By Don Urquhart, Times-Chronicle
The Town of Osoyoos and the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) have both thrown their support behind the Osoyoos Bike Club’s efforts to have trails in the South Okanagan Grasslands Protected Area officially recognized for multi-use by the public.
Most of the trails in question are in the vicinity of Strawberry Creek and surrounding areas on Mt. Kruger with a couple on neighbouring Mt. Kobau. Much of the area where the trails are located is administered by B.C. Parks and The Nature Conservancy of Canada, and almost all the trails will fall within the proposed national park when it comes to fruition.
In a presentation to town council seeking a letter of support, Osoyoos Bike Club (OBC) directors Matt Williams, Jordan Reniak and Kenton Gilchrist said the issue came to a head after B.C. Parks moved to shut down access to the trails.
Williams noted that with COVID-19 resulting in more people heading outdoors for recreational activities, use of the trails increased and that attracted the attention of park rangers who closed them because their use was “unsanctioned.”
A back and forth between the OBC and B.C. Parks ensued, including a petition signed by nearly 500 people which in the end saw the trails re-opened.
The trails are currently being used by a combination of mountain bikers, hikers, horseback riders, bird watchers and also all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles in the winter. The trails are a combination of game and cattle trails, equine routes, decommissioned logging, mining, and ranching roads, and some man-made trails as well as those traditionally used by the Syilx nation.
“We believe the sanctioning and continued use of these trails is in the best interest of the Town of Osoyoos and its residents. Furthermore, integrating the trails into a community recreation and green transportation plan could be of great benefit in the future,” the cycling club said.
The OBC adds that officially sanctioning the trails for multi-user activities will help ensure proper use of the area and will also mean the trails won’t be shut down on a whim.
They also highlight that from a mountain biking perspective there is potential for locals to use these trails without having to travel more than an hour to find similar but more limited trail networks. This will help feed into tourism initiatives and provide an economic boost.
In preparation for submission to both B.C. Parks and the Nature Conservancy to gain official approval or be sanctioned’ the local non-profit cycling advocacy group says it has already prepared a report looking at the history of the trails, the current usage and what trails it has the manpower to maintain. Currently, there is a small team of volunteers who do all the maintenance work on the mountain biking trails.
In a report to council, Osoyoos Director of Community Services, Gerald Davis noted there is a number of advantages of getting the trails sanctioned including an increase in tourism, green transportation, cultural & educational opportunities and employment opportunities.
“Having a trail sanctioned could also have a direct economic impact if events are held, especially in the shoulder season,” he said.
Unlike many mountain bike trails in B.C., the net-work on Mt. Kruger is usable even into November and December and potentially all-year-round because of the lack of snow cover.
While Osoyoos agreed to write a letter of support, the Osoyoos Indian Band (OIB) provided theirs all ready.
“The responsible stewardship of multi-use nature trails provides both members of our communities and visitors with important physical, educational, and spiritual experiences,” wrote OIB Chief Clarence Louie.
“In the wake of more than a year of social distancing, these experiences could not be more important. This trail network is the only one of its kind within almost 50 kilometres of Osoyoos, and provides a natural and cultural immersion that more typical South Okanagan experiences such as wine touring and beach activities cannot.”
Louie also noted that multi-use trail networks such as this are typically of great economic benefit to the communities that foster them.
“Osoyoos is uniquely positioned to reap these benefits as one of the only cities in Canada where activities such as horseback riding and mountain biking can be enjoyed, snow-free, almost 12 months of the year.”
Dominated by summer tourism, the shoulder and off-season are appreciated, he added.
Louie also highlighted the trails pre-date the existence of both B.C. Parks and the Nature Conservancy. “They are of natural and historic importance and provide an opportunity for people to follow in the footsteps of generations before them, experiencing our distinctive topography and ecosystems in a unique way.”
