Gary Bergen, President of the Portage Junk Yard Dogs Cycling Club, Chad Gillis, Trails Coordinator, and Jeff Fletcher of KF Aerospace celebrate the opening of the KF Aero Flyover on Beaver Pond Trail at Prairie Flow Trails.

This story originally appeared in Portage Online.

A new bridge at Prairie Flow Trails is helping connect more of Portage la Prairie’s outdoor recreation community, giving cyclists, runners and walkers more room to explore while opening the door to future trail development.

The KF Aerospace Flyover is now open to the public, providing a crossing over Garrioch Creek to trails on the east side. With more singletrack mountain biking trails in development, the addition is another step toward creating a connected outdoor space for people of different ages and skill levels to enjoy.

Chris Kitchen, vice-president of the Portage Junk Yard Dogs Cycling Club, says the bridge is already making a difference by giving the public areas that were previously harder to access.

“The Prairie Flow bridge connects trails. It allows for connection that wasn’t there before while also making it safer.” Kitchen says.

The new crossing has already proved useful for more than cycling. A recent junior high cross-country running meet used the bridge to access the trail, giving organizers the additional distance needed for the race.

Kitchen says that’s exactly what the club hopes to accomplish as Prairie Flow Trails continues to grow.

Partnerships help bring bridge to life

The project was made possible through matching donations from KF Aerospace and Canadian Base Operators, which helped the cycling club purchase the equipment needed to install the bridge.

The City of Portage la Prairie also helped secure the necessary land-use agreement for the crossing, which sits on Crown land. The Junk Yard Dogs Cycling Club is responsible for maintaining the trails.

The bridge uses a three-section floating dock system designed to adjust to changing water levels. Its placement and design help maintain access across the creek as conditions change throughout the year.

In addition to supporting the project financially, KF Aerospace received naming rights for the crossing, which is officially known as the KF Aerospace Flyover.

More trail development planned

While the colder months will bring a slowdown in new construction, Kitchen says volunteers will continue maintaining the trails through the winter, with more development expected to resume in the spring when weather and ground conditions allow.

He credits the club’s volunteers for helping keep Prairie Flow Trails in good shape and identifying opportunities to improve the area.

“They know exactly what needs to be done or what needs to be changed or what needs to be added.” Kitchen says. “They’re always in constant communication with each other and the with the board, but most importantly, they’re very aware of how that trail works.”

Visitors can look forward to more features throughout the trail system, including jumps and ramps for cyclists, as well as additional routes that connect different sections of the property.

The new singletrack trail along the east side of Garrioch Creek will also offer a more challenging option for mountain bikers.

The crossing is now ready for public use and visitors can also stop to take in the view of Beaver Pond.

Growing outdoor recreation in Portage

Beyond improving the local trail network, the Junk Yard Dogs Cycling Club hopes Prairie Flow Trails will become a destination for outdoor enthusiasts from across the region.

“We want to see outdoor recreation grow here in Portage to the point that people will make it a destination,” Kitchen says.

As the trail network expands and more events make use of the area, the club hopes to play a role in growing tourism and creating more opportunities for people to enjoy the outdoors close to home.

For now, the KF Aerospace Flyover is providing a new way to explore Prairie Flow Trails, with more connections and experiences planned as development continues.