The Nickel Mine riding area is about to get a much-needed upgrade.
The Fraser Valley Dirt Riders Association (FVDRA) received a grant through the provincial government for the “re-establishment of a safe communal staging area, beginner loop and campground, and reclaim trails lost to forestry and material borrow at Nickel Mine Riding Area.”
The grant is one of the largest given out this summer to 22 B.C. outdoor clubs. In total, the government granted nearly $200,000 to the groups
“to support the off-road recreation industry, enhance tourism opportunities and promote healthy living for all ages and abilities.”
The FVDRA received $13,664 of that.
The Hope Nickel Mine has been a riding area enjoyed by motorcycle and ATV enthusiasts since the 1960s, according to the B.C. Off-Road Motorcycle Association (BCORMA). The area is populated with many decommissioned forestry service roads, Hydro access roads, and abandoned mining roads.
Along with the roads there are approximately 100 kilometers of trails maintained by FVDRA volunteers, with many more overgrown trails being recovered through the efforts of the FVDRA and BCORMA.
Other groups that benefited from the grants include the BCORMA, the B.C. Snowmobile Federation and the Quad Riders Association of British Columbia (ATVBC). The next intake of applications to the Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Trail Fund will begin in early 2020, with at least $200,000 available to fund applicants.
Representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, the British Columbia Snowmobile Federation, the British Columbia Off-Road Motorcycle Association and ATVBC evaluated 28 applications before making the final decisions.
Established in 2017, the ORV Trail Fund is funded from a portion of registration fees collected under the Off Road Vehicle Act by ICBC. The fund is administered by the ministry’s Recreation Sites and Trails Branch.
