By Ian Holmes

Trail linking Horne Lake to Port Alberni being considered

Dec 14, 2016 | 2:22 PM

NANAIMO — The concept of a multi-use trail rich in First Nation’s history on mid-Vancouver Island is being pursued by the Regional District of Nanaimo (RDN).

The RDN board has voted to have a section of land surveyed to see how complex building a 12 km trail between Horne Lake and Port Alberni would be. Feasibility work for the Horne Lake Regional Trail will cost an estimated $70,000 and could be done by next spring, according to an RDN staff report.

RDN board chair Bill Veenhof says the route has incredible history.

“From a First Nations perspective, it was a trading route between Port Alberni and Qualicum Bay,” said Veenhof. “It’s a natural corridor through the hump…I don’t know how long that trail has been there, but one can easily imagine it’s been there 5,000 to 6,000 years,” he said.

Veenhof says other pre-planning work needs to be done as well, including discussions with the Alberni-Clayoquot Regional District and impacted First Nations to see if there is an appetite to move forward. The Qualicum First Nation has expressed interest in the Horne Lake Regional Trail trail initiative, according the staff report.

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The Big Qualicum Bay Regional Trail exists now which links Qualicum Bay and Horne Lake.

The report indicates it should be possible for the proposed trail to be in use by 2020. It would link from the east end of Horne Lake to a section of the Log Train Trail in the Alberni Valley, the report states.

Veeenhof sees a lot of upside in creating a multi-use path between Horne Lake and the Alberni Valley.

“There is several things associated with the trail that get my interest. The historical element and its linkage to First Nations,” Veenhof said. “I cycle back there, I walk back there, it’s beautiful territory.”

The report indicates a rough range in costs for creating the Horne Lake Regional Trail at between $750,000 and $3-million. Annual operation costs could be in the range of $10,000 and $50,000, according to the RDN.