K&P Trail improvement work begins at trailhead in Verona

Improvement work on the K&P Trail is scheduled to begin today, Monday, Nov. 15, 2021, at the Verona trailhead.

According to a release from the County of Frontenac, project plans include levelling, grading, and paving the parking area; installing benches and picnic tables; improving electrical service to allow for new lighting; and the addition of barrier-free access to the trail from the parking area.

The work is scheduled to take about three weeks but crews will return in the spring to pave the parking lot, the County said. The Verona trailhead parking area will be inaccessible during construction, so users are invited to park at and access the trail from the Hartington, Godfrey, or White Lake Road trailheads.

Additional improvement work will also begin this month at several locations along the trail, according to the release. Crews will install railings, fencing, and signage as needed in areas where there are steep drop-offs or water hazards near the trail’s edge. The trail should remain open during this work but users are advised that they may encounter heavy equipment on the trail and are asked, for everyone’s safety, to follow any work crews’ instructions.

This work will not only improve trail access and safety but also strengthen the overall user experience, further positioning the K&P Trail as a valuable public recreation asset and emerging tourism attraction in the region, according to the release.

“Frontenac County has spent the past decade developing the Frontenac K&P Trail into a world-class facility,” said Richard Allen, Manager of Economic Development, Frontenac County. “These improvements will ensure that trail users of all ages and abilities can safely access and enjoy our wonderful trail.”

This work is the first phase of a program funded through the Community, Culture, and Recreation stream of the Investing in Canada Infrastructure Program (ICIP), the County said. The four-year, $828,000 funding partnership among Infrastructure Canada, the Province of Ontario, and The County of Frontenac was announced in June.