McBride, B.C. — April 6, 2018 — Parts of the National Hiking Trail in the Robson Valley will be receiving upgrades thanks to funding support from Northern Development and the BC Rural Dividend Program.
Northern Development has approved $30,000 in funding support through the Community Halls and Recreation Facilities program towards the improvements being made to parts of the National Hiking Trail. Phase 1 of the project consists of partial reactivation of the East Twin Forest Service Road (FSR), including the replacement of two major bridges on the trail.
“Recreation and tourism play an important part in the overall economic growth of our communities in northern B.C.,” said Joel McKay, CEO, Northern Development Initiative Trust. “These improvements made at the East Twin-Chalco Trail will help to promote the wonderful community of McBride and the surrounding region as a great tourism destination.”
The East Twin-Chalco Trail traverses the alpine centered in the Renshaw Meadows snowmobiling area, between the Chalco and East Twin Creeks in the Rocky Mountains. Trailheads will be established at the furthest possible passenger vehicle point on the East Twin (Km 6.5) and Chalco (Km 9.5) FSRs. Past the trailheads, ATV use will be allowed, but will be restricted to existing road bed. Past the upgraded roadbed, use will be restricted to non-motorized use.
The full length between trailheads is approximately 44 Km. Last summer FHA received authorization to construct the trail, from the Ministry of Forests, Lands, and Natural Resource Operations, under section 57 of the Forest and Range Practices Act.
“We hope to eventually link this new trail with the Goat River Trail that we have been maintaining since 1998”, said Roy Howard, president of FHA. “Both trails are components of the National Hiking Trail.” The new trail also connects, or nearly so, to the Great Divide Trail, that follows the crest of the Rockies from Waterton Lakes National Park, on the US border, to Kakwa Provincial Park, north of McBride.
The project will also receive $100,000 from BC Rural Dividend Program towards the trail construction project.
“We gratefully acknowledge the financial support of the Province of British Columbia, as well as the Northern Development Trust,” said Howard. “Without these very major contributions we would not have been able to take on this project.”
About
About Northern Development Initiative Trust
Northern Development has a passion for growing the economy of central and northern British Columbia. Communities, First Nations and businesses of the north are leaders in creating jobs, new revenues and improving the quality of life in the region, and the Trust is dedicated to supporting their growth. The Trust combines funding with smart thinking and since 2005 has found more than 2,800 ways to say “yes” to projects that help the region thrive. www.northerndevelopment.bc.ca
