When active transportation was brought to the fore not that long ago, it was given the support of district councillors and an official active transportation committee was formed.

The idea of active transportation has a few meanings. One is that it offers more opportunity and ease for people who wish to use other modes of transportation, beside vehicles, to get from point A to point B. Muskoka’s Active Transportation committee chair Graydon Smith has stated that in Muskoka, it takes on a little bit of a different flavour in that it provides more opportunities for outdoor recreation, but it can also provide an economic benefit to the area. As more and more projects come on line and a network is formed, there are numerous ecotourism opportunities as well.

After about a year of work, with still much to do, a major project is starting to take shape in the form of active transportation lanes becoming part of the district’s upcoming road work on High Falls Road in Bracebridge.

This, however, does not sit well with some councillors, who feel the project is “overkill” and the money earmarked for the initiative could be used a little more wisely, like the district’s debt.

The price tag for the active transportation portion of the work is $450,000, which is a drop in the bucket considering the overall cost of the project is over $5 million.

Although it is the desire of district council to get on board with active transportation initiatives, it seems certain councillors, such as Bob Colhoun, Nancy Thompson and Stewart Martin, are not fully on side.

Even district chair Gord Adams is now starting to waver in his support.

Would councillors Colhoun, Thompson and Martin feel differently if the project was taking place in Gravenhurst or Muskoka Lakes? Maybe.

And if chair Adams wishes a more high-profile test case to take place, we’re sure there are numerous options for him to choose from, given the number of district roads that could use significant makeovers.

It’s a little disconcerting that this proposal is following along with the whole idea of the district’s desire to get involved with active transportation, yet when a project is on the cusp, some councillors want to pull the rug out from underneath it.

If the $450,000 isn’t used for the High Falls Road upgrade, it should continue to be earmarked for active transportation projects.

The district needs to realize that it made a commitment to this initiative, and it is a shame that some still want to sit idly by as opportunities to get active in this mandate present themselves.

KF