A new public trail has taken shape beside PowerCo Canada’s future gigafactory in St. Thomas, thanks to a partnership with the city aimed at promoting sustainability, recreation, and community connection.
On Friday afternoon, PowerCo employees joined staff from the City of St. Thomas to help clear and prepare the new 1.2-kilometre “Recharge Trail” within the Yarmouth Yards Industrial Park.
While on site, myFM had the chance to chat with PowerCo’s Media Relations and Content Specialist Tegan Versolatto, as volunteers spent the day preparing the wooded trail for public use.
The unpaved trail, located in the South Woods area near the industrial park, is expected to provide a space for walking, running, biking, and enjoying nature, both for residents and eventually for workers at the nearby battery plant.
Versolatto says the initiative aligns closely with the company’s focus as it continues to grow its presence locally.
The project was led by the City of St. Thomas and reflects a broader effort to ensure industrial development in the area also includes accessible community spaces.
Meredith Woodhouse, Project Manager for the Industrial Development with the city, breaks down exactly where the trail is located.
Woodhouse says the trail is already open to the public, with access currently available from gravel parking areas near Electric Avenue and PowerCo Parkway. Future plans also include connecting the industrial park to the rest of the city through a multi-use pathway network by 2028.
Beyond recreation, Woodhouse notes the trail area is also home to significant biodiversity, including birds and wildlife native to the region.
You are reminded that the Yarmouth Yards Recharge Trail is unpaved and should be used at the visitor’s own risk.
Written by: Kennedy Freeman (Photos by Parker Walpole, myFM Co-op Reporter)
