Regarding the new supposed “multi-use” BX/Spankies trail, F. Davidson referred to in the Letter to the Editor.
Davidson hit it bang on. But missed a few more points.
The most glaring is the $400,000+ to build it.
They built half a trail. The bottom half.
Top half is just the old rooty and techy Spankies with some lip stick on it.
Even if it was meant to be a trail that included mountain bikers, a black diamond trail is anything but multi-use in the mountain bike world.
They just eliminated 80 per cent of riders.
The design and construction of a good portion of the trail is poor to say the least.
One thing it lacks is proper sight lines.
So even most expert riders don’t really like it. It’s also an old school outdated trail design. Young riders don’t like it.
The Vernon area is full of those kind of trails. We don’t need any more, yet they keep building them.
So again, not multi-use to even the mountain bike crowd.
I am not sure what the process is to put forth, design, fund, and build a trail like this, but what ever it is needs to be addressed so another $400,000+ doesn’t get wasted.
Vernon could be the “go to” mountain bike destination (all cycling types actually) for the interior, but first, some sort of committee needs to be formed that includes people that are fully up to speed on what kinds of trails riders want and what Vernon is lacking.
As well, what is out there in other communities such as Nakusp and Valemount to name a couple.
These two communities know how to build the trails the masses want to ride. Just copy them.
Keith,
Avid Rider
