Sudbury Rainbow Routes Association celebrates 20 years

Since 1998, more than 100 kilometres of trails, connecting different parts of Greater Sudbury, have been developed, thanks to a not-for-profit organization.

Rainbow Routes Association was created 20 years ago by a number of trail building groups.

"We're one of the lucky cities to have this," Daniel Barrette, the association's executive director said, adding the development of the trails is important to the city's history.

"Forty years ago, we didn't have many trees and we had that moonscape [look]," he said.

"We have this brilliant story and Rainbow Routes trail network allows us to be in that space where you can see the changes take place and brings us out to our history."

Barrette says for him, an event a few years ago really stands out.

"In 2015, Rainbow Routes finished the mission and vision which was to bring the Trans Canada trail to Sudbury and to connect it," he said.

"We're connected to Canada by a trail that goes through Sudbury. That's a pretty awesome thing."

Barrette says there's still work to do, as some trails need to be connected and expanded to various parts of the city.

As for how many people are using the trails, Barrette says it's difficult to get an exact figure. He says social media has been helping to keep track.

"We've grown our Instagram account a lot," he said.

"There's a lot of people using the trails."

The organization offers regular guided walks of different trails. This Friday, a Full Moon hike will take place.

"We've collected a lot of old boardwalk from our project this summer," he said.

"We've stacked it up at Lake Laurentian at the ski chalet and we'll be burning some of that wood as part of a welcoming of winter."