Calgary Mountain Bike Alliance

Newsletters

CMBA Newsletter #2 - September 1996

Thanks to all of those members who stayed on call to do trail maintenance this summer. We wanted to call you but it looks like next summer CMBA members will be doing trail work.

At the Annual General Meeting (September 30/96, 7/pm Rosemont Community Hall) you will be filled in on what has happened over the past year. Reports will be presented on the different zones, what's happening with trail maintenance programs and most of all the proposed Mountain Bike Policy for off pavement use in Calgary. Members will be voting on the Board of Directors (we have no problem accepting applications from the floor) and also the future logo of CMBA. We will have a question period and hopefully we will be able to answer them for you. Membership Renewal time is here, please have your form and fee ready for the meeting. (Thanks !!!)

Board Members were sad to receive Grant Hill - President and Brad Hill, Newsletter Editor/Web Site Coordinator's resignation letters. Both Grant and Brad have job commitments that require a lot of time (especially in the summer when working for a bike shop). We wish both the best of luck with Spokes & Attire and look forward to doing the first trail maintenance project with them as they are both eager to participate with CMBA's proactive program.

Structure of CMBA

There has been some restructuring on the Board this summer and some positions have become available. We would love for someone to fill them. If you volunteer a little of your spare time it is a great way to do something positive and will be helpful in maintaining access to off pavement trails. The time needed for these volunteer positions is not that great and board meetings are only once a month.

President

This position requires someone with great organizational skills and as always a passion for cycling. There tend to be many projects going at one time therefore we need someone who is a great juggler.

Zone Rep - Edworthy:

Responsible for monitoring trail condition and status in the region west from the Crowchild Bridge (below the Shaganappi Golf Course) along the Bow River to the far west end of the park before the private property.

Zone Rep - Bowmont:

This zone includes all trails along the Bow River between Home Road and Nose Hill Drive. This is the region along the Bow that is directly south of Silver Springs. There are some great trails in here for climbing and descending (keep in mind you don't have to live in the zone to be a zone rep).

Zone Rep - Bonavista, Midnapore, Deer Ridge:

Murray, the Fish Creek Zone Rep is seeking assistance to cover these areas in the Fish Creek Park region. This man knows the area inside out so it is best to call Murray and let him know how you can help out.

Spy Hill Rep:

Past President Grant Hill was approached by Spy Hill Landfill to see if we were interested in converting the dump into a MTB park. We need someone who would work with the Spy Hill staff and Parks and Recreation in order to get this project off the ground. This opportunity would allow CMBA to design a park that would meet the needs of the off pavement cycling community. A group in Victoria is going through the final phases of a project just like this so we have experienced individuals to contact.

Website Coordinator:

We need someone with a home or work computer who can respond to Email and update the Zone Reports on a need be basis.

Advertising Rep:

This position would require an individual who would find companies, persons, anyone who would find a need to advertise in our newsletter.

The Newsletter position has been filled by Neil Stark. Neil has graciously volunteered to join the Board at the September Meeting. (Just so you know, the CMBA Newsletter will hit your mailbox three times a year).

Paul Armer has switched from the Edworthy Rep to organizing a raffle next spring. Keep this in mind. We will be selling tickets to raise funds and awareness for CMBA.

If you are wanting to volunteer with the above positions yet are to busy to attend board meetings we understand the concept of time commitments. We always utilize and will accept help in any form.

What We've Done

TrailNet Conference

In April CMBA attended the TrailNet conference in Edmonton. This provided CMBA the opportunity to introduce itself and make contacts with a variety of organizations and clubs such as Fish Creek Park, Calgary, Edmonton and Red Deer Parks and Recreation Departments, Alberta Equestrian Federation and a whole lot more. CMBA participated in five different presentations: The Role of Human Powered Transportation in the Urban Environment; Trails in Urban Transportation Planning; User Conflict; Good Design/Bad Design; and Signage, Markings and Signals. All the material gathered from the conference will benefit CMBA for future meetings and projects with Parks and Recreation and other departments. Laura-Lee has already volunteered to go next year.

Trail Maintenance Projects

Over the past 6 months CMBA has been working with Ken Kuntz, Parks and Recreation Planning and Design Department to come up with a trail maintenance project for CMBA. In June, Murray and Laura-Lee spoke at the public hearing at the Ogden Community Centre to propose cutting a trail in the Northeast section of Beaverdam Flats. This was to serve two purposes, 1) a natural trail for everyone to enjoy and 2) a safer and more efficient commuter route. Community members made it quite clear they wanted the river valley as an off leash area for their dogs and felt bicycles were not compatible with this plan. They further voiced they wanted bicycles banned from the top portion of the multi-use pathway system. the final vote was a landslide in favour of rejecting our proposed trail.

