Congratulations to the Windsor Essex Bike Community on the opening of the Phase 3 Mountain Bike trails at the Libro Centre in Amherstburg!
This new 2-km trail loop winds through two mature stands of trees and features a variety of berms, jumps, rock features, wooden elements and a massive, man-made mountain fashioned out of 300 dump-truck loads of dirt.
Combined with the Phase 1 and Phase 2 cross-country trails and the three Phase 1 downhill runs, there are now more than 8 km of trail to explore, not counting the gravel path that circles behind the Libro, from the skate park to the dog park. It’s a destination attraction for cyclists and I’ve no doubt Amherstburg kids will hone their skills on those slopes and potentially become future Olympians.
These trails have an estimated construction value of $1 million, but they were built entirely with donations and zero tax dollars. The Windsor Essex Bike Community secured about $200,000 in donations and more than 50 local businesses and foundations supported the project. I was happy to champion this project around the Council table and support it with a personal donation of $2,500.
All told, more than 5,000 volunteer hours were spend designing, constructing and maintaining the trails. The Windsor Essex Bike Community was awarded the 2025 June Callwood Outstanding Achievement Award for Volunteerism. I was honoured to write a submission in support of their successful nomination.
As a frequent user of this incredible trail system and as a councillor who understands the importance of recreational amenities for youth, as well as the importance of destination attractions like this for economic development, I want to thank WEBC for everything they have done.
You haven’t just built a trail network, you’ve built a community and the best is yet to come!
Leave a Reply