Fears that future bicyclists traveling along a path being built through the Pacific Rim National Park Reserve would find themselves away from Tofino were erased Friday morning.

Tofino mayor Josie Osborne was elated as she stood at a podium set up at Tofino鈥檚 Cox Bay Visitors Centre, where the community鈥檚 Multi-Use-Path currently ends, and announced $2.3 million is coming from Canada鈥檚 Federal Gas Tax Fund to connect the MUP to the Park Reserve鈥檚 incoming 鈥攑ath 2.2 kilometres away.

鈥淭his is a really exciting development and a dream that鈥檚 really come true for Tofino and Ucluelet and all the communities on the West Coast to be able to connect our communities,鈥� she said.

She said Tofino鈥檚 2.2-kilometre Multi-Use-Path connection carries an estimated $3.3 million price-tag and, along with the federal funding, , $63,000 from the B.C. Resort Municipality Initiative and $54,000 from the Union of B.C. Municipalities Community Works Fund.

Ucluelet councillor Sally Mole attended the announcement as her community鈥檚 acting mayor and said Ucluelet is excited to see a regional path network coming together.

鈥淭his incredible amount of funding is a huge boon,鈥� she said. 鈥淚鈥檓 really excited to see this project start and finish and be able to connect our communities. It鈥檚 just great.鈥�

The Park Reserve鈥檚 $18 million, 25-kilometre, 蕯apsc虒iik t鈥檃s虒ii trail, which will connect it鈥檚 north and south borders, was and has been

The Park Reserve鈥檚 Superintendent Karen Haugen congratulated Tofino for securing funding to create safe passage between the Park Reserve and the community.

鈥淚nvestments in visitor infrastructure, such as trails, will continue to allow Canadians to connect with nature and bring year round opportunities and economic benefits for this whole region,鈥� she said. 鈥淥nce built, this new trail network will give generations of residents, Canadians and visitors the opportunity to explore this wonderful, wonderful, Pacific Rim region by bike, by foot; by any transportation.鈥