A previously disbanded group called the Nose Hill Park Community Board (NHPCB) has appeared from nowhere and convinced Ald. Dale Hodges to attempt to delay the Parks and Recreation plan because they were uncomfortable with the outcome of the public consultation process. Ald. Hodges was able to convince City Council to delay acceptance 'until Parks and Recreation can review the NHPCB plan.' The interesting thing is the plan that the Community Board is bringing forward is substantially the same plan that was offered as an alternative during the regular public consultation process. This plan was rated fourth out of the four plans that were put forward for public review.

We are relieved to announce that the Nose Hill Trail and Pathway Plan was approved with little modification at the Standing Policy Committee (SPC) on May 4. The plan went to a full sitting of City Council on May 16. Yes, there are still groups lobbying to scrap the plan, ban bikes or exempt themselves from the plan, however in the end we hope reason prevails.

The Trail and Pathway Plan will be appearing in front of the Standing Policy Committee (SPC/CPS), most likely at the May 4, 2005 meeting. For procedural reasons we will not know this for sure until the Friday before the meeting, but if you want to show up please call or email Pete and he can add you to a 'call-out' list for the day of the meeting.

The CMBA exec would like to thank any members who came out to the second Nose Hill Trail Plan Open House on Saturday February 26, or wrote letters, or who attended the first Open House for that matter! We appreciate all the support we have received.

In summary, the City has upgraded the trail plan from Concept 3 according to public feedback from the first open house and also from stakeholder suggestions. The detailed plan is on the Parks website.