TimberWest continues to support the Trail on Vancouver Island

TimberWest Forest Corp. is one of the major donors who made the connection of The Great Trail possible in 2017. Their generous gift of $100,000 helped fund the spectacular Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Trail, which helped connect a significant section of The Great Trail on Vancouver Island.

Now, the leading forest company has reaffirmed its commitment to Canada’s national Trail with an additional donation of $200,000 over the next two years. This gift will support two Trail enhancement projects along the Cowichan Valley Trail from Halalt First Nation to Ladysmith.

“We are pleased to continue our support of The Great Trail to provide visitors and residents the opportunity to experience the natural beauty of the forests where we live and work,” said Jeff Zweig, President and CEO of TimberWest. “The Great Trail not only promotes safe, healthy recreational access, but symbolically unifies us by connecting communities and people across the Island, the Province, and the Country.”

Malahat First Nation singers with TCT Chair Valerie Pringle, TimberWest CEO Jeff Zweig, and TCT CEO Deborah Apps at the opening ceremony of the Sooke Hills Wilderness Regional Trail in 2017.

Work is already underway on the Saltair Rail with Trail, which will connect the towns of Chemainus and Ladysmith via a 4.7-kilometre greenway. It will also include the construction of a creek crossing and an all-weather gravel surface. When this project is completed in late 2018, a 15-kilometre greenway section of the Trail will be established, creating a safer experience for pedestrians and cyclists.

In 2019, TimberWest’s gift will also support the local Trail group in creating a new 4.3-kilometre greenway section of the Cowichan Valley Trail in Chemainus, connecting rural neighbourhoods and Indigenous communities. This important work will bypass the current roadway along Chemainus Road, establishing another continuous greenway section of 20 kilometres that creates a connection linking Westholme, the village core of Chemainus, Ladysmith and Halalt First Nation.

TimberWest’s generous gift reflects their philosophy of responsible stewardship and their commitment to the local communities where they live, work and play. TCT believes that connection was just the beginning of the Trail’s journey, and we are delighted that TimberWest agrees.