UPDATE: Since posting this interview, Cycle 16 received the $1.45 million grant they had applied for. Construction of Phase One is expected to begin in early 2022. Congratulations, Cycle 16!
Cycle 16 Trail Society is a non-profit society based in Smithers, BC whose vision is “to have a paved path, separate from the highway, linking Telkwa, Smithers and rural areas, for the benefit and enjoyment of locals and visitors.”
Plans are for the trail to be paved, 3 meters wide and cover a distance of roughly 15 kilometers, paralleling Highway 16. The prospect of this trail is exciting because its development would contribute immensely to safer, easier and more enjoyable mobility and recreation between Smithers and Telkwa.
According to Cycle 16, “Commuters will ride back and forth to work. People may use all of the trail or sections of the trail. Recreational cyclists, roller bladers, elderly folks with walkers, people in wheelchairs, people in electric carts, people on electric bikes etc. Runners will run on it. Walkers will walk on it. Friends will visit on it. Parents will push their strollers on it. Cross-country skiers will roller ski on it. Teachers will take their classes on it. Tourists will see it, stop and ride on it. Toddlers, tots, tweens, teens, adults, elderly, ANYONE and EVERYONE!”
On May 18th, 2021, Chris Lightfoot of Complete Streets for Prince Rupert spoke with Tony Harris (President of Cycle 16) and Dan Boissevain (Board Member) to hear about their group and get an update about the exciting progress being made toward the completion of the trail.
(This conversation has been edited for length and clarity.)
CS4PR: Could you please say how Cycle 16 came about?
Tony: Back in 2003, we decided to pursue a trail between Telkwa and Smithers, just off the highway. The project lay dormant for about a decade or so until a young man got me all fired up about it so we picked up where we left off. Then in May of 2015 we met with the Ministry of Transportation, our MLA, our MP, and the Regional District to discuss our idea. We were treated quite politely, but it was almost like we were just little dreamers. We struggled for a few months until the Rotary Club gave us $15,000 from their Rotary Auction. Then, all of a sudden, it seemed we were taken more seriously by the powers that be. Over the years, we've gone from that donation to a project that looks like it could potentially happen this summer.
CS4PR: What kind of strategies do you think helped move the project forward?
Dan: We got to a point where there was too much specialty stuff for a group of volunteers with other things going on. So we decided to hire a project manager from WSP, a large engineering firm. They have a local office here and my grandson just happened to be an Engineer-In-Training with them. They’ve moved this project ahead exponentially since they came on. Hiring WSP has probably been one of the most significant moves I think we've made as far as pushing the project forward. It's gone from a concept to having detailed design drawings for 90 percent of the project - to the point of putting a tender out. In the last two years, momentum has just been building.
Tony: One of our strategies was not to push. One of our strategies was just to lean on the powers that be. I think by keeping that gentle pressure on the whole time, we eventually brought them around. The Ministry of Transportation has become a very strong partner of ours, giving us great advice. They secured $500,000 last year for us from the Active Transportation program. They've stockpiled crushed gravel for the trail already. They've paid for engineering studies. They've paid for geotechnical work. They've paid for clearing land. The Regional District has come on board, too. The Regional District will eventually be the owner and operator of the trail. We just need another million bucks or so to build it! I would say that all the streams are trickling in the same direction. The support from the Ministry, the Regional District, the local community, the landowners - it’s all kind of trickling in. We have a grant application in for $1.5 million for construction and we expect to hear this month whether or not we're successful. If we get that, we hope construction might start around August. We’re cautiously optimistic.
CS4PR: How were you able to bring so many groups together?
Tony: I would say the North has changed. More young families are moving here. People are active in the North. People want a safe alternative to travel back and forth to work and to recreate. I think that's across the province and probably across the country, and I think politicians have been hearing that.
Dan: Eventually the timing was right. Public opinion has swayed in favour of Active Transportation. Covid-19 has really given it a push as well because people are looking for healthy outdoor things to do in their own communities.
CS4PR: The trail passes through much private property. How has it been to get landowners on board with the project?
Tony: There are just a few people left to negotiate with. At first, some landowners were cautious, but now they’re pretty active trail supporters. We kept the communications up and kept talking about the positives. It takes some time to get used to the idea, and they have to trust that it's not going to be detrimental to their property or their lifestyle. One morning, we showed up at a landowner’s door when it was 30 below in the winter time, packing hot, fresh sourdough bread. That may have won them over. So that piece of the trail with the switchbacks will be known as Sourdough Hill. There are just three owners left. Two gentlemen are absolute ‘no’s, and there’s one woman who would like to see what Phase One looks like before she commits because it will be a little bit closer to a house. That's quite understandable. We will be patient and just keep talking to them.
CS4PR: How will the trail be maintained during the winter time?
Dan: Cycle 16 has never planned for a four-season trail. It's always been a three-season trail. We've stayed away from that whole winter maintenance thing because it [contracting road clearing] complicates things. However, at our last board meeting, the Regional District representative was tossing around ideas because they think that once the trail is open, it'll be a four-season trail whether we like it or not. We’ve always believed that it'd be heavily used in the wintertime whether it's maintained or not.
CS4PR: What are the considerations for the bridge over the Bulkley River?
Tony: One of the problems is that the bridge only has one sidewalk on it and when the road is plowed all that snow goes onto the sidewalk. It's not maintained so it'd be like a trail that goes to nowhere. You'd have to ride on the highway in a fairly dangerous situation.
Bulkley River Bridge, Highway 16, Facing Smithers
Dan: The town of Smithers has this year put together an Active Transportation plan and has applied for grant money to build a trail from town to the bridge to connect with our trail. So you know they're a big supporter. They believe this trail will happen and they want an off highway route to the bridge.
Tony: I think that the trail will have enough usage and enough vocal supporters that a renovation to the bridge to provide an extra lane will become a priority over the next 10 years... five years, maybe.
CS4PR: It sounds like you’ve got resounding support for the trail.
Tony: We have over 1100 members. We’ve got incredible support from the business community, too. Dan had an initiative where we raised commitments to pay for the maintenance for the trail for five years and we’ve got twice what we need already. People have indicated in writing that they would be willing to make a five-year commitment to provide either money or in-kind donations towards trail maintenance.
Our project was described to me as being politically robust. You know, like no one can actually have a bad thing to say about it. If you’re thinking about making Prince Rupert a safer place to walk or bike, I mean, who could be anti that? There'll be some costs and some issues to work around for sure, but that's the process. Stay focused, have patience, just keep trying to enjoy yourself, and have good conversations over coffee [and hot, fresh sourdough bread].
CS4PR: Thank you, Tony and Dan!