Lantzville's financial plan has been amended to include $50,000 to go toward the creation of an active transportation plan to consider pedestrian and bike routes across the community.
Council passed the amendment during a meeting on April 9, to go along with a $50,000 matching grant from the province.
George Robinson, Lantzville's director of planning and community services, told the News Bulletin that the plan will focused on modes of transportation other than motor vehicles, and may include trail networks, road networks and other infrastructure improvements such as bike lanes and roadside paths.
"Council approved publishing a [request for proposals] to obtain a consultant to do the plan for the district, so we're hoping to publish that RFP very soon and retain a consultant by the summer time," he said. "I'm optimistic we that we will be complete the plan within the next year after that."
Transit isn't explicitly included, but Robinson said the district will be looking at existing transit routes that connect with the pedestrian network.
"[The plan] will be all over Lantzville – all the way from the Foothills to Nanoose, all the way back to Woodgrove," he said. "There have been some folks talking about improving the connectivity between the village core and Woodgrove, and all the shops around the north end of Nanaimo. There is an opportunities to improve the connections all the way up from the Foothills down to our beaches. We will really be looking at our entire network in our district."
Robinson added that public engagement opportunities are planned throughout the process.
