Voie Verte Chelsea
IMPORTANT MESSAGE
All residents are reminded to respect social distancing measures when enjoying the trail. These measures are in place to slow the spread of the virus and especially to protect the most vulnerable.
Voie Verte Chelsea is one of the municipality’s major projects. The conversion of 22 km of the old railway tracks will enable residents to use active transportation to get around, in addition to offering a great opportunity to enjoy nature in Chelsea.
In 2018, the municipality commissioned the Atelier Urbain firm to work on a co-design to paint the broad strokes of a development concept reconciling the contributions of each side. A committee was subsequently created to put forward recommendations to the Municipal Council.
Winter trail conditions
Please note that the spring skiing season on the Voie Verte Chelsea is now over.
No motorized vehicles
The municipality would like to remind all users that the trail is off limits to motorized vehicles. Offenders may be fined according to the rules in force.
If you see a non-authorized vehicle on the trail, we recommend that you immediately call the MRC des Collines-de-l’Outaouais police at 819-459-9911.
General information
Chelsea residents can park:
- at the Farm Point community park parking lot located at 331 de la Chemin de la Rivière
- at the Chelsea CLSC located at 490 Route 105
The Municipality is currently working to make other parking spaces available.
Voie Verte Chelsea is a shared, multi-purpose trail. Please respect other users, the environment, and the privacy of adjoining landowners.
- Speak quietly in residential areas and respect trail quiet hours from 9 p.m. to 7 a.m.
- Share the trail and keep to the right so that others can pass.
- Cyclists, please yield to other trail users, ride at low speed and respectfully alert others when passing.
- Keep dogs on a leash and clean up after them.
- Bring all your waste home. Leave no trace.
- Avoid damaging the classic ski tracks in winter.
- Do not smoke, light a campfire, or drink alcohol on the trail.
Out of respect for others, we invite users to respect the 20km/h speed limit.
From May to October, the Voie Verte Chelsea trail is patrolled by volunteers through a pilot project with the non-profit organization Vélo-Services. You'll probably see them on your ride. They are easily identifiable by their yellow bibs.
Their general responsibilities are to :
- Provide first aid
- Answer questions from trail users
- Identify problems or incidents
All patrollers are trained in CPR, first aid and basic bicycle mechanics.
The Municipality and the Council would like to thank Les amis de la Voie Verte Chelsea for the $78,500 donation that will be used for the next phase of development of the community trail! The cheque was presented to Mayor Caryl Green and Director General and Secretary-Treasurer John-David McFaul on December 11, 2020 at an intimate outdoor ceremony. Donations were raised through the fundraising efforts of volunteers, sponsors, trail pioneers and supporters of the organization.
A huge thank you to everyone involved!
About Les amis de la Voie Verte Chelsea
Les amis de la Voie Verte Chelsea is a non-profit organization that raises funds to contribute to the development of Chelsea's community trail to reduce the financial burden on the Municipality. The organization, composed of volunteers, promotes community involvement, ecological safety of the trail and active transportation on the territory. For more details on the organization, visit their website.
Mr. Yvan Xavier Regout, a talented artist in metal sculpture, collected relics from the old railway to create, on his own initiative, sculptures of native animals. These magnificent works are placed along the trail to entertain users. You can view them near the Chemin Gleneagle.
These sculptures reflect one of the fundamental visions of the Voie Verte Chelsea trail, which is to respect and enhance the cultural and historical heritage of the old railway corridor.
On behalf of the population of Chelsea, Council wishes to thank and congratulate Mr. Yvan Xavier Regout for his talent, vision, dedication and generosity as well as Voie Verte Chelsea (the organization) for his donation and assistance in the installation of the works.
The cultural value of the trail now shines through with Mr. Regout's magnificent sculptures.
Work on the trail
Ongoing work
Future work
- Finalization in 2021 of the mandate to the firm EXP for the preparation of plans and quotes including
- Stabilization work, one of which is located between Chemin Mill and Chemin Hudson and the other three north of Chemin Church near Chemin Peter's Point area.
