During the provincial government’s public consultation period in September, the Outdoor Recreation Council of BC (ORCBC) and many of its members, including the BC Snowmobile Federation, Trails BC and International Mountain Bicycling Association of Canada, among others, made submissions highlighting the critical need for increased funding to Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC).
While the lack of funding towards upkeep and maintenance of trail networks and recreation sites across the province has been an issue for years now, the problem has been exacerbated in the last two years due to the COVID-19 pandemic, leading to a 150-per-cent increase in outdoor recreation in many parts of the province, according to executive director of ORCBC Louise Pedersen.
“There’s just more people out there on the trails and in the parks and there are many different reasons for that. It has helped us sort of spend time with friends and family in a safe way and helped us maintain a sense of sanity and well-being during COVID-19, and there is really nothing that tells us that the numbers that we are seeing aren't going to stay elevated,” she said.
“I think British Columbians and others in the Sea to Sky corridor really have realized how much there is to do on our own doorstep. We have definitely seen a lot of wear and tear on the trails and other recreation assets, too, and now with wildfires and flooding that has just added to the immense pressure that B.C.'s outdoor recreational assets have been undergoing.”
Pedersen said they are asking the government for more operational funds to be allocated to RSTBC, noting that an operational fund of $12 million will enable RSTBC to increase staff numbers and allow the agency, which falls under the umbrella of the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, to spend more time managing the recreational infrastructure used by all the partner organizations.
According to Pedersen, the pandemic has shown just how important and needed well-maintained recreation sites and access to nature is for the physical and mental health of a community.
“We know that in those communities that have high-quality, accessible trails and parks, there's just more usage. So you build it and they will come. That also means that when you have trails, you’re more likely to have a more active and healthy population,” said Pedersen.
“There’s also other benefits; it helps boost tourism. We know that a lot of people who come to B.C., they don't necessarily come to see museums, they come to enjoy the beautiful outdoors that we have here in the province, so there is just a lot of benefits in having a well-maintained and high-quality recreational infrastructure in your community.”
A good example of the impact well-maintained outdoor recreation infrastructure can have on a community can be found right here in town with the Whistler Off Road Cycling Association (WORCA).
Pre-pandemic, the organization received $120,000 from the Resort Municipality of Whistler (RMOW) to maintain and operate the town’s surrounding network of hiking and biking trails. But when the pandemic hit, funding was cut down to $40,000. That combined with the increased trail usage by people looking for any excuse to get out of their homes made it difficult for WORCA to continue upkeeping the trails to its quality standard and forced them to “re-prioritize our trail work program” to make sure there was enough money to “simply ensure rider safety and deal with trail emergencies and urgent care,” according to WORCA president Dale Mikkelsen.
Luckily, WORCA was able to prove to the RMOW how important what they do is for the community, and the RMOW increased the organization’s funding to $200,000 in 2021, allowing Mikkelsen and his crew to do significant repair work as well as bolster their staff.
“Locally, we were able to hire a full trail crew, hire some students, and really provide fair wages and full-time dependable employment,” he said. “Furthermore, we were able to do intensive spring maintenance and really begin addressing trails that have suffered from high use and bare-bones maintenance over the years.”
On Monday, Nov. 17, the Select Standing Committee on Finance and Government Services released its 2022 budget consultation report, which showed the recognition of increased investments in outdoor recreation.
And while, Pedersen and ORCBC are pleased and encouraged with the report, nothing is set in stone yet. So while the province is taking time to figure out its priorities when it comes to the budget, Pedersen encourages everyone to reach out to their local MLA in support of the increased funding to show the government how important new investments in outdoor recreation are to the province’s population.
Currently, WORCA is funded entirely through its members and the RMOW’s Fee For Service Funding, which is specifically allocated to repairs and maintenance. But if some provincial support were to come through, it would allow WORCA to increase the number of new trails being built and the speed at which they are constructed, as they would no longer be required to rely solely on volunteer efforts when making new trails.
