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Local clubs receive ORV trail funding
The provincial government is providing nearly $200,000 to B.C. outdoor clubs to support the off-road recreation industry, enhance tourism opportunities and promote healthy living for all ages and abilities.
Included in the funding announcement made August 2 is the Cranbrook Snowmobile Club, which is getting $2,250 to ensure proper signage is displayed for riders on the Lumberton Trail, as well as accurately detailed maps for riders.
And the Kootenay Rockies ATV Club is receiving $6,358 for clearing four sections of existing trails totalling 6.9 kilometres of alders and other debris on the Semlin Lamb Trail.
Twenty-two provincial clubs are receiving funding to improve trail riding and to promote rider safety, including the B.C. Off-Road Motorcycle Association, the B.C. Snowmobile Federation and the Quad Riders Association of British Columbia (ATVBC).
The Quad Riders ATV Association of British Columbia is getting $4,910 to supply and distribute trail safety, caution and regulatory signs for use on ORV trail networks throughout B.C. to ensure ORV trails are properly signed and safe for all users.
The B.C. Off-Road Motorcycle Association will get $8,157 to educate B.C. off-road motorcyclists to improve awareness of off-road motorcycle riding “best practices” through a 15-week BCORMA “Safety through Education” public awareness campaign.
And the B.C. Snowmobile Federation is receiving $10,000 to complete a comprehensive review of all course curriculum (hands on and online) for the Safe Operators Program. This will involve clarifying program policies and creating an online portal for instructors to communicate and receive updates.
The next intake of applications to the Off-Road Vehicle (ORV) Trail Fund will begin in early 2020, with at least $200,000 available to fund applicants.
Representatives from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development, the British Columbia Snowmobile Federation, the British Columbia Off-Road Motorcycle Association and ATVBC evaluated 28 applications before making the final decisions.
Established in 2017, the ORV Trail Fund is funded from a portion of registration fees collected under the Off Road Vehicle Act by ICBC. The fund is administered by the ministry’s Recreation Sites and Trails Branch.
About 10,000 kilometres of ORV trails are managed by the ministry’s Recreation Sites and Trails Branch, in partnership with community-based ORV groups around the province.
There are significant ORV riding opportunities on the land base, including approximately 600,000 kilometres of resource roads and managed riding areas.
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