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New multi-user trail opens in south Aldergrove

A "work bee" by members of Aldergrove chapter of Back Country Horsemen of B.C. has completed another leg of the South Langley Regional Trail
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Dave Grant (on tractor) and BCHBC Aldergrove vice-chairman Peter Thiessen were just two of the 25 volunteers from the club who spent Sunday working on the multi-use South Langley Trail. Thiessen said other organizations that will benefit from the trail had been approached in the past to contribute to the trail's completion effort

A two-day "work bee" by two dozen members of the Aldergrove chapter of Back Country Horsemen of B.C. has completed another leg of the South Langley Regional Trail.

The Aldergrove trail work bee was a total success and the trail is now open for all user groups.

The sunny weather was outstanding and made the job go so much easier for the 21 volunteers.

This new portion of the trail is now complete from 256th to 264th Streets, following the 8th Avenue right of way.

The weekend's work plan, formulated by BCHBC's "High Commander" Jack Breaks, included cutting and bucking up a couple of windfall trees for firewood as well as leaf-blowing to clear the path for the spreading of gravel along the trail. They blew away the leaves so they didn't get ground into the trail surface. Smaller tree limbs protruding onto the trail were removed with a pole saw or loppers and waste wood that had been cast beside the trail was cut into firewood and removed, totalling about four cords or three dump trailer loads.

Tractors and earth moving equipment, provided by Breaks's construction company at no charge, were used over Saturday and Sunday to build ramps leading up to the two boardwalks built by the Township over a swampy area.

The volunteer crew also built six small culvert headwalls with rocks.

Equipment included four bucket tractors packing’ aggregates, two excavators grading, one quad with dump trailer hauling wood and whatever else would fit, one 14,000 lb. dump trailer hauling firewood, five chainsaw operators, two people with leaf blowers, one person with a “chainsaw on a stick” and everyone else with loppers, shovels, rakes and radios, which helped keep things coordinated.

The primary goal was accomplished, as both approaches to the west boardwalk are complete. Rip rap protection for the culvert ends was installed on all three culverts at both ends.

More trail surfacing also needs to be done, mostly on the eastern section. Quite a bit of 15mm crusher dust is piled at three different locations, and the BCHBC still has about $1,300 in grant money to use for more trail surfacing materials. They plan to get more material delivered soon, and spread it through the winter/early spring.

BCHBC members will be working on this this week.

The South Langley Regional Trail will eventually link Campbell Valley Regional Park with Aldergrove Regional Park, and is for use by horse riders, cyclists and pedestrians.

The only portion which remains to be done is the section along 8 Avenue between 264th and 272nd Streets. The Township of Langley will be designing this portion of trail, and volunteers will once again join in creating the finished project.

Work remaining includes installing a small amount of rip rap material and 3" minus gravel which is left at the west end of the trail. This material will be used to extend the west approach slightly, reducing its slope.

BCHBC Aldergrove member Jack Breaks supplied the heavy equipment for the Work Bee effort on the South Langley Trail free of charge.

The boardwalk of the South Langley Trail at 264 Street. Volunteers from BCHBC Aldergrove spent hours working on the South Langley Trail between 256 and 264 Streets during the club's Work Bee on Sunday. When finished this section of trail will be part of the multi-use trail project that will connect Campbell Valley and Aldergrove Regional Parks.