Spring flooding has caused enough erosion that a new long-term development plan is necessary for Cottonwood Island Park and parts of the Heritage River Trail system.
"Many sections of the trail have been affected by riverbank erosion and the trail needs to be rerouted or else erosion protection works will have to be identified and costs estimated," said interim public works director Dave Dyer in a press release.
A footbridge along the trail in the park has been closed indefinitely until an engineering assessment can be completed and repairs made.
The section of trail within the park that was heavily damaged will also be closed with signs installed accordingly, until the trail can be reconstructed. That reconstruction will likely consist of realigning the trail well back from the existing bank, Dyer said.
Depending on the cost estimates that come from doing the design work, it's not expected that construction will start until next year.
Two kiosk-style information signs will be placed at the canoe launch parking lot and at the parking lot near the Cameron Street replica bridge this fall and will carry updated information about the closures and changes.
