Trail Highlights

Penny Deck, Operations Manager

The six months that have passed since beginning as the FVMBA Operations Manager in July have been an exciting whirlwind.

The Fraser Valley is an incredible community and I’m grateful for the support I’ve received from the Board of Directors, regional trail reps, and many, many others who are passionate about the trails and the community. With over 600 mountain bike trails covering close to 800 km and an increasing number of trail users, there’s no shortage of maintenance to look after and a wealth of ideas for new and exciting projects.

A few highlights of the past few months include:

• meeting with trail builders and volunteers in each of the local riding areas, discussing short term and long term plans, and learning how to best support them in looking after the trails and planning for new projects;
• working with the dedicated team of volunteers in Maple Ridge to discuss authorizing the trail network at Thornhill with the City of Maple Ridge, which includes a proposal for a formal trail maintenance agreement;
• working with the enthusiastic crew at Vedder to rebuild multiple bridges and features on Ditch Chicken, Mongo, and Dilemma;
• meeting with various land managers to advocate for the authorization of existing trails that are not yet formally sanctioned, the revitalization of existing lines and features that have fallen into disrepair, and seek permission for new trails and projects to meet community needs for all levels of riders;
• working with the Board of Directors to increase financial support of the organization through grants, sponsorship, and donations to fund both on-going trail maintenance and new projects through the whole of the Fraser Valley.

I look forward to the opportunities in 2020 and seeing many of these projects begin to take form.

Thank you to all who have helped create and maintain the incredible network of trails in the Fraser Valley and make this a welcoming community for all.

Penny Deck
FVMBA – Operations Manager