Want to play a part in creating the future of mountain biking in the Central Okanagan ?
Now's the chance to provide your input into the Mountain Biking Strategy. Want a bike skills park ? New trails ? Trail preservation ? Concerns about trail loss or concerned that trails are threatened by development ? Read on to see how you can help design the future of Mountain Biking in the Central Okanagan.
This is serious - it's your riding future at stake!All MTBco members and Central Okanagan mountain bikers should be aware that MTBco has been identified as a key stakeholder in developing a Kelowna area mountain bike strategy. The more people who provide input to the strategy, the better we can make informed decisions. Your knowledge and opinion is valued in developing this strategy.
The details below are the information pack for stakeholders. Peruse the maps, read the info page and consider your responses to the survey. The survey will be loaded onto the Kelowna City Parks webpage. Please complete the survey electronically. It will be available via this link very soon.
![photo]()
Please forward this article to other interested individuals such as friends, family work colleagues, and other riders.
MOUNTAIN BIKE STRATEGY – COMMUNITY
INFORMATION AND SURVEY
The City of Kelowna and the Central Okanagan Regional District are in the process of
creating a strategy for improved delivery and management of the sport of mountain
biking (MTB). This recreational activity includes a wide range of participants and riding
options that range from family rides along the Mission Creek Greenway, downhill riders
testing their skills on challenging descents, younger riders getting airborne off dirt jumps,
to destination tourists eager to explore the Okanagan’s recreational opportunities for the
first time.
MTB riders have specific kinds of trails and facilities they need to enjoy their sport.
These need to be built, managed, and maintained to ensure a safe and responsible use
of the landscape.
The purpose of this strategy is to:
1. Assess what the area around the City of Kelowna already has in place for MTB
riders; and
2. Create a plan that will deliver needed MTB trails and facilities to meet current and
anticipated demands for the different kinds of riders in the area.
The area covered be the strategy can be viewed on a map at the Kelowna City Parks website very soon.
What part of the strategy is input needed for?
Input is needed on many items and you are encouraged to complete a survey, also
available on the Kelowna City Parks website. Below are some examples of the kinds of
information needed for the strategy:
• What trails are already in place and what kind of riding do they provide?
• Where should bike parks or dirt jumps be located?
• What trail user conflicts exist and where are they occurring?
• There is opportunity to identify and manage an ‘epic’ trail for the Central
Okanagan – a trail that connects areas, has exceptional features, and can be
ridden by a range of riders – where should such a trail be located?
• Some areas, either due to the soil qualities or nearby sensitive habitats, require
special trail management to avoid environmental harm. Where are these areas
and what kinds of problems exist?
• What facilities are needed to make the MTB riding experience more enjoyable?
Your input is important to making a MTB strategy that works for you. All
contributions will be respectfully considered.
![photo]()
How can you contribute?
1. Complete a survey for the area that interests you. You can fill in more than one
survey if you are familiar with more than one area.
a. The survey is available electronically on the City of Kelowna website.
2. Go to the open house on Tuesday, June 24 at the Kinsmen Field House 4105
Gordon Drive from 4:30 pm until 8:00 pm.
a. Get informed about the direction the MTB strategy is taking
b. View up to date mapping of trails and sites for bike parks
c. Talk to the people putting the strategy together
d. Meet other MTB riders and other trail users to voice your concerns
e. Meet the MTBco executive and discuss club membership riding, trails, and the local riding scene.
f. Join MTBco on the spot - free membership !
3. Stay informed through your MTB community
What is the BC Provincial Government doing about MTB trail building and
trail use?
The BC government recognizes that mountain biking represents a significant proportion
of outdoor recreation interests and is part of the many adventure tourism activities
offered in BC. The Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts (MTSA) is responsible for
recreational trails on Crown land and is developing a Recreation Trails Strategy for BC.
This initiative intends to accommodate MTB trail building on Crown land by developing
partnerships with MTB clubs and / or other organizations for specific trails that will
ensure that development and maintenance of those trails meets policy objectives for
safety, conflict avoidance and environmental stewardship.