- Signage plan
- Redevelopment of some intersections deemed to be dangerous (Route 105, Chemin Kirk's Ferry and Chemin de la Rivière)
- The plan for the implementation of crash barrier at certain spots considered to be dangerous for trail users
- Installation of signage on the entire community trail
- Replacement of culverts
- Installation of guardrails at certain locations
- Realisation of a geotechnical counter-expertise for the identification of a cost-effective solution for the stabilisation of the community trail in the sector of Chemin de la Vallée
- Ditches drainage work (continuous)
- Placement of the final layer of stone dust along the entire length
- Foundation in crushed stone
- Culvert replacement
- Dismantling of 30 railway crossings
- Brushcutting
- Final Foundation between Chemins Wallace and Church
- Stabilization work:
- Welka sector
- Kirk's Ferry sector
- Finalized design concepts for the former station area near Chemin Mill and the Kirk's Ferry, Gleneagle and Burnett intersections. These concepts include:
- development of parking spaces
- installation of a swing gate to prevent motorized traffic on the Community Trail
- tree planting
Development of the trail
Based on the co-design results, Council adopted ten guidelines proposed by the community trail committee :
- a local multipurpose trail which will promote walking, running and cycling (recreational or active transportation) during the seasons favourable to these activities and walking, skiing, cycling and snowshoeing in winter
- a trail stretching along the corridor of the municipality’s northern border all the way to the landslide site near Chemin Loretta Loop
- a trail consisting of a flat and smooth surface, made up of rock dust or similar material, but not paved
- a 3.0m wide trail with 0.5m shoulders on each side, which can be wider at certain points. This will be studied case by case when a larger trail may respond to the needs of the community.
- a trail with several access points built in a way to promote access to Chelsea residents and taking into account the concerns of residents from neighbouring areas
- a trail that will provide points of access to Gatineau River
- a trail that will be environmentally friendly and celebrate its rich ecosystem
- a trail that will respect and promote the cultural and historic heritage of communities along the corridor
- a trail whose use will be governed by a code of conduct based on respect and fairness in sharing the benefits of its use
- a trail that can be developed in phases and whose financial impact may be reduced by obtaining subsidies and funds from private fundraising campaigns
2019-07-30 Étude des ponceaux et l’établissement d’un plan de drainage pour l’aménagement du sentier communautaire
2019-01-31 Étude complémentaire anciennes gares
Archives
Caractérisation environnementale des sols, chemin Kirk’s Ferry – juin 2018
Présentation du 13 février 2018: Études géotechniques de l'ancienne voie ferrée de Chelsea
Évaluation environnementale de site Phase II - Secteurs A & B (WSP)
Étude géotechnique complémentaire - Glissement de terrain entre les chemins Wright et Loretta (WSP)
Étude géotechnique (WSP)
Évaluation environnementale de site Phases I & II - Secteur de l'ancienne gare de passagers de Chelsea (WSP)
Rapport final de l'étude d'impact social
Résultats de l'étude sur les gaz à effet de serre
Étude de faisabilité technique et financière pour une piste multifonctionnelle - Étape 1
Étude de faisabilité technique et financière pour une piste multifonctionnelle - Étape 2 et 3
Évaluation environnementale du site - Phase 1 - À venir
Formulaire de demande - Offre de financement 2015 du FMV - Études de faisabilité et projets pilotes
Document d'appel d'offres - Études d'impact social concernant la construction d'un sentier communautaire
Document d'appel d'offres - Évaluation environnementale de site phase II et étude géotechnique pour la piste multifonctionnelle
Document d'appel d'offres - Démantèlement de la voie ferrée dans les limites de la Municipalité de Chelsea
Rapport quinquennal sur le plan directeur de transport actif de Chelsea - Mars 2019
Rapport intérimaire du Comité de travail pour la recherche de subventions et de financement du 29 septembre 2017
Lettre du MAMOT 6 mars 2017 à l’égard de la conversion du corridor ferroviaire
Résumé exécutif de l’étude de faisabilité technique et financière pour un sentier communautaire multifonctionnel sur le réseau ferroviaire
Rapport du comité ad hoc sur la faisabilité d'un sentier communautaire dans l'emprise du corridor ferroviaire
Extrait des délibérations du conseil de la municipalité de Chelsea
Résolutions adoptées par le Conseil en 2014 et en 2015
Résolutions adoptées par le Conseil en 2016
Résolution adoptées par le Conseil en 2017 (janvier à juin)
Résultats de la pétition Oui Chelsea
Rapport préliminaire du Comité de travail pour la recherche de subventions et de financement pour le projet potentiel de sentier communautaire
The co-design process has now officially come to an end. Thank you to all those who participated by sharing their vision and ideas to create a trail for all.
For any problems regarding:
- trail maintenance, please contact the Public Works Department at 819-827-1160
- security, please contact the MRC des Collines-de-l'Outaouais at 819-459-9911
The development of the Voie Verte is a partnership between the Municipality and the community.
Thanks to our main partner
Information
Public Works and Infrastructure Department