The wildly successful Courtenay Rotary Club annual online auction is back, with a new and worthy local cause to support.
Last year, the digital auction and a live version at the Filberg Centre raised more than $80,000. That capped three years in which the club amassed an amazing total around $185,000, exceeding Rotarians鈥� own lofty target of $150,000.
The money went to the Comox Valley Hospice Society to help it realize the dream of constructing a facility where terminally ill people can end their days in dignity with a minimum of suffering.
After three years of auction fundraising for this purpose, the Courtenay Rotary Club turned to the public late last year for suggestions about project ideas for 2011.
More than half of the 250 replies suggested more trails within Courtenay or along the shoreline. The outdoors is a huge part of the Comox Valley鈥檚 attraction, so that makes sense.
Even more sensible is that the club took the suggestions to heart.
The online auction is raising money as you read this to fund a trail and beautification project along the train tracks that run into Courtenay, ending just past Fifth Street above Puntledge Park.
Rotarian Art Meyers, chair of the Courtenay Rotary Club鈥檚 auction committee, contacted Graham Bruce of the Island Corridor Foundation to discuss the possibility of this project becoming the northern terminus of the Island-long trail corridor along the E&N Rail tracks.
The City of Courtenay came onside at an ensuing meeting and the club has committed to a walking and cycling trail from Fifth Street to the train station at Cumberland Road.
As Meyers explains, the City envisions the project continuing to 29th Street in future.
That might require co-operation from the railway to not spray herbicides along that stretch, but that鈥檚 for the future.
For now, visit https://secure.maestroweb.com/Default.aspx?OrgID=613 to bid on any of more than 400 items.
editor@comoxvalleyrecord.com
