During our 2017 AGM in Penticton on May 27th, we handed out our annual Member Club Grants, which are used to support projects initiated by our member clubs. Congratulations to this year’s recipients:
Comox District Mountaineering Club
Amount received: $717.18
The project: Annual trail maintenance
The details: Working in conjunction with BC Parks, the CDMC plans to undertake brush cutting, hand clipping, trail repair and maintenance in Strathcona Park, with the primary focus being the core area between Wood Mt. (Forbidden Plateau) and the Kwai Lake/Circlet Trail. They hope that by maintaining the existing trails, people will be encouraged to stay on the more well-traveled paths, which will reduce the burden on sensitive ecosystems.
Chilliwack Outdoor Club
Amount received: $1500
The project: Trail maintenance and remediation
The details: Over 50 COC club members have volunteered to help maintain and remediate the Pierce Lake, Vedder Mountain Ridge, and Mount Rexford trails, which are all popular and well-established trails in the Chilliwack RIver Valley. The project will require an estimated 1000 volunteer hours, as well as countless tools and materials, which the Member Club Grant will help fund.
Vancouver Island Spine Trail Association
Amount received: $250
The project: The purchase of reflective trail markers
The details: Reflective markers are used on the Vancouver Island Spine Trail to increase visibility and help hikers keep on the trail. VISTA has already installed many trail markers along their project, which will span more than 700 kilometres from Victoria to Cape Scott, but they require more to ensure their backcountry trail is well-marked.
Kamloops Hiking Club
Amount received: $600
The project: Maintenance and upgrading of the Dewdrop Trail
The details: The Dewdrop Trail is found within the Lac du Bois Grasslands Protected Area, which is essentially BC Parks land. It is one of the premier trails in the area but has fallen into disrepair. Working with BC Parks, the Kamloops Trails Alliance, and volunteers from the Kamloops Hiking Club, Kamloops Outdoor Club, Kamloops Naturalist Club, and the community, the KHC will help improve the trail to be safer and better adapted to a wider variety of recreational hikers.
South Okanagan Trail Alliance
Amount received: $300
The project: Operation Darkeye
The details: SOTA is finding that a great many of their trailheads are becoming illegal dumping grounds, a problem which plagues not only the South Okanagan, but also the entire province. Conservation Officers are spread far too thinly as it is, and don’t have the resources to properly deal with the issue. So, SOTA plans to install a trail-cam to catch dumpers in the act, and will work with Conservation Officers to bring charges against the offenders—a tactic that has proven successful in the past.
Vancouver Rock Climbing Group
Amount received: $800
The project: Climb and Conquer Adventure Camp
The details: Each year, VRCG takes youths from at-risk or low-income backgrounds to Squamish for a weekend adventure camp, where they develop a passion for enjoying BC’s backcountry. Certified rock climbing guides and experienced climbers (volunteers from VRCG) not only teach the youth how to safely rock climb, but also how to respect and take care of the outdoor environment, such as leave-no-trace, pack-in-and-pack-out, how to minimize impact, etc.
Stay tuned for more details on these great projects!
