Larose Forest trails get facelif t

Comme l’avait annoncé Hydro One, la panne électrique planifiée du 5 juin dernier était pour réaliser des travaux d’entretien sur le circuit, dont le remplacement de vieux poteaux de bois par de nouveaux poteaux en métal sur le chemin de comté 17. Malgré la pluie, les employés de Hydro One ont terminé les travaux dans les délais prévus au cours de l’avant-midi et le courant a été rétabli après quelques heures d’interruption. La panne a entraîné la fermeture temporaire des commerces sur la 17 et a privé de courant les citoyens de l’est de la ville et des résidences du canton de Champlain.

The counties have a long-term plan in the works for increasing the recreation potential of the Larose Forest and it starts with new boardwalks on some of the trails.

Last month, counties works staff replaced the old boardwalk covers with new ones, on trails in the western part of the community forest. Louis Prévost, forestry director for the United Counties of Prescott-Russell (UCPR), said that this is just the start of a recreation improvement plan for the forest. Trails in the eastern half of the forest will also get new boardwalk covers.

“They (western trails) are the most used trails in the forest,” Prévost said, adding that the counties forestry and planning committee has approved a long-term plan for trail and other recreation use upgrades in the forest.

“It’s probably a five- or six-year project,” said Prévost, adding that one of the plan’s goals is to develop some “single-track” trails in the future for hikers, mountain bikers, snowshoers and cross-country skiers in “some of the more interesting areas” of the Larose Forest.

Prévost’s department also plans to hold public information sessions to get comments, feedback and suggestions on the plan from area residents and also recreation groups and individuals who use the trails.