Dave Sullivan
Northern News Services

Hay River (Oct 29/01) - For a small town, Hay River boasts a first-class trail network.

Recreation director Ron Cook is proud of the community's eight kilometres of well-kept paths, winding from downtown to the beach.

Ron Cook by one of several new signs on the town's trail system. - Dave Sullivan/NNSL photo

Those are just ones built by the recreation department. A cross-country ski club maintains 10 kilometres of lit trails outside of town, plus snowmobilers use about 100 kilometres of cut lines and other trails.

"We put a lot of work into these and people are really supportive," Cook says of the town's push.

Built a little at a time over the past six years, the paths in town link up with the Trans-Canada Trail system. Cook happens to be the national trail's NWT representative. He says there has been no criticism of trail-building in the North. In parts of Alberta, trail advocates clashed with property owners on issues like fire risk, litter, noise and damage from quads.

"I'd like to get these finished before I retire next year," Cook says while showing a partially-completed pathway. It will link old town trails with ones in the main part of Hay River.

"If we're not finished by then we'll be well on the way."

There are still about four kilometres to add, plus some of the newer ones still have to be shored up with more gravel. Trail-making crews will continue working until winter sets in.

Cook points out that trails are never really finished. Eventually, he said, they could all be paved. A few sections already are.

Companies like Enbridge and Trans-Canada Pipelines recently paid for signs which show hikers what types of wildlife can be found.

A site has been picked in Hay River for a Trans Canada Trail pavilion. The cost of a pavilion is about $22,000, -- or 544 people donating $40 per metre of trail.

"We're halfway there," Cook says of donations received so far.