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A $25,000 commitment over five years by Motor City Community Credit Union has improved accessibility and provided more tree cover along Windsor’s Clairview Bikeway Trail adjacent to Riverside Drive East.
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Two large wooden signs now mark the trail at either end, illuminated at night with solar lighting, thanks to the partnership between the city and Motor City Community Credit Union.
Credit union chief executive Robert Griffith joined Mayor Drew Dilkens, Ward 6 Coun. Jo-Anne Gignac and Don Fraser, chairman of the credit union’s board of directors, Wednesday in unveiling the new signage.
Several trees have also been planted along the 2.1-kilometre, multi-use pathway that connects with the city’s Ganatchio Trail system at Brumpton Park and extends westerly to Wyandotte Street East, following the route of the historic St. Clair Hydro Electric Railway.
It’s an integral part of the trail system
“We recognize this as an important connection, both to the cycling infrastructure on Wyandotte Street but also to the Ganatchio Trail,” Dilkens said. “And now we have a community partner who stepped up, put money on the table, saying we’re going to improve it and we’re going to maintain it moving forward.”
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Griffith called it a “significant contribution” for the credit union on a vital portion of the pathway.
“It’s an integral part of the trail system. And it connects where we are here all the way down to Wyandotte Street,” Griffith said.
“At Motor City we’re focused on financial health, financial well being, that’s what we do. But this is for physical health, physical well being and it’s an important part of the community.
“We want to commit to it, to maintain it so that all residents of Windsor and Essex County can enjoy the space.”
James Chacko, executive director of parks and facilities, said over the course of the next five years, the sponsorship funding will help to maintain the trail — work that includes crack sealing, patching and any needed maintenance.
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“It’s certainly something that really does play a great benefit in helping us to ensure that this section of the Ganatchio trails system is in great shape,” Chacko said.
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He pointed out that the sponsorship also helps to ensure that operational and capital dollars can be distributed across the remaining 138 kilometers of trails throughout the city.
“So certainly, any additional funding that we’re able to get through sponsorship funds, to identify and maintain one section of trail, certainly helps to ensure that the capital and operating dollars that we have are able to support the other trails within the city .”
The city has increased its multi-use trail network by 12 kilometers since 2019.