Ken Kuntz organized another meeting, this time with the Southland Natural Area Park Board of Directors to discuss installing a trail in the northwest portion of Southland Park. this group was much more receptive to listen to our ideas. We discussed ways how we could help each other out with the proposed trail. It was refreshing to work with a group of individuals who considered all the user groups on a city wide basis, not just their community. CMBA hopes to hear back by mid-September (keep your fingers crossed).

Nose Hill Park.

CMBA has requested a seat on the Management Advisory Council (MAC) our request has to be voted on in order to be accepted onto the board. It has representatives from (among others) Friends of Nose Hill, The Nose Hill Park Communities Board and the Calgary Orientering Club, but no cycling groups. The MAC is drafting a five year capital budget for the park this summer that will define when they plan to put the perimeter pathway in place.

At the current time it is extremely difficult to come up with an effective protest to the plan because it is uncertain when it will be put in place or what restrictions will be invoked. (Technically the wording of the management plan modified by council could eliminate bike use form the interior of the park). Please observe good trail etiquette, ESPECIALLY anything on the north face where damage is apparently being blamed on MTB's. Also please use care in the coulees as the Management Plan frequently mentions "negative encounters" as a reason from banning us from there too.

DID YOU KNOW out of the 16 management zones in the Nose Hill Park Management Plan dogs are allowed in all but 2 areas and off trail bike use is permissible in only 2 zones: the Gravel Quarry Naturalized area (Gravel Pit) and the Upland Fields Naturalized Zone (flat area north of the pit). Call Peter if you have time available to help.

Fish Creek Park

CMBA agreed to perform trail maintenance before and after the the VII World Police and Fire Games (WPFG) MTB Cross-Country route in 1997. In return the WPFG would donate $1000.00 worth of trail maintenance tools. With this event coming up CMBA has hoped to work on the 10KM course for the games. As of September 1996 this offer to Fish Creek Park has been on the table for one year. Ranger in Charge, Wayne Miekle has been reluctant to authorize trail maintenance in the park until the Fish Creek Management Plan is tabled.

We hope to get the green light soon to: 1) Construct a two foot high retaining wall at the Sandstone Gorge 2) Harden the trail surface for 20 feet at two boggy locations where trail braiding is occurring 3) Install water bars to curtail erosion on the most western ravine trail. Mr. Miekle received a copy of the maps and a letter regarding the above areas need for maintenance.

Your help will be needed once we receive approval in order to complete this projects before winter. Please phone Laura-Lee and let your availability known.

Edworthy Park

CMBA received a letter from Parks and Recreation confirming the the old Quarry Road Trail which starts from the railway crossing by the Crowchild Trail Bridge up along the Shaganappi Golf Course to Cedar Crescent SW will be a Multi-Use Pathway. This trail was originally planned to be pedestrian only but was amended and now cyclists have the opportunity to enjoy this trail. Keep in mind Douglas Fir trail is closed to cyclists, please respect the closure.

City of Calgary Liaison Work.

A series of meetings has been held with City of Calgary Parks and Recreation staff. The meetings have been conducted to inform city staff of who we are, what our concerns are and what we are prepared to do address the problems surrounding mountain bike use in Calgary.

This work has become especially important because the Cycle Plan is to have a mountain bike policy included in its next draft. The Cycle Plan is a set of guidelines and plans for the future of all cycling in Calgary. The mountain bike policy section is new to the plan.

Parks and Recreation has also suggested that there is a site within the city that may be developed with mountain bikes as the primary user group. We could have input on the development of the site and might even be give access control. This is an exciting opportunity that could see our group leading an effort that will greatly improve the image of mountain biking.

On Going Projects

CMBA sent a letter to Fish Creek Park requesting a seat with the Focus Group. Katherine Stangness contacted Laura-Lee to confirm acceptance with the group. The first scheduled meeting is to occur in September or October 1996.

Another grant proposal was submitted in July. To date we have not heard back. Hopefully we will have good news at the AGM.

Part of the money donated by the Bicycle Trade Association of Canada (BTAC) was put towards the purchase of a banner, mission sign, and laminated zone maps. All this material will be used for our display booth which hopefully will be found at special events and MTB races next summer. Next big purchase, a tent. We also need volunteers to man the tent at these events.

As a member of IMBA we receive bi-monthly newsletters on what is happening in the world of mountain biking. We have started to gather all sorts of material around the topic of mountain biking in order to create a library. We have information on trail maintenance, studies performed in different parks and articles on what is happening in other areas of the world regarding mountain biking. If anyone is interested in this material contact Laura-Lee

We apologize to those waiting to find CMBA on the Internet. As stated in the first newsletter the Website was to be up and running by late April, unfortunately this did not happen. We hope to be on the net sometime soon. We will let you know once this has been finalized.

If you see "NO CYCLING" signs please respect them. This will benefit all cyclists. Say "Hi" to those on the trail, it can only help.