Walking above the airport
Table of contents for this page
BACKGROUND
TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS
- Paddy's Pond/Ice Lake Park
- Rock Gardens
- Alaska Highway
- Hamilton Blvd.
- Copper/Ridge/Ingram/Logan
/Arkell/McIntyre - Tank Farm
- Valleyview
ENGAGING COMMUNITY CARING
Hillcrest is a great neighbourhood. We've lived here since 1986 and have seen a lot of change: Granger wasn't even here then, just Lobird, Hillcrest and Valleyview. My website has a lot about looking at Whitehorse from a Hillcrest walker's point of view.
I thought I'd try to summarize things happening in our area from a walking point of view. We have many trails and it quickly gets complicated discussing them and showing on a map becomes difficult. Also, I often meet people out on the trails who don't really know the area, where they can go walking; everyone are generally not explorers, so the following various maps are particularly for them.
Our above-the-airport neighbourhoods options for longer, green-space style walks are dictated by geography: the escarpment, the airport, the Logan Arkell and the McIntyre Creek wetlands, the tank farm, Hamilton Blvd., the Alaska Highway and the many neighbourhoods that house our 7000+ residents.
Not to be forgotten is that our neighbourhoods are all within the City's Urban Containment Boundary; it's the focus for future city growth. As our city becomes denser, grows inwards, Hillcrest, as a neighbourhood at the center of the city faces the implications of increasingly denser population and greenspace use. Since we've moved to Whitehorse in 1979, it's grown from ~12,000 to today's 27,889 residents.
Greenspace protection, good trails, trail safety, better walking experiences will all come from greater trail use by more people. These are also important community and personal wellness topics. What's really needed is stewardship by residents of the area who are focussed on the land, as well as trails.
Peter (pjl at whitehorsewalks.com)
Whitehorse, Yukon, Canada
BACKGROUND
City-designated trails
Trails shown on this map (right): official recreation, motorized and paved, are discussed below. (This map does not show neighbourhood trails, nor right-of-way trails.)
Official recreation trails
The above-the-airport Neighbourhood Trail Task Force has finished. There are many tasks Parks and Recreation could do, but cost and time commitments mean few can be undertaken in the short term. Below items marked city trail crew are some suggestions. Some background documents are:
- slide presentation for Hillcrest AGM
- trail network overview map
- survey results: comments and quantitative
- designation criteria: shows the logic behind trails selected for choices
- trail management/implementation strategies
- Next steps: Implementation = signage, trail upgrades, restoration, new construction, user group & resident engagement, etc.
Official motorized trails
ATV and snowmobile by-laws have been updated. Snowmobiles are generally unrestricted — they are encouraged to use designated motorized trails. ATVs and dirt bike must only use motorized trails.
Paved trails
In addition to trails already paved, this next map (right) shows trails the City proposes paving as blue lines. These trails are paved as part of City's Engineering and Sustainable city initiatives. Two-people icons show marked crossings: either crosswalks or traffic lights. Red triangles are unmarked, commonly used road crossings.
- Hillcrest is currently promoting paving the trail from the airport parking area to the paved Baxter's Gulch trail. Initial plans are that it won't be maintained in winter, nor will it be lit; it will be non-motorized.
- clearing snow causes very icy conditions on paved trails such as the Elijah Smith access
- also needed is to formalize and pave an access to airport bus stop and airport entrance from Airline Inn
- the city proposes to pave Hillcrest–Granger fire road
- not shown are sidewalks planned: here's the City's 2014 Active Transportation map.
Right-of-way trails
Inner-subdivision corridors are important for safer, more appealing neighbourhood walking experience.
But it can be hard finding our neighbourhood short-cuts. Both ends of walkways need to be clearly signed and mapped. These are marked with orange lines on this map. Information to draw these was taken from the recent City Zoning Bylaw maps. See inner subdivision connector page for more information.
In Hillcrest, these right-of-way trails are a topic that are being addressed in our on-going neighbourhood planning process.
IDEAS FOR TRAIL IMPROVEMENTS
Paddy's Pond/Ice Lake Park
The 2010 OCP designated 5 formal city parks. Our own Paddy's Pond/Ice Lake area was one chosen for this new status. See 5 OCP parks page for more background and maps on the parks in general and Paddy's Pond/Ice Lake Park in particular. Also, as background to OCP park planning, I've started a Mount McIntyre Recreation Area page.
- pre-planning notice for a park management plan: February 17th (web launch) with the first public engagement event March 11th (to be confirmed).