More detailed information on how MTB trails are managed on Crown lands and how MTSA intends to manage trail development and use is available here
Other recent news about the bike skills park and MTB strategy is available from the Kelowna Capital News who recently ran a really good article.
The bike skills park and project area maps:
![photo]()
![photo]()
This is serious - it's your riding future at stake!All MTBco members and Central Okanagan mountain bikers should be aware that MTBco has been identified as a key stakeholder in developing a Kelowna area mountain bike strategy. The more people who provide input to the strategy, the better we can make informed decisions. Your knowledge and opinion is valued in developing this strategy.
The details below are the information pack for stakeholders. Peruse the maps, read the info page and consider your responses to the survey. The survey will be loaded onto the Kelowna City Parks webpage. Please complete the survey electronically. It will be available via this link very soon.
Please forward this article to other interested individuals such as friends, family work colleagues, and other riders.
MOUNTAIN BIKE STRATEGY – COMMUNITY
INFORMATION AND SURVEY
The City of Kelowna and the Central Okanagan Regional District are in the process of
creating a strategy for improved delivery and management of the sport of mountain
biking (MTB). This recreational activity includes a wide range of participants and riding
options that range from family rides along the Mission Creek Greenway, downhill riders
testing their skills on challenging descents, younger riders getting airborne off dirt jumps,
to destination tourists eager to explore the Okanagan’s recreational opportunities for the
first time.
MTB riders have specific kinds of trails and facilities they need to enjoy their sport.
These need to be built, managed, and maintained to ensure a safe and responsible use
of the landscape.
The purpose of this strategy is to:
1. Assess what the area around the City of Kelowna already has in place for MTB
riders; and
2. Create a plan that will deliver needed MTB trails and facilities to meet current and
anticipated demands for the different kinds of riders in the area.
The area covered be the strategy can be viewed on a map at the Kelowna City Parks website very soon.
What part of the strategy is input needed for?
Input is needed on many items and you are encouraged to complete a survey, also
available on the Kelowna City Parks website. Below are some examples of the kinds of
information needed for the strategy:
• What trails are already in place and what kind of riding do they provide?
• Where should bike parks or dirt jumps be located?
• What trail user conflicts exist and where are they occurring?
• There is opportunity to identify and manage an ‘epic’ trail for the Central
Okanagan – a trail that connects areas, has exceptional features, and can be
ridden by a range of riders – where should such a trail be located?
• Some areas, either due to the soil qualities or nearby sensitive habitats, require
special trail management to avoid environmental harm. Where are these areas
and what kinds of problems exist?
• What facilities are needed to make the MTB riding experience more enjoyable?
Your input is important to making a MTB strategy that works for you. All
contributions will be respectfully considered.
How can you contribute?
1. Complete a survey for the area that interests you. You can fill in more than one
survey if you are familiar with more than one area.
a. The survey is available electronically on the City of Kelowna website.
2. Go to the open house on Tuesday, June 24 at the Kinsmen Field House 4105
Gordon Drive from 4:30 pm until 8:00 pm.
a. Get informed about the direction the MTB strategy is taking
b. View up to date mapping of trails and sites for bike parks
c. Talk to the people putting the strategy together
d. Meet other MTB riders and other trail users to voice your concerns
e. Meet the MTBco executive and discuss club membership riding, trails, and the local riding scene.
f. Join MTBco on the spot - free membership !
3. Stay informed through your MTB community
What is the BC Provincial Government doing about MTB trail building and
trail use?
The BC government recognizes that mountain biking represents a significant proportion
of outdoor recreation interests and is part of the many adventure tourism activities
offered in BC. The Ministry of Tourism, Sport and the Arts (MTSA) is responsible for
recreational trails on Crown land and is developing a Recreation Trails Strategy for BC.
This initiative intends to accommodate MTB trail building on Crown land by developing
partnerships with MTB clubs and / or other organizations for specific trails that will
ensure that development and maintenance of those trails meets policy objectives for
safety, conflict avoidance and environmental stewardship.
More detailed information on how MTB trails are managed on Crown lands and how MTSA intends to manage trail development and use is available here
Other recent news about the bike skills park and MTB strategy is available from the Kelowna Capital News who recently ran a really good article.
The bike skills park and project area maps:
Author Info:
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