Reconstruction of the trails around Lions Pond is slated to begin at the end of the month as the first step of the larger Fraser River Corridor Master Plan.

The reconstruction will focus on replacing the failing surface of the trails and widening them to make them more accessible. The project will start on Sept. 4 and take a few weeks to complete.

Jeff Durbin, Fraser town manager, said the town chose this project to kick off the master plan because the cost and implementation of the project fit well with this year’s budget and timeline.

“These are pretty straightforward things to put together and they didn’t require a lot of design or engineering,” Durbin said.

Last month, the Fraser Board of Trustees approved a bid from local contractors Skinny Traffic LLC for $59,696, which would come from the town’s general fund. The bid came in under what town staff had estimated for the project.

The plan is to resurface the trails with crusher fine gravel, which will provide a better trail than the currently used asphalt, Durbin said.

“That entails removing the trail surface, which is failing,” he said. “It’s removing (the asphalt), compacting the base, installing the crusher fine and compacting it. … This is really about making those trails more accessible so that everyone can really enjoy those ponds.”

Restoration of the the area will also include planting new trees along the paths, which is a separate project from the trail reconstruction. Fraser Public Works will be responsible for this portion of the project and is working with a local outfit, which will provide the trees.

“It’s for shade, beautification, as they grow it will help with water quality in those ponds,” Durbin said. “The sun up here is rough, so it will be more a comfortable environment for people to enjoy.”

Construction on the project will be staggered in phases so that the town can keep the area open for visitors. The project was scheduled for September in the hopes that traffic in the area will have decreased.

Ultimately, the master plan outlines over $6.5 million in improvements and additions to the Cozens Ranch Open Space area, located on the east side of Highway 40.

Durbin said the town is currently discussing what next steps they will take for the master plan and planning grant applications.

“I think one of the things we are hopeful for is some public restroom facilities, but they are expensive though because you have to extend water and sewer lines,” he said.