Trail opens from Kincardine to Inverhuron Provincial Park

It was 10 years in the making, but the Kincardine to Inverhuron Trail is finally open to the public.

“Kincardine trails is all about connecting communities, and we wanted to connect these communities,” says Kincardine Trails Committee Chair, Brad Kirkconnell, the driving force behind the trail’s construction.

At a cost of $1.8 million, the 12 kilometre KIPP (Kincardine to Inverhuron Provincial Park) Trail now links Kincardine to Inverhuron Provincial Park. It will act as a safer route for people to travel along the Lake Huron shoreline, but right beside a busy roadway.

“Many times we had people talk about the near misses, biking or walking on this stretch of road. So this has alleviated that concern,” says Kincardine Trails Committee member, Blaine Shewfelt.

The largely paved trail will also act as a new safer route for Kincardine residents to bike to work at Bruce Power, where over 4,000 local people work at because it’s located near the end of the new trail.

“When I worked at Bruce Power several people biked, but a lot didn’t want to because it was unsafe. Taking the highway was a longer route, so I’m expecting this will really pick up traffic for people going to and from Bruce Power from Kincardine,” says Kirkconnell.

Whether it’s for work, exercise, or fun, there’s both excitement and relief that the 10 year KIPP Trail saga has come to an end, and can finally be used by outdoor enthusiasts.

“It’s just great to see people out there using it,” says Shewfelt.

“Now all three Kincardine wards are connected, north to south, south to north, with an active transportation route, and that’s beauty,” adds Kirkconnell.