City of Kamloops mayor Ken Christian cuts the ribbon at the grand opening of the new $3.7 million multi-use pathway, Monday, Nov. 5, 2018. The Xget'tem Pathway was named in partnership with Tk'emlups te Secwepemc.
(KAREN EDWARDS / iNFOnews.ca)
November 05, 2018 - 1:09 PM
KAMLOOPS - Officials from the city of Kamloops and Tk'emlups te Secwepemc gathered at the $3.7 million Peterson Creek multi-use pathway today to unveil its new name and for the official opening.
The pathway's new name is Xget'tem Pathway, which means deep-valley, and was named in partnership with Tk'emlups te Secwepemc, the city's external relations manager Tammy Robertson says.
"We are so pleased with the partnership that we had in this and the extent that we were able to share in planning and coming together of this trail," Robertson says.
Tk'emlups te Secwepemc Coun. Jeanette Jules was also at the grand opening event today, Nov. 5, to share some history of the area.
"The pathways we have, the roadways that are within B.C., across Canada and down into the United States are built on old Indian trails," Jules says. "Our trail systems are still there, a lot of community members still use those trails and will continue to use those trails."
Jules also says the city has been working with Tk'emlups te Secwepemc on numerous initiatives to strengthen the relationships between the two municipalities.
"The city of Kamloops and Tk'emlups te Secwepemc are leaders in working in partnership," she says. "We need to show everybody else in this country that a First Nations community and a municipality can work together and bring things forward."
The 1.7-kilometre pathway, which was completed in late September and connects Summit Drive in Sahali to Glenfair Drive downtown, is for pedestrians or cyclists, and has lighting and rest areas.
The project was funded with a $1 million grant from the Ministry of Transportation and Infrastructure's Bike B.C. program with the remaining $2.7 million from the city.
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