Pidherny gets adaptive

Aug 19, 2022 | 2:32 PM

PRINCE GEORGE – Pidherny is one of, if not THE, largest rec sites in the city with more than 42 sanctioned mountain biking trails. While manipulating the tricky trails looks like something not for the faint of heart, it’s for everyone.

“Pidherny basically has a trail or something to offer for everyone,” explains Devon Budd, Director for Pidherny for the Prince George Cycling Club. “In the summertime, we have a lot of people walking out here. Of course, mountain biking being the main attraction. In the wintertime, we also have a fat bike groomer to groom the trails for winter riding and you’ll also see people out here snowshoeing as well.”

And the volunteers who do all of this work are opening the doors to opportunities for many more people. Take the picnic table. It has been adapted to become more accessible. And the work is underway to make the trails more accessible. “What we’ve done over last year and continuing this year is, we’ve updated a lot of the facilities. Anything from small picnic table changes to adaptive, accessible toilets to the project for the trail called ‘Talladega Nights,” which is one of Northern British Columbia’s first accessible, adaptive-friendly cycling trails.”

So while they have been working on adapting the trails, their work is far from done.

“Last year we finished the adaptive trail with the help of local trail-builders, New Route Trail Solutions, as well as a massive amount of volunteers, we created an adaptive-friendly cycling trail. And this year, we’re continuing to open access points and allow adaptive riders to get into the rec site and enjoy the mountain trails, like everybody else.”

Budd says some work is happening to add adaptive trails to other mountain biking destinations the region, but its uncertain if those trails have been branded as adaptive trails like Pidherny.

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