Recreation site and trails users, builders, and promoters turned out in a large show of support for efforts the Village of Burns Lake is (VBL) is making to draw disparate trail and recreation groups together to develop a shared vision.
Logan Wilson, VBL recreation director, has been hosting Rec-Connect meetings as a way for user groups to get together and discuss issues and coordinate resources surrounding their particular interests.
Trail users in the Burns Lake area have come to form such a dominant front at regular meetings, that a special meeting of trail users was convened on Jan. 15, 2013.
Members of VBL council, Mayor Luke Strimbold, VBL staff, a Recreation Sites and Trails B.C. representative, and Regional District of Bulkley Nechako directors Bill Miller and Steve Freeman were also on hand to hear from approximately 20 very active members of local trail societies as they discussed common objectives and roadblocks.
While the common objective for all societies is to expand and maintain existing trail networks, a number of mutually-beneficial strategies were discussed, with the a pressing need being identified as the development of a central database of existing trails.
This central database would be a one-stop source for all area trail networks, whether mountain biking, hiking, sledding, skiing, running, horse-riding, or walking, as well as for info on the current state of individual trails.
Although most trails are well-maintained and well-used, a number need to be identified in terms of the challenge the present to inexperienced hikers. Trails also need to be flagged for maintenance if they’ve been affected by timber downfall or other events that could frustrate an unknowing visitor.
“Some trails have so much downfall and are so overgrown, we shouldn’t be sending people out to them through tourism brochures,” said Omineca Ski club volunteer Karen Broadworth.
Another issue that came up repeatedly is the need for stable funding.
The Lakes Outdoor Recreation Society (LORS), which maintains recreation sites in the area under an agreement with Recreations Sites and Trails B.C. faces a serious funding crunch again this year.
“We previously relied on Burns Lake community forest (BLComfor) money,” Bernice Magee, LORS president said. “But when that money dried up we had a problem.”
Burns Lake Community Forest funds, Mayor Luke Strimbold said, have not yet been earmarked for use. A planned public consultation On Feb. 3, 2014 during a town-hall meeting will be part of the process to determine how to spend the close to $1 million the VBL received from BLComfor this year.
Another funding problem faced by many trail groups is that although funding seems to be readily available for trail building and development, it’s not so available for maintaining those trails.
Some major funders, like the Nechako-Kitamaat Development Fund, exclude maintenance work from grant eligibility.