- as the smallest OCP, and the only one entirely within the UCB, one often heard goal for our park is for "peace and quiet"
Paddy's Pond
(1) trail through clay bowl. the bowl fills with water and has slippery clay sides; trail may need to skirt the edges and go through the woods to the east city trail crew
- (2) A few of us flagged a possible trail around the edge of Paddy's Pond. It's difficult to know if the water level will continue to change, but looking at the trees around the edge, it's obvious that years ago the water was much higher. So, brush marked route or wait? If a go, then look at how people can access the pond. city trail crew
- mini wharf/dock type structure out into Paddy's Pond at the bottom of the toboggan hill
- (3) surface Hillcrest Trail across from Chalet city trail crew
- (4, 5) bridge at least one wetland crossing city trail crew
- (6) Look at route we discussed for going up alongside the toboggan hill city trail crew
- (7) trail along base has places vehicles still try to use. People do walk without wrecking it. What to do?
- (8) powerline droop along granger side hill
- winter/wind tree fall over trails
- Paddy's Pond Ice Lake Park is very popular, but needs some work done on it. Paddy's Pond walkability page with specific needs, walking loops
Culvert area
- (9) This crossings used to allow variety to people's neighbourhood walks. New culvert and increasing vehicles changing area.
- (10) Vehicles are making yet more trails to bypass spots where they can't use the wetland trail they've already destroyed. Their method: move over 15 feet and make a new trail! This is actually an environmentally sensitive area.
- (11) Block motor vehicle access.
Ice Lake area
- one proposal is to create a loop trail around Ice Lake. Note that water level last summer was higher than seen in a long time.
- (8) powerline droops over the powerline clearing, which is also used for a trail, along Ice Lake Road
Rock Gardens
- (13) mark and clear a trail off the ice lake road
- (14) mark and clear a trail coming into Rock Gardens from Ice Lake city trail crew
- (15) mark and clear a trail into the Rock Garden pond and the bottom of the climbing cliffs
- follow up on zoning of pond area
- follow through with 1994 Parks and Recreation Master Plan recommendation to create a Rock Gardens Park
- potential for interpretation
- See Rock Gardens page for more background, maps
Alaska Highway
- (16, 17) What are pedestrian friendly solutions to the pedestrian crossing of the Alaska Highway, especially if it gets twinned?
- Alaska Highway Land Use Corridor Plan. "Alaska Highway Land Use Corridor Plan ...future needs of existing and future commercial uses along the Alaska Highway, and to define this further in relation to local access, landscape and signage issues." OCP, 2010. This process has now started. This will certainly affect the presently closed Ice Lake Road and the trails accessing weigh scale crossing.
- See Getting across the road page for more background, maps
Airport perimeter trail
- 2014 airport improvements include installing wildlife fencing, airfield lighting and electrical systems
- People stuck at airport would be thrilled to know the trails available in the neighbourhood for those times when people have time to kill waiting for a flight. Maps and signage are needed.
- The perimeter trail above downtown should be looked at where the trail is almost disappearing downhill.
- Ball Diamond Stairs will make the Airport Perimeter Trail a complete core trail, connecting Downtown, Riverdale and the above-the-airport communities.
- formalize and pave an access to bus stop and airport entrance from Airline Inn
- Some day in the future the whole perimeter trail will likely be paved.
- Yukon River East Side talk of motorizing Millennium Bridge. If so, will it affect the airport perimeter trail?
- See 5 City Centre Loop Trails page for more on this trail
Hamilton Blvd.
- (A) crossing for McIntyre residents going downtown, Hillcrest residents going to the Canada Games Center
- (B) What to do with trail from Lobird to Ice Lake with jumps. It has a partly marked crossing of Hamilton Blvd., although the sign is knocked over. Decommission the jumps or keep? city trail crew
- (C) Original trail from Lobird to Ice Lake had a messed up crossing after the new road was built, in spite of promises at the time that this wouldn't happen. city trail crew
- (D) an extended Hamilton Blvd. trail was promised as part of the Hamilton Blvd. extension process. It has a lovely vista of both Lake Laberge and Marsh Lake (right at the dot).
- (E) culvert affected by overflow. It gets very slippery as ice builds up. How to fix?
- Also to think about is the crossing at the Ice Lake Road.
- Hamilton Blvd. is much too long between the two Granger entrances. Help?
- The 'walk' pedestrian lights. Would regular walk lights be better?
- See Getting across the road page for more background, maps
Copper Ridge/Ingram/Logan/Arkell/McIntyre area
- formalize the greenspace connections
- (F) crossing thru copper Ridge/Arkell is important. city trail crew
- (G) finish access trail down to new Copper Ridge to Porcupine Ridge city trail crew
- (H) look at slippery and erosion problems on new connector route in Copper Ridge city trail crew
- August 12, 2013: Copper Ridge Neighbourhood Association – $11,100 Four-Season Park Feasibility Study. To develop a feasibility study and conceptual plan for a four-season park including a soccer field, ice rink, basketball court and tennis court at the Winze Park location in Copper Ridge. The project will create 44 hours of employment. Contact: Josh Clark at 867-335-1250
Arkell and McIntyre wetlands
- My Snowshoe, Hike in Mount McIntyre Recreation Area paper shows new city trails and what the recent City/Ski club's Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) allows us to use; I include suggestions to allow better resident use of these city trails and simpler control measures for ski club.
