By Cheryl Jahn

VARDA looking for financial support

Feb 16, 2023 | 3:25 PM

VALEMOUNT – The Valemount and Area Recreation Development Association is looking to broaden that community’s tourism horizons. Best known for its snowmobiling, heli-skiiing, but the Association has moved in a more summery direction. Mountian biking. And, with some financial help from the Northern Development Initiative Trust, the hope is to expand the trail network in that community.

“So to build these mountain bike trails, we run under Section 57 approval through Rec Sites and Trails B.C., and this round through NDIT has been supporting us for a really long time,” explains Curtis Pawliuk, General Manager of VARDA. “We’re offering or we’re trying to build an additional three trails under this Section 57. So add a new unique black, kind of, hand-built style trail off in our Swift Creek network and then add an extension to one of our popular trails known as Firebreak and add on an existing flow trail within our Swift network as well.”

The Association is asking for a letter of support from the Regional District of Fraser Fort George before applying for the funding. An easy sell for the Director of the area, who says Valemount and the Robson Valley are no longer the winter sports destination.

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“It’s an absolute cultural shift as well,” says Dannielle Alan, Director, Area H in the Regional District of Fraser Fort George. “And bringing that recreational opportunity into summertime. It’s been fantastic. And, Curtis has been I cannot say enough good things about his lead on this project and his enthusiasm for this project and then the backing of the cycling community regarding this. There are some world-class cyclists in and around the Valemount area.”

Alan says tourism is the bread and butter of the community of Valemount and any little bit of help is welcome. And it has been an economic shot in the arm for the communitty, not just the region.

“It has allowed new businesses to flourish, which is fantastic. You know, there’s a shuttle bus service that popped into existence that takes the cyclists up,” says Alan. “There’s, you know, food and there’s going to be a food truck the at the parking lot staging there. So so not only does it support existing businesses, but it also brings new business opportunities into Valemount, which is fantastic.”

The project in question will open up the system to ever more types of riders, not just serious enthusiasts.

“Our goal has always been to try to offer as much variety as possible for each level,” explains Pawliuk. “So that’s green and blue and black riders. And we have different staging areas as well. And then our overall goal is to try to have a green, blue and black option from each of those staging locations. So, you know, a family could split off and, you know, mom could head down a more advanced trail and maybe the younger kids can head down a green trail and meet at the bottom or, you know, that type of thing.”

Part of VARDA’s mandate is to open the Valemount-Blue River area to year-round recreation.