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Construction on Hope Mountain Trail Network will get underway this year

New mountain bike trail expected to bring tourism benefits to Hope

The future of Hope’s biking community has gotten a lot more exciting.

Thanks to a Rural Economic Diversification and Infrastructure Program (REDIP) grant of $424,065, construction will begin this year for the Hope Mountain Trail Network — a project that also aims to build an intricate mountain bike trail in Hope.

“As mountain bikers we travel,” said Thomas Schoen, the CEO of First Journey Trails and First Journey Consulting Ltd. “We often do road trips. We don’t typically just go to one destination, we visit bike parks and communities. And we’re always looking for the next new thing for the destinations.

“Hope is a hot destination (for mountain biking). And I think trail development in Hope is really, really, needed. It makes sense to have bike trails in Hope. And I promise it will drive up tourism.”

During a public meeting/greet-and-meet that took place last week (May 15) at the Skawahlook Adventure Park, Schoen outlined the plan for the project and its construction. According to him, the Hope Mountain Trail Network is a planned community-wide network of trails with a “signature trail” being constructed primarily in Hope Mountain. The trails will be multi-purpose and will be able to be used by mountain bikers, hikers, dog owners, and anyone who finds themselves wishing to enjoy a longer trek through nature.

The goal of the project, Schoen said, is to create a trail that both serves the community and attracts visitors to Hope. This will include two components: the development of a shuttle trail/signature trail; the creation of “an expansive trail network.”

In fact, Schoen’s team anticipates that the signature trail will “showcase the best features of Hope’s beautiful natural terrain” and “became a major draw for mountain biking tourism.”

Construction of the trail is being done by Schoen and his company, First Journey Trails. Schoen first started building trails in 1998 and eventually got his “big break” in 2009 when the company “entered into a trail building agreement with the District of Wells and carried out the construction of the areas’ new multi-use trail network.” Since then, the company specifically caters to trail design and construction, especially with regards to mountain biking.

The idea was first brought to Hope Cascades & Canyons Visitor Centre’s Operation Manager and Curator, Sarah Brown, by the past president of the Fraser Valley Mountain Bikers Association, Michael Woods. For five years, Woods had been behind the project working diligently to bring a mountain bike trail to Hope.

On July 27, 2020, Woods spoke with council about the project, updating them on the trail development, and citing the benefits of having an intricate and multi-purpose trail network. In his presentation to the council at the time, Woods explained that having a mountain bike trail would draw in a younger crowd, help increase tourism, and address the needs of a multiple outdoor communities in Hope.

However, it was only when Woods approached Brown that the idea truly began to find its footing. After speaking with Woods, Brown said she found herself agreeing that a comprehensive trail network would increase tourism in Hope and add to the local community.

According to both Brown and Schoen, the project will be done in three phases; the planning phase and then two development phases (phase one and phase two).

Last year, the project received a grant of around $60,000 from REDIP for it’s planning phase. This phase took place in the summer of 2023, with First Journey senior trailer planners doing surveys and conducting site visits to determine possible trail routes.

As such, six other potential future trail network locations in Hope have also been found: Dog Mountain, Hope Lookout, Thacker Mountain, Sucker Creek, Othello Tunnels/Coquihalla Canyon, and The Core. This locations, Schoen said, have yet to be properly surveyed so are just possibilities for now.

In the meantime, the project is looking for volunteers to help with construction once final permits have been obtained. To learn more about the project, and how to volunteer, people can email Schoen at tom@firstjourneytrails.com .

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@KemoneMoodley
kemone.moodley@hopestandard.com

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Kemone Moodley

About the Author: Kemone Moodley

I began working with the Hope Standard on August 2022.
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