The Williams Lake Indian Band’s ambitious trail project will be completed this summer thanks to the Trust’s Community Halls and Recreation Facilities program.
Starting and finishing at the Chief Wil Yum Campground, trail users will be able to travel the entire circumference of the City of Williams Lake this summer thanks to improvements to the trail network supported by Northern Development. The upgraded trail system now intersects with four significant riding areas: Fox Mountain, South Side, Desous Mountain and the Williams Lake Bike Park.
Mountain bike recreation and tourism is rapidly growing sector in Williams Lake and the Cariboo Chilcotin, providing significant social and economic benefits. Â A recently completed economic impact analysis has shown that mountain bike tourism generates more than $2 million annually in economic activity in the Cariboo as well as a substantial number of jobs and local businesses. The City of Williams Lake, the Cariboo Regional District, and the Williams Lake Indian Band have made substantial investments in trails and related infrastructure and share a vision of growing this sector and firmly establishing the region as a world-class destination.
In 2016, Northern Development provided $30,000 in grant funding to support expansion of the Southside Connector Trail.
The new connector trail was, up until now, the missing element that would help ensure the region has the trails and infrastructure it needs to fulfil the communities’ vision. For the Williams Lake Indian Band, the trail connects their commercial development area and the Chief Wil Yum Campground, which supports the future growth of the local recreation tourism sector.
You can learn more about trail networks in Williams Lake here.
