Waterloo Region Greenlights Kissing Bridge Trailway

0:00It's April 7th, Vancouver news today starts now. AI powered and ready. I'm Cory with the story. The region of Waterloo just greenlit a design for a new pedestrian bridge over the Conestogal River, linking up the G2G trail from Guelph to Gotteridge, also called the Kissing Bridge Trailway. It's a two-span trestle setup with a total price tag of about $8.26 million, including extras for surprises. Here this week, their sustainability committee gave it a unanimous thumbs up and told staff to push ahead with detailed plans and doding prep. Big news is, the community cash flow? Folks have pledged $5.5 million already, with one donor dropping $3 million and another $2.5 million. Locals are fired up, chipping in hundreds of smaller bucks too, and they've sunk over $2.6 million into this trail stretch so far. That covers roughly 67% of the bridge costs through private pockets, showing real grassroots hustle.

1:00They try for provincial funds but struck out, so it's all on regional and donor support now. Delegates and staff are eyeing a start this year to reconnect trail sections, split apart for ages. With Council's final nod still needed, this bridge could have walkers crossing the river in just a few years, boosting that trail vibe for everyone.