Millennium Trail rest area near Hillier officially open

Mayor Steve Ferguson helps cut the ribbon to officially open the Hillier rest area on the Millennium Trail Monday, Sept. 12. He was joined by (from left) Lise Bois of the Horticultural Society, donors Maxine and Doug Thompson and Patrick Maloney, Chair of the PEC Trails Committee.

The municipality and the Prince Edward County (PEC) Trails committee celebrated the completion of the Millennium Trail rest area near Hillier on Monday, Sept. 12.

“This rest area is another great addition to this wonderful trail,” said Mayor Steve Ferguson. “These amenities would not be possible without the volunteers and donors who supported this project, and I want to thank them for their many contributions.”

The rest area, built entirely by volunteers and funded through a generous donation by Doug and Maxine Thompson, includes the following amenities:
– A roofed wooden kiosk with bench seating and information panels on local and Indigenous history of the area
– A bicycle parking rack, created by students in the welding program at Loyalist College
– A picnic table
– A naturalized flower garden, developed by the Prince Edward County Horticultural Society
Bike repair tools, a gravel parking area with an accessible parking space and a seasonal toilet.

“The rest area just off Station Road in Hillier provides a place on the Millennium Trail where visitors and locals alike can begin an exploration of its diversity or stop for a rest while enjoying this wonderful 46-km linear park,” said Patrick Maloney, Chair of the PEC Trails Committee.

Additional rest areas on the Millennium Trail are located near Salem Road in Consecon and West Street in Wellington. Another rest area near County Road 49 is under construction.