People looking for ways to enjoy the Columbia Basin’s great outdoors will soon have even better options thanks to upcoming projects focused on activities like building new trails, enhancing existing ones or strengthening amenities and trailhead facilities. Columbia Basin Trust is supporting 22 new trail improvement projects in 18 Basin communities.
“The Columbia Basin is lucky to have so many spectacular trails that immerse people in nature while exploring local communities,” said Michelle d’Entremont, Manager, Delivery of Benefits, Columbia Basin Trust. “Getting out there is good for our physical and mental well-being, and we thank all the individuals and groups that maintain these trails.”
Projects will focus on activities like repairing damaged trails, increasing accessibility for a variety of users, addressing environmental issues, incorporating Indigenous cultural or heritage values and repairing or adding trail infrastructure and amenities. The Trust is providing $725,000 toward these projects, plus wage subsidies for organizations to hire trail workers, resulting in the creation of 45 short-term jobs. Learn more at ourtrust.org/trailgrants.
Connecting the Great and the Grunt
The Great Trail and the Grunt are popular places to spend a day amongst the trees near Sparwood. Soon, there will be yet another option for bikers, hikers, snowshoers and more. The Sparwood Trail Alliance Association is building 2.9 kilometres of trail to connect these two established trails, creating a new looping option.
“During the pandemic, we’ve seen more trail use and an increase in outdoor programming for children and youth,” said Jacquie Hill, Director. “Providing a first-class trail will help us meet this demand; encourage an active, involved and healthy community; promote tourism; and entice people to set roots in our area, contributing to its growth and vitality.”
An Exhilarating Experience
The Golden Cycling Club aims to offer an exhilarating mountain biking experience for all riders. To make this even more likely, it’s undertaking multiple projects to improve its network. This includes rebuilding portions of the Premature trail, adding a connector trail between the Summit and B52 trails, rerouting part of Summit and altering the bridge on Take It Easy.
“Mountain biking has become one of Golden’s favourite activities and the development of our trail network—which is also enjoyed by runners, hikers and dog walkers—has increased the number of users being physically active,” said Ryan Harvey, Operations Manager. “This project will enhance recreation and physical activity by making the trails safer and the user experience better, thereby encouraging more people of all skill levels to use it.”
Heading Higher
To pedal up the mountain in the Valemount Bike Park, the trail called CBT’s Munday Grind is the ideal choice—and will soon get users even closer to the highest trailheads in the network. The Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association is adding 3.5 kilometres to the trail, plus doing additional improvements in the network like reworking worn-down features in the High Roller jump line, adding gravel to the cross-country staging area, doing erosion repair and purchasing equipment and storage.
“The bike park is one of the most sought-after trail networks in BC and helps create an active, healthy community,” said Curtis Pawliuk, General Manager. “This project will broaden the opportunities within the trail system while enhancing and protecting the opportunities that already exist.”
Columbia Basin Trust supports the ideas and efforts of the people in the Columbia Basin. To learn more about the Trust’s programs and initiatives, and how it helps deliver social, economic and environmental benefits to the Basin, visit ourtrust.org.
