A group of Altona area residents is working to establish a new recreational pathway along the Buffalo Creek.

The Buffalo Creek Trail Association hopes to build a 10-kilometre trail stretching from the village of Altbergthal, southwest of Altona, to an area two miles north of town.

Kevin Neufeld, a spokesperson for the association, says many people drive by Buffalo Creek, overlooking its potential as a recreational resource.

“In this last year we've gone hiking many times to the Pembina Valley and many places around Winnipeg. Buffalo Creek is the only feature around the town of Altona. The more I go on the creek, the more people I see that I haven't seen before. It’s becoming kind of a destination.”

Aimed at bikers, walkers and runners, Neufeld points out there is strong interest in the project.

“Our core group consists of six or seven people. But simply by word of mouth, it has expanded considerably to include people who have said, they want to be a part of this and will gladly volunteer their time to help build a trail.”

Plans call for cutting down brush and grass to create a dirt path skirted by mowed grass on either side, wide enough to accommodate two people walking abreast.

The group has had constructive meetings with officials from the Municipality of Rhineland.

Reeve Don Wiebe says because the group's plan runs over privately-owned land adjacent to the creek, administrative staff will provide a list of landowners, allowing the group to explore the feasibility and support for the proposed trail.

Neufeld says they are looking forward to those conversations.

“It’s a big hurdle to overcome since there are quite a few landowners involved. We know there are probably some concerns on their part, about privacy and use of their land. We want to hear and address those concerns.”

The group has also talked with the Town of Altona about hooking up to the northwest corner of the town's existing path system. Work on the Buffalo Creek Trail could begin this summer.