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New accessibility trail set to open

Another milestone was reached for the Hidden Grove recreation area and the Sechelt Groves Society with the completion of a new trail especially designed and built for those with mobility issues.

Another milestone was reached for the Hidden Grove recreation area and the Sechelt Groves Society with the completion of a new trail especially designed and built for those with mobility issues.

The trail is suitable for those with wheelchairs, walkers, strollers and anyone else that normally finds a rough, natural trail hard to navigate.

This phase one of the accessibility trails is now named Take It Easy ayat-tsut or take it easy in the Sechelt language, to honour the Sechelt Indian Band who were the first level of government to agree to the protection of the Hidden Grove.

Winding over 450 metres from the parking lot through some relatively new forest it finally arrives at the Ancient Grove where trees as old as 750 years proudly stand. The trail has a hard compacted surface and is at least 1.5 metres wide throughout. Maximum grades do not exceed accessibility standards of about five per cent. It is a truly beautiful and easy trip. See more at www.secheltgroves.com.

Almost all the labour for the trail construction was performed by the Society Trailbuilders, a dedicated group of volunteers, most of whom reside in the Sandy Hook neighbourhood.

This hard working team put in more than 700 volunteer hours on this trail alone while at the same time maintaining and improving other trails in the Grove. Including the volunteer labour and in-kind donations the total budget for the trail was in excess of $28,000. The society is now gearing up for phase two an accessibility loop trail to run from the main entrance to the south western part of the grove.

At a formal opening ceremony special thanks will be given to all those who supported this project with funding and guidance including some major contributors: District of Sechelt, BC ReHab, Sunshine Coast Community Foundation, Island Coastal Economic Trust, TD Friends of the Environment, Small World Excavating, Lehigh Materials, Swanson's Ready-Mix, West Coast Log Homes and, of course, the membership of the Sechelt Groves Society.

The opening ceremony will be held in the Hidden Grove on Saturday, May 12 at 2 p.m. Mayor John Henderson has agreed to speak as have some representatives of the major donors. The public is welcome to attend.

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