The mountain bike trail known as "Farside" was closed last week due to an expanding gravel pit, and the president of SORCA said the event is an example of the growing need for a trail strategy in Squamish.
Farside, located in the Crumpit Woods in Valleycliffe, is significant for its role in the Test of Metal and GearJammer racecourses, as well as being the connector between the north and south sides of the woods and providing access to several trails in the area.The trail is located on the private property of Coast Aggregates Ltd and is now being examined for an expansion of the company's existing gravel pit.
"We are just asking people to stay out for a minute while we have a look," said the company owner Bob Fast. "It is for safety reasons because of the equipment."
SORCA president Cliff Miller said the expansion had already claimed 100 metres of Farside, but stressed he did not have any resentment towards Fast and his company because it was private property and it had been generously loaned to trail users in the past. Miller did say, however, that the situation was an example of what was happening in Squamish and showed the need to develop a strategy co-ordinating usage, maintenance, and protection of the town's trails.
"This instance speaks volumes to the fragility of the trail network in Squamish. It is a lot bigger than the local mountain bike club," he said. "As a community we need a trails master plan to deal with the big picture of what is happening in our woods."
Miller also said he hoped a re-routing of the trail would be possible although he believed such efforts, which he said would take thousands of volunteer hours, shouldn't have to fall on the backs of the SORCA members.
"It is private property. Bob [Fast] has been very supportive in the past and hopefully we can find some kind of solution," he said. "We are just a bike club and we are being dragged into it."
He said the entire town would be hurt if the major bike races Squamish hosts each year were not held.
"As of right now the Test of Metal and the GearJammer don't have a course," he said. "If this is the demise of these two races, it is the community that will suffer."
Local users of Squamish's trails would also like to see a plan in place for the future of one of the town's assets.
"I was running [in Crumpit Woods] the other day and I said to myself, 'I hope we never lose this.' Now I find out we are. I would feel better if I knew there was a plan for the future regarding our trails," said Andrea Harris, a local trail runner and mountain biker. "I don't understand what is taking so long. We need a trail master plan or before we know it nobody is going to want to move here anymore."
Todd Pope was recently appointed as the new Trail Co-ordinator for the District of Squamish and is scheduled to start on Sept. 5. Mayor Ian Sutherland said in the future he would play a role in this type of situation.
"First of all this is private property. But a trails co-ordinator would be able to get ahead of the curve and be proactive in terms of creating solutions for problems before they happen," he said. "[The district trails co-ordinator] will work towards creating an alternative plan and looking at what we can do." .Sutherland also said in his full time position as trail co-ordinator, Pope would be the liaison between users groups and landowners.A trails strategy for Crown land in Squamish is also in the works and the local Ministry of Tourism Sports and the Arts recreation officer Tim Hoskin said it would be ready in draft form by mid-September.
"At that point various stakeholders will be able to add comments," he said.
Fast said the option of building another route accessing the trails in Crumpit Woods could be looked at.
"There is always that possibility," he said.
