With snow now starting to accumulate on the ground, planning is underway for winter use of Sundre's trail system.
Town staff and the Sundre Bike n' Ski Club have met to discuss issues, resolve complaints and solidify how best to safely have a multi-use winter trail system in the town.
“In the process of looking at what trail maintenance we are going to do for the winter, administration came across a few concerns with the cross-country skiing track setting that was approved by council back in November 2015,” said Ian James, the town's community services department manager, during a council workshop meeting last week.
Signage, liability and clarification on trail use and maintenance have been discussed with the club and agreed to, said James.
The ski club intends to groom a single track which is four feet in width for cross-country skiing along much of the town's trail system and then pack the remaining four feet of the trail for pedestrian traffic.
“So there wouldn't be a conflict of use of those trails,” said James.
Of the less than a handful of concerns he's heard, James said walkability was one of them.
Another concern was the relaxation of traffic and public use of parks bylaws for the snowmobile that track sets the trails which may have led to unintended consequences.
“What I've heard in the past is other all-terrain vehicles and the snowmobiles were also on the trails, then that destroys the ski trails… and also makes it bad for people walking.”
The use of all-terrain vehicles and snowmobiles is prohibited in town, clarified James. The track setter is the only exception made under the bylaws.
Signage indicating trail usage is expected to be in place this year and users educated on what legal uses are allowed on trail locations.
“If I was a resident and wanted to use the trails it would be nice to know,” James said.
Track setters will continue to sign a liability participant consent and waiver form as was decided last year but other liability concerns have prompted further coverage.
This year, the ski club is seeking to add the Town of Sundre onto the liability coverage it has through Cross Country Canada's insurer. James said he also talked to club members about adding the province and Mountain View County as groomed trails may end up on land other than the town's.
Once the club provides confirmation that the Town of Sundre has been added to the insurance policy as well as a map confirming what trails the club is going to track set, then the public will be informed, said James.
