Rails to Trails or Rail Trails exist on most continents. They are incredibly popular which is why this blog receives almost as many hits on The North Star Trail as our post on the Passivhaus another favorite world-wide topic.
With the demise of railways as a method for people transportation, many railways throughout the globe have been decommissioned and turned over to community groups and city authorities for repurposing. Our local trail is not unique. The favorite new purpose is to convert these old rail beds into routes for non-vehicular and non-polluting transportation. Many choose to use them for recreation as we have witnessed on our own North Star Trail but many people in different parts of the world including Canada and Cranbrook use them to commute.
There is a growing awareness of the necessity to refamiliarise ourselves with the use of non-polluting, non oil-consuming methods of transportation. Those who use the trails appreciate the quiet, the sounds and sights of a more natural environment, the safety and cleaner air. They are also contributing to a healthier, more sustainable future and these are the reasons they are popular.
There are loud rumblings however from a movement of ATV associations to gain use of the trails. The Trans Canada Trail Committee issued a news release, http://www.trailsbc.ca/download/TrailsBC_News_Release_Aug08.pdf on August 12 stating their concern over this issue. It included the information that degradation and vandalizing by deliberate removal of signs indicating ‘NO MOTORIZED VEHICLES’ has been occurring in some areas particularly on the Kettle Valley Trail.
More background information at http://www.trailsbc.ca/download/TrailsBC_BackGrounder_Aug08.pdf
It should be noted in some parts of Canada snowmobile use of trails has been permitted. This has not been the case in BC.
If you believe that this is an issue of concern to you, the future of our trails and environment, we urge you to write an e-mail or better yet a letter to the minister responsible for trails in the province, the Honorable Steve Thomson and to your local MLA’s. It could be worthwhile to also send to the premier, and even some of the government MLA’s of the southern Interior.
Political Contacts
Minister of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations- Hon. Steve Thomson
MLA- Kelowna Mission
FLNR.Minister@gov.bc.ca
P.O. Box 9049
Stn Prov Govt
VICTORIA BC V8W 9E2
Premier Christy Clark
premier@gov.bc.ca
Okanagan Westside MLA Ben Stewart ben.stewart.mla@leg.bc.ca
Kelowna Lake Country MLA Norm Letnick norm.letnick.mla@leg.bc.ca
East Kootenay MLA Bill Bennett bill.bennett.mla@leg.bc.ca
(just appointed to the government land use and environment committee)
For more information
Contact:
Trails BC - Responsible for establishing the Trans Canada Trail in BC
Léon Lebrun, Vice-President or Al Skucas, President, Trails BC, trailsbc@trailsbc.ca
Phone: 604-737-3188
Trans Canada Trail National
Deborah Apps, President and CEO, Trans Canada, info@tctrail.ca
1-800-465-3636
For more background information on Rails to Trails
http://www.railstotrails.org/index.html
http://www.railtrail.com/ca/
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