SUNDRE — A co-founder of a local outdoor exercise enthusiast group recently told council volunteers remain committed to maintaining and improving multi-use trails and nature paths in partnership with stakeholders including the municipality.
Paul Shippy also said during the meeting that providing an outdoor option for people to exercise is arguably more important than ever during a pandemic that has resulted in the closure of so many amenities such as the indoor pool.
“During these days of COVID, there are so many activities that are shut down. So many things that people can’t do,” said Shippy.
“Getting out on the trails — utilizing what we have here — it’s been so important for the mental and emotional health of our members, and we know that it’ll be the same for community members at large.
"So, I’m hoping that if we set good trail, people will start skiing, they’ll start biking, they’ll get out and walk more. I hope people have an opportunity to be as well as they can during these times of social austerity, and I think physical austerity as well."
Throughout the course of his presentation to council, Shippy outlined a brief history of the club, which started in 2015.
“Our mission, basically, has always been about trying to have consistent and dependable, quality cross-country ski tracks within the municipality," he said.
That objective has been expanded to also attempt to accommodate mountain and fat biking as well, he said.
While the club’s core group of members has remained stable, he said there are many trail users. With a focus on partnerships, they’ve endeavoured to work with stakeholders such as the Sundre Rodeo & Race Association, the Sundre & District Chamber of Commerce, Chinook’s Edge School Division, and the municipality, he said.
“This year has been kind of a big one," he said.
Developments have included receiving a $15,000 Shell Legacy grant that made possible the club’s ongoing effort to acquire better track setting equipment, namely a Ginzugroomer.
“It’s a pull-behind implement, it corrugates and sets a single, classic (cross-country) ski track,” he said, adding the $9,000 unit was expected to arrive from the U.S. within the coming weeks.
“That was a big deal, getting that groomer. That’s going to improve our track setting abilities, our efficiency, our safety, and just the quality of the track setting that we have, enormously.”
However, the groomer will also require an apparatus capable of pulling it, he said, adding the snowmobile used in the past would not suffice.
“We were able to find a used quad with tracks, and we’re hoping that that’s going to work," he said.
Should that not do the trick, the club might have to consider upgrading to something heavier duty such as a side-by-side, he said.
All of this equipment requires storage, and a shed that was built on school property courtesy of the club’s partnership with the school division a couple of years ago was recently outgrown.
Through grant funding from the municipality in coordination with the rodeo and race association and some local sponsors, the club was able to build a new shed on the rodeo grounds, he said.
“We’re pretty excited to see how good we can get at setting track," he said.
Snake Hill has plenty of terrain, but if track is not set during the winter, many of the trails become unusable because they can get dangerous.
The club also anticipates continuing its Jack Rabbits and Bunny Rabbits cross-country ski program, which last year had 25 kids registered, he said.
“That’s a lot of usership and the kids are really active skiing every Sunday. So, hopefully we’ll have a similar amount," he said.
Shippy expressed optimism that if the tracks are set, people will come out to enjoy them.
Coun. Cheri Funke said she was pleased to hear the relationship between the club and the municipality “has grown into what we’ve always fought for it to be.”
Shippy concurred, adding communication has improved.
“I think we’re working together pretty well, it’s very encouraging," he said.
However, the club is not without its detractors, he added.
“There are some people in the community that aren’t overly enthusiastic about what we’re doing,” he said, adding the group is working with the municipality in trying to understand and mitigate criticism.
Coun. Richard Warnock wondered whether the new groomer would enhance the ability for fat bikers to use the same trails as cross-country skiers.
“This is something that we’ve seen in lots of other communities and parks. Cross-country skiing and fat biking haven’t been the best of friends, historically,” said Shippy.
“Generally, bikes like to go wherever they want, and cross-country skiers are usually stuck to the groomed trails,” he said.
However, he added the club recognizes the trails are multi-use.
“There has to be a bit of compromise," he said.
That being said, he told council fat bikers typically prefer riding winding trails in the bush that are too tight for cross-country skiers anyway.
“Fat bikes will go along the side of the ski trail if they need to. But mostly, they’re going to be going elsewhere," he said.
So, although the trails are technically multi-use, Shippy said some will make more sense to use for skiing while others will be more suitable for walking, biking or even snowshoeing.
Mayor Terry Leslie praised the group’s efforts, and said from his personal experience walking trails with his wife that people on fat bikes have demonstrated courtesy by yielding the way as they walked past.
Wrapping up his presentation on an anecdote, Shippy said he follows some Calgary-area social media groups and has seen digital disagreements from users in more popular areas. While they generally end up agreeing to disagree, he joined in on one discussions to encourage people to consider our neck of the woods.
“If it’s getting crowded in the Bow Valley and Canmore and Banff, we, here in Sundre, have some amazing trails right in the municipality,” Shippy said he posted.
“Why wouldn’t you come on up here?”
That comment prompted a response from a random person he didn’t know, who said they’d previously enjoyed exploring Sundre’s excellent trails.
“It was a really nice thing to hear,” he said, adding there is an undeniable “potential to develop what could be a burgeoning tourism industry with a lot of trail users of all kinds. We don’t intend to do it for them — we do it for us and the community. But if you build it and they come, sometimes that allows for more sustainable growth.”
Shippy encouraged anyone in the community, including members of council, who might be interested in exploring the trails to contact the club to make arrangements for personalized trail tours and even an introduction to cross-country skiing.
Council carried a motion accepting the report for information.
