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Updated: Nature trail unveiled at RDC

Trail unveiling and tree planting honours Nova Chemicals $2 million donation
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Red Deer College board chair Morris Flewwelling and college business development co-ordinator Blake Jackson examine the large stone that marks the entrance to the Nova ChemicalsWaskasoo Creek Nature Walk. Photo by PAUL COWLEY/Advocate staff

A new nature walk unveiled at Red Deer College campus on Monday is as much a message as a pleasant place to stroll.

Trees were planted along the walk as part of a project to promote sustainability and recognize Nova Chemical’s $2-million contribution to the college and the 2019 Canada Winter Games Host Society.

In all, 140 trees will be planted next to the Nova Chemicals Waskasoo Creek Nature Walk behind the Gary W. Harris Canada Games Centre.

College president Joel Ward said Nova Chemicals has supported the college since 1984 and their visions mesh.

“Their organization places great importance on community and sustainability, and these are shared values with RDC,” said Ward.

The college is well on its way to becoming a zero carbon footprint institution and companies such as Nova can help. Ward said he’d like to see the whole city become a zero carbon community.

“It would be a great thing for us to do. We believe in it. I think our students believe in it and we’re very much interested in partnerships that allow us to do that kind of work.”

“I think (the trail) is a strong statement to the community that the future is environmental. The future is green and there are many opportunities in that as well.”

The walk links to the natural trails that wind through the woods behind the college.

“This sends a message to the rest of the country and other communities about how important it is for our facilities to live in harmony with nature,” said Jim Dixon, Nova Chemicals director of responsible care.

“This will be here for the current set of students as well as future generations.”

This is not the first time the plastics giant has built a trail in Central Alberta. A few years ago, a five-kilometre link was built near the Joffre site.

The trail has been well used by Nova employees, contractors and members of the public.

“We’re very hopeful the community uses this (college) trail, the same as the nature trail at Joffre,” Dixon said.

The trail is another project tied to the 2019 Canada Winter Games.

“An important component of hosting the 2019 Canada Winter Games is creating legacies that will benefit our greater community for years to come,” said Lyn Radford, chair of the Winter Games Host Society.



pcowley@reddeeradvocate.com

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