’s most active community in 2023, winning $100,000 in the non-profit health and fitness organization’s challenge. To achieve this, residents participated in more than 70 free public activities, logging more than 10-million minutes of physical activity, according to a news release by ParticipAction.
The town also participated in the 2022 and 2024 challenges, winning an award of $15,000 for each at a provincial level, Henderson said. Some of that money has also gone into the trail project.
A survey was conducted by the municipality asking the residents how they would like to spend the prize money.
“The prize was very much a community win and residents were at the centre of that success, so the town wanted to make sure that we consulted them on what the best project would be,” he said.
Salisbury was awarded $100,000 by ParticipAction as Canada’s most active community in 2023. Residents decided to use that money, along with government funds, to expand a local walking trail. Now it’s set to open.
The community had a choice of projects, such as the trail expansion, an outdoor rink, an amphitheatre, outdoor fitness equipment or a multi-use court at the town’s Highland Park, said Henderson.
More than 45 percent of the 330 respondents indicated the trail expansion as their first choice.
“The trail and the amphitheatre were the highest contenders for sure, but the trail did come out with a noticeable difference,” he said.
Henderson said the town then decided to extend its existing trail network from Breamer Street to Parkin Street, a stretch of about 1.8 kilometres.
“This new trail connection will be essentially integrated into the Woodland Trail to extend it all the way to Parkin Street,” an enhancement to the existing Woodland trail.
The total cost of the project, including drainage work and benches, is about $450,000, said Henderson.
The funding is divided between all three levels of government at a share of about one third each, he said.
‘A small town that does big things’
Salisbury resident Roz Martin said she appreciates that the town listens to its residents.
“This is a growing community,” she said.
Martin said she is excited about getting a longer trail, which will also be accessible to her mother, who uses a walker.
Wendy Pallen, who walks her dogs on the old trail every day, is also excited.
“It’s going to benefit everybody … there are so many people here all the time, so it’s going to be great to have that extension,” she said.
Salisbury Mayor Rob Campbell said he has lost weight trying various activities and sports since the 2022 ParticipAction fitness challenge.
“Anything that anybody asked me to do or I saw, I got involved in, the same as every other resident.”
Campbell walked 10,000 steps a day, did horseback riding, biking, yoga, dance and also tried playing pickleball, he said.
Doing this challenge in June every year has become something that residents eagerly await, Campbell said.
“Every day I would go into a grocery store and people would ask, ‘Where are we ranking today? Where are we at? What do I need to do?'”
Spending the money on longer trail will create infrastructure that will serve generations and can be further expanded over time, he said.
It will help the community get out and socialize, while also helping them to stay active to defend their title in future competition years.
“We are a small town that does big things. We are always going to compete, we are always going to go for titles.”
