Updated from original post to Steve’s Councillor Ward 2 Facebook page, February 14, 2026
On Tuesday February 17, 2026 our Administration and Operations meeting took a deep dive into the Master Plan Draft for a beautiful new park proposal called North of the Nith.
Converting an old gravel pit into a place for mountain bikes (instead of dirt bikes) and other multi-use trail users is a more complex project than I originally envisioned. That said, I am very excited to see that we are heading in the right direction with a thorough plan in place that takes into account the needs of all potential users and the environmental needs of the land itself.
At the meeting Tuesday morning we heard from the consultants and County staff who put together the plan, and we heard from some local mountain bike enthusiasts and local environmental advocates who are all passionate about the projects, with varying opinions on how it should be executed.
It was a robust discussion. At the end of the day, I will be happy to see the dirt bike playground of my youth become hundreds of acres of beautiful outdoor (non-motorized) exploration and adventure for everyone, phased in over many years.
The residents of our community have experienced a lot of change over the years…lots of growth, lots of road construction (and more to come on both). I sincerely hope we can counterbalance some of those frustrations with a wonderful park on the one piece of undeveloped land in Paris that looks virtually the same as it did 40 years ago. 
Below is the recording of the meeting . The Staff Report for the Administration and Operations committee and the North of the Nith Trails and Open Spaces Master Plan report are shared below the video. I enjoyed 625 pages of reading this long weekend! 
(The North of the Nith Master Plan Report is around 65 pages and definitely worth a look)
Please watch the recording of the meeting and share this post. (Do not be put off by the cover image for the recording, the delegations and discussion about North of the Nith Master Plan were not in camera)
Staff Report: North of the Nith Trails and Open Spaces Master Plan, February 17, 2026 (RPT-0001-26):
North of the Nith Trails and Open Spaces Master Plan, County of Brant, February 2026
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