They say a good compromise leaves everyone mad. And in that respect, the agreement between Metro Vancouver and the North Shore Mountain Bike Association that governs trail creation and maintenance in the Lower Seymour Conservation Reserve, is a very good compromise.
Metro Vancouver is ripping out popular but unsanctioned mountain bike trails, saying they are damaging the environment. Mountain bikers say as long as the sanctioned trail network isn’t meeting the needs of the community, illegal trail blazing and riding will continue. And the NSMBA is caught between the two, calling for an end to rogue trail building but also prodding Metro to hurry up and approve new ones.
Those who are building the environmentally damaging trails need to read the room here and knock it off.
But Metro Vancouver needs to show a greater sense of urgency in allowing new trails. It is yet another reminder that the speed of bureaucracy is too slow for most people in the real world, and far too slow for people who seek thrills in downhill mountain biking. The less flexible Metro Vancouver is, the less control they have, the more damage that gets done.
The sport of downhill mountain biking was all but invented in the hills above our homes. More than a pastime, it is part of the culture of the North Shore. Environmental stewardship and recreation in the mountains are both possible here. If we can’t find a way successfully balance these competing needs, then we don’t deserve to have the wilderness at our doorsteps.
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