- (I) route trail/boardwalk for Ingram/Arkell to Harvey's Hut city trail crew
- (J) Cut bypass for Hawk Ridge/Porcupine Trail so walkers avoid the ski trail after crossing city trail crew
- (K) Cut a trail linking Crossing Junction to 24 Hour of light trail allowing winter residents to connect Raven's Ridge to Arkell/Ingram city trail crew
- (L) ensure trail crossings are OK for neighbourhoof snowshoe access to turquoise city trail system. - (M) we look out our windows and see Mt. McIntyre, a lofty walking destination only about 10 km away. Read more at 'get to the ridge' route page.
- (N) ensure the crossing between McIntyre and the ski club trails is all-season usable, especially in the spring
Tank Farm
- One of our nearer neighbours, the Tank Farm, has a large complicated project. While major development is on hold(?) the owners have gone out of their way to allow our use of walking trails. Monitoring the situation is important.
- the Tank Farm page looks at the recent process, in hope that end result is more residential than commercial
- this project will also affect Alaska Highway pedestrian crossings
Valleyview
- Two-mile Hill intersections. Needs discussions with those actually walking down the hill, especially in the winter. Are the traffic light durations too short?
- needs a sidewalk or at least a light on Sumanik Drive at Alaska Highway. Pedestrian safety on this downhill, twisty, slippery piece of road is also hampered by no roadway lighting.
- Valleyview residents need access to paved trail network leading to Black Street stairs. Where is best place to cross Alaska Highway, especially as vehicle crossings at Sumanic Drive is almost erratic. Is staying on south side and crossing at Salvation Army (13 on map) is best?
IDEAS FOR ENGAGING COMMUNITY CARING
Stewardship, creating a shared walking vision above-the-airport
Intepretation
- interpretation of areas will make them more of a destination and lead to greater resident walking interest.
- Some suggested places: Paddy's Pond, pond behind Sunset Drive, wetlands beside the boardwalk at the new Copper Ridge to Porcupine Ridge connector, wetlands behind Ingram/McIntyre.
- see also my walking and seeing page
- I've been trying to get interest in another plant project like Paddy's Pond, a neighbourhood resource Botany booklet created with Elijah Smith Grade 3 students and KDFN's Dianne Smith. I'd like to create a plain language key for tree and shrub indentification in our woods.
- I see the need for a friendly 'Winnie the Pooh' style map of the area.
other issues
- needs a revitalized above the airport trails and greenspaces group which is part of Community Associations above the airport. We need a more formal stewardship role such as in these examples
- be part of all city trail mapping signage in area
- vandalism such as garbage, chopping trees; dog 'pick-up' party?
- larger number of firepits in the middle of trails. Parties?
"Such fires are regarded as a primary interface fire risk to the City of Whitehorse, and require ongoing prevention enforcement." Whitehorse Fuel Management Plan. - The Protected Areas By-law soon to be updated
- A 2014 Green Spaces Plan was called for in the Whitehorse Strategic Sustainability Plan.
- Another fact of life here: Human-Bear Conflict, Whitehorse and Southern Lakes
- Ethics, code of conduct
Walking trails
Here's a few resources for learning simple trail maintenance. Repairs such as small bridges could be made much less expensively if these were just narrow bridges.
Lets look at a few neighbourhood loop trails. Some would require the trail work shown above. Think of walking about 4 km per hour for a moderate pace; think about taking a daily walk and the trail variety you'd like to use as you walk from your home.
Hillcrest loops: 2.5, 2.7, 5.1 kms
Granger loops:
2.0, 2.1, 3.7 kms
Arkell wetland area loops: map 1: 1.5 (requires crossing A), 3 kms; and map 2: 3, 8 kms
Note that the map images are each linked to larger images
- see Snowshoe, Hike in Mount McIntyre Recreation Area for some neat trails
- to get to places like the Canada Games Center (25 minute walk from my house) or downtown see Getting across the road page
- look at Places to walk...GUIDES, MAPS, BOOKS, IDEAS, and particularly
- Above-the-airport Draft 2
- City center trails draft 1 - 5 City centre loop trails
How far do people walk? Getting to 4th and Main
Health studies say we are not active enough. One solution is walking. Look at the popularity of the Millennium Trail, the Rotary Centennial Bridge. Interesting trails will become destinations, encouraging people to expand their horizons. What does our location do for above-the-airport walkers?
Before people set out on a walk they sometimes want to know how far, how long, where to go. So I made the map above with the corner of 4th and Main as a destination. Generally I chose to follow paved trails if they are obviously faster (shorter). But walking alongside roads is boring, noisy, smelly, so where it was possible, I chose cleaner air, quieter, more interesting scenic routes.
Think of walking about 4 km per hour for a moderate pace.
