Some New Brunswick trails may soon be paved with green, but the Miramichi might not see any of the federal funding.
On March 6 the federal government announced an investment of $25 million to fund trail projects that are ready to break ground this summer.
New Brunswick Trails Coalition representative John Copp said $1.3 million is slated for trails in the province on a 50-cent dollar basis, meaning the for every dollars spent on a given trail half would come from the federal government.
"When this is said to be trails, this is to be available for walking, [snowmobile] trails and four-wheeler trails."
What that means is the federal government will contribute money for trails as long as the groups working on the projects are able to raise matching funds.
Although he was hoping to get some projects done in the Miramichi, Copp said it isn't the only area they are focused on.
"We're really looking at all of northern New Brunswick."
Copp said one of the problems is groups in the region don't have plans in place, unlike many of the groups in southern New Brunswick.
"They're five steps ahead of us."
Planning is an issue because the federal government wants the groups that receive funding to start work in June, he said.
"This is quick, in the ground work. That suggests to us you must be ready."
Copp said there are major projects like the Trans-Canada Trail and other trail systems in southern New Brunswick that already have plans in place. "We in northern New Brunswick don't seem to be pushing the trail system as much as they are in the south."
The goal is to develop and extend trail systems so communities that have plans or commitments of money from other sources have an advantage over communities that don't, he said.
"You sort of look at what you've got done."
Copp said he didn't know when the different groups will find out where the money will be going.
"I would suspect we're probably another three or four weeks away from that stuff."
Mike Mersereau is part of the group trying to save the Morrissy Bridge for pedestrian use and said the city doesn't have a trails plan in place yet, but he hoped they would be able to take advantage of the infrastructure money at some point.
"On the Morrissy Bridge side we're not there yet or even ready to go after it."
The bridge group still has to address some issues like liability and ownership of the bridge before they can move ahead, he said.
"There's still a lot of preparatory work and a requirement to get support and participation."
Mersereau said it's encouraging to see the government commitment to trail infrastructure because it will create local employment.
"Certainly there would be a local stimulus to the economy."
But the group still has work to do with the city because they need feedback from them on their request to work together and can't do it alone, he said.
"The city will be left out because the city doesn't have a trails plan."
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