From Mount Macpherson’s single track network, to the pathways that snake around the Illecillewaet Greenbelt, to the rough trails walked in over time all over town, there are more than 500 kilometres of trails surrounding Revelstoke.
While Revelstoke’s trail network is far more extensive than anyone thought, there are still opportunities for new trails and to improve the existing ones, says the new trails strategy adopted by council on Tuesday.
“A couple of the things I found really interesting was adaptive sports and accessibility became a big issue,” consultant Fraser Blythe, from Selkirk Planning & Design, told council. “That’s really great in a city like ours, that people are concerned everyone has the ability to use trails.”
The strategy, which was prepared by Blythe and the Department of Parks, Recreation & Culture, was started last fall and finalized this spring.
“It is the first step towards getting funding to improve our existing trails,” said Blythe. “Without a plan, we can’t ask for funding and grants.”
The work done to produce the strategy resulted in the city greatly expanding its knowledge of Revelstoke’s extensive trail network. Using data from Strava, the city and added 423 kilometres of trails to the 150 kilometres it had already classified. The trails previously in the inventory included the Mount Macpherson network, the Illecillewaet and Big Eddy Greenbelt trails, and trails on Mount Revelstoke, Mount Begbie and Mount Cartier.
Additions include the Boulder Mountain downhill trails, all the trails around Williamson’s Lake, the CPR Hill network, the Jordan River trails and many, many more.
The trails were divided into six classes, including paved walkways, sanctioned trails, and informal, unmaintained paths. Important connector roads were also identified.
“I think a good trail network can have both,” said Blythe. “They don’t all need to be recognized trails that are funded by the city.”
But the most significant part of the strategy is the recommendations for going forward. They include improving connectivity, ensuring trails are accessible to all users, improving signage, resolving conflict between user groups, and ensuring good environmental stewardship.
The very high priorities, which the strategy says should be developed in the next five years, include building a trail from Johnston Heights to downtown, formalizing the Greenbelt trails that cross private property, formalizing the trails on Revelstoke Mountain Resort land, building an accessible trail from the Greenbelt to Cashato Heights, creating a trail along the old CP Rail tracks from Fourth Street East to the Greenbelt, and improving signage at key spots.
“Those neighbourhood-to-neighborhood connections are really important,” said Blythe. “They’re the key to making a successful trail network.”
The trails strategy was adopted by council unanimously and will now guide the city’s trail development going forward.
“I’m really happy to see this come to fruition. It’s been something that’s been talked about for as long as I’ve been here,” said councillor Aaron Orlando. “Once you have a plan, you can look for funding and take funding opportunities.”
