The article below is a reminder to all mountain bikers of all disciplines that are on thin ice when it comes to riding on Knox Mountain.
Everyone needs to spread the word about this issue of people riding off trail, building rogue trails and not using proper etiquette with other trail users. These things are not acceptable especially in Kelowna’s highest profile park. MTBco directors will be proactive on this issue and look to work with the city to deal with the issue of signage, etc …BUT…
Everyone must work to make sure we are always welcome on Knox!
Spread the word…ride on trail, use proper etiquette and don’t build new lines.
Kelowna Capital News
Destructive trail bikers will be targeted by city hall
A City of Kelowna councillor is calling for action to prevent mountain bikers from tearing up the steep slopes of Knox Mountain again—but city staff say a solution is already on the way.
Councillor. Robert Hobson says he spends a good deal of time in the park, which is the city’s only designated natural area, and he’s noticed work city taxpayers funded and groups of volunteers poured labour into has effectively been undone.
“It’s a free for all up there,” said Hobson.
The damage not only increases erosion but can spread noxious weeds and is “destroying a natural asset,” he commented.
Hobson and Councillor. Brian Given suggested the problem may be due to signs being removed from trailheads, but the city’s parks department says those signs were never intended to teach mountain bikers where the trails are or riding etiquette.
“There were signs but they were very much to do with the fire as the south slopes was closed…(and) we were experiencing such high use on Knox Mountain,” said Terry Barton, City of Kelowna parks.
“Since Myra Bellevue reopened, those signs actually remained up and we just took them down last year because they were in reference to the south slopes, so they were really irrelevant.”
But that doesn’t mean they’re not aware of the problem and working on a solution.
A comprehensive report on how to deal with trail maintenance issues in the local mountain bike scene is expected to come back to public consultation in two months time. The city is currently mapping local trails and trying to find suitable sites for various types of skills parks and new signage and trail building will all be a part of the strategy.
Cascade Environmental Consulting, a Whistler-based company contracted to handle the project, is just completing work on a draft document.
“The entire steering committee is just getting its first chance to look at it over the next couple of weeks,” said Barton.
“So we should be back to public consultation sometime in November.”
In the meantime, the local mountain bike club is also putting an application together to bring in the International Mountain Bike Association (IMBA) for a trail building session and Barton said he believes IMBA will be receptive to that application.
