A column I wrote a few weeks ago about the potential impact of a proposed $30 to $40 million community-wide cycling network on equestrian trail users generated some colourful emails.
News that Township planners were proposing to re-route recreational cyclists from Zero Ave. to popular on and off-road Campbell Valley horse trails also triggered complaints to Mayor Rick Green, who is an avid horseman.
While the Ultimate Cycling Network routes had been selected with extensive participation from the cycling community, input from trail riders and walkers who will share some of these routes was conspicuously lacking.
Mayor Green set up a meeting between Township staffers from the Engineering and Recreation, Culture and Parks departments, and reps from the Trails Committee of the Langley Horse Federation.
Before the meeting, members of the Langley Horse Federation’s Trails Committee sought advice from the ultimate equestrian trail blazers, Bill Archibald and Dave Smith of the Haney Horsemen Association in Maple Ridge. Dave and Bill have spent decades lobbying local government to continually expand and improve a vast trail network that takes riders “from farm to forest.”
Their organization also maintains equestrian trails under a fee-for-service agreement with the municipality of Maple Ridge.
While Langley bills itself as the Horse Capital of B.C., Maple Ridge now promotes itself — and rightfully so — as the Horse Trails Capital of B.C. Dave, Bill and the Haney Horsemen Association have worked hard to grow their trail systems. Here, however, riding opportunities in the Township seem to be shrinking.
The discrepancy, according to Bill, arises because the trail riding community in Maple Ridge speaks through a single voice, the Haney Horsemen Association. In Langley, however, the horse community is divided among a variety of small clubs with disparate agendas.
The re-invented, re-organized Langley Horse Federation created the Trails Committee to unify Langley horse people who care about our community trails and greenways. It seems to be working: the Back Country Horsemen of B.C., Aldergrove chapter, has sent two reps to serve on the committee. So has the Vintage Riders Club.
Langley Horse Fed reps spoke at the meeting about the importance of the horse industry to Langley, and about the importance of recreational riding opportunities to the entire community. Also discussed was the need for properly designed multi-use trails. The park-to-park connector cycling route incorporates country roadways with narrow shoulders and deep ditches, a less than optimal environment for a multi-use trail.
Plenty of provincial funding is being lavished on commuter cycling routes in Vancouver, but there is little or no money available to upgrade recreational cycling trails in our community that could be used by equestrians and pedestrians.
The result of the meeting was positive, and may be the first step in a more co-operative, productive relationship between trail users and municipal government decision makers.
The mayor and Township staff agreed to consult in future on the cycling network proposal with an advisory group made up of reps from all user groups: walkers, joggers, equestrians, and cyclists.
Also discussed was the possibility of trail users helping to maintain and monitor trails, and the publication of new brochures and guides promoting Langley’s trail network.
Maybe now, and at last, equestrians in Langley can work with each other, and with other trail users for the benefit of the entire community. Our friends and allies in Maple Ridge have offered to help.
If you’d like to get involved, or to be kept informed, please send me an email.
Anne Patterson is a Langley writer and horse owner. She can be contacted at accidentalrider@yahoo.com.