NV Council Has a Plan
NV Dist. Votes on what to do with Mt. Fromme
Words by Cam McRae.
On Monday July 7th the Alpine Recreational Strategic Study’s findings landed with a thud in the chambers of North Vancouver District Council. The 178 page document, christened the Fromme Mountain Trail Classification Study, was presented to local government – and an audience of several hundred riders – by Parks boss Susan Rogers. Before that the public had a chance to express their thoughts – both for and against mountain biking on Fromme. 
The North Van District Council chambers were filled beyond capacity - with riders and Legionaires. Photo ~ Cam McRae
Riders may not be generally known as public speakers, but several riders and industry representatives confidently grabbed the mic to state our case before Council. We were well represented by Lee Lau, Matthew Bond, Ken Neave, Andrew Major and James Wilson. Each made a passionate plea for continued access to the established trail network and most committed to working with the District to work out issues regarding parking, maintenance and user conflicts. We’re lucky to have such eloquent and well-informed individuals in our ranks.
It wasn’t all warm and cuddly though. Lyle Craver, who could be accurately described as the frogman, spoke of riders running him and his wife off the trails, skidding to a halt within inches in an effort to intimidate and apparently striking his wife on one occasion. Lyle and Monica Craver hate mountain bikers and they have a litany of reasons why we shouldn’t be allowed on the trails – and they pull out whichever justification best suits the occasion. Their crusade is to have us removed from the mountain and because of this I put little stock in what they have to say, and luckily Mayor and Council seem wise to them as well.
The current Mayor and Council is perhaps the best the North Van District has had. Photo ~ Euan Forrester
There was one speaker, who despite his theatrical oration and his affection for hyperbole, made me take notice. Kevin Bell spoke of the disruption of two species of Grouse and the Nighthawk – which, according to Bell have all disappeared from Fromme in recent years. I confess that I used to occasionally hear the thump of the Grouse while riding the trails but I don’t recall being serenaded recently. His contention was that riders and canines are to blame. The mountain biking population on Fromme has actually shrunk slightly in recent years while paid dog walkers have increased substantially – sometimes with up to 10 animals each. While I have no quarrel with the walkers, it seems to me that these statistics make it unlikely that we are the culprits. Despite this I’m glad we were made aware of these issues so we can have a look at what we might do to preserve their habitat.
Now that the Fromme Trail Classification Plan is complete we may finally go legit – but at what cost? The list of proposed trail closures and consolidations is long and it touches on many riders’ favourites; Pink Starfish, Grannies, Crippler, Digger, Boundary and GMG, to name just a few. We knew this going in but there were a few other bombs dropped during the course of the meeting. Overall though the tone was very positive and it’s clear that the amazing turnout had a profound influence on the proceedings. The presence of several hundred riders was extremely encouraging and our image was enhanced by the group’s respectful and restrained demeanor – something the Mayor and several councilors commented on.
Who knew mountain bikers were so polite? Photo ~ Euan Forrester
It isn’t yet clear how closures and consolidations will proceed – the timeframe nor the process. If this initiative is to be successful, alternatives need to be in place before the closures occur – perhaps three or four years down the line.
Back in the days of Ernie Crist (may he rest in peace) the political situation here in North Van was simpler; we knew he wanted us riding on dirt roads, pavement or in the hinterlands. If the formidable councilor had got his way we would have been banned from riding on Mount Fromme. At that time you were for us or against us and it was pretty easy to pick out which side councilors were on. To say that’s less clear now is an understatement. With our newly minted political clout, not a single politician breathed a word that could have been construed as anti-mountain bike. Even the sometimes crusty Councillor Nixon seems now to be committed to implementing the plan, which also includes some trail construction, and allocating a sizeable budget to the cause; $850,000 in capital costs over 5 years and $90,000 a year in salaries. Who’s getting paid you ask? The plan calls for three salaried ‘rangers’ to work during the riding season on construction, monitoring as well as supervising and inspection. Does that sound a little murky to you? Are these people going to be trail cops or builders? It’s pretty tough to wear both of those hats at the same time – but not impossible. Hopefully mountain bikers will have some say in who occupies these positions, so we don’t have the frog family in rangers’ hats.
Matt Bond of the nsmba addressing council. Photo ~ Cam McRae
Our reputation was polished when Tim Jones of the North Shore Search and Rescue was asked to comment on mountain bikers and their conduct. He made it clear that NSSR sees us as allies, adding that their team sometimes calls mountain bikers to help locate injured trail users.
Parking was an issue many speakers and councilors touched on. The District seems intent on building parking lots but it seems to me this isn’t the best solution. Right now there is no parking above Coleman St. and a two-hour time limit on Coleman itself. While I agree that the burden on certain residents has been too great in the past, the knee jerk reaction of a blanket ban has been a failure as well. Seniors and those with small children cannot now access areas like Mountain View Park or the Baden Powell trail because they need to park several blocks away, down a large, steep hill. Spreading the parking around the neighbourhood would allow all trail users to park a reasonable distance away while not over-burdening residents. This spreads users out, minimizes the wilderness impact and it would save hundreds of thousands of dollars. 
Lee Lau and the other speaker's words seemed to fall on sympathetic ears. Mayor Walton was even-handed and provided some welcome comic relief. Photo ~ Euan Forrester
Several councilors were concerned that voting in favour of moving forward with the plan meant each recommendation was set in stone. After some debate it became clear that the District plans to look at this as a framework that will evolve and change over time to best address and balance the needs of diverse users while weighing the impact on the natural environment.
In the end the council voted unanimously in favour of moving ahead with the plan. While everything looks positive at the moment it’s clear that riders will need to be involved in the process at every step if a logical way forward is to be found. The strength and commitment of our local community has me confident that the plan can be nudged and massaged into something that works for riders and other user groups as well.
Left to right Councillors Hicks, Harris and Nixon. Photo ~ Cam McRae
To all of you who took the time to sit in a stuffy council meeting on a beautiful July evening I say well played. This is a community I am very proud to be a part of.
Cam McRae
Were you at the meeting? What was your take on how things unfolded? I’m sure many of you noticed elements I missed. Please fill us in here or pose any questions you may have.
Cavorting with the Enemy – a note about trail conduct
You may think I’d be inclined toward anger when dealing with individuals who slander us relentlessly. On the contrary I take it as my responsibility to prove them wrong by being courteous and polite. Mountain bikers are good people by and large – more so than most other groups that come to mind – and I think it’s our duty to treat other trail users as well or better than a fellow rider. There’s no other possible way of having these people see us in a new light. If one of these individuals was injured on the mountain who do you think would be the first folks to volunteer to help them get out? The riders I know would be there in a flash to help. That’s the side we need people to see. The next time you see hikers on the trail think about dismounting to let them pass – and make sure to say hello. This is just as important when you encounter residents before you enter the woods or after you exit. Don’t block the sidewalk unnecessarily, be discrete if you need to swap your gear and by all means do not crank your car stereo. If you are reading this I know I’m singing to the choir but we also have a responsibility to remind other riders to follow suit for the good of riders everywhere.
