Legit' Access to the "new trail" up Campbell's southern spine

So I’m thinking… the city of Penticton still has about 25 grand of loot set aside for a way up Campbell Mt., and they are, for whatever reason, not overly anxious to build us a bridge / stairway behind the water treatment plant - despite the fact that it’s by far the better route for many reasons…

In the meantime, someone (thnx. D-man) has kindly built us a path which switchbacks up the southern spine of Campbell Mt. I’ve been heavily invested in seeing a route built behind the water treatment plant - but am more than willing to eat crow and throw my hat into the ring with the new singletrack route up. “It’s there”, offers an early-season way up the mountain and allows us to get around trespassing through the old-folks cul-de-sac at the end of Forestbrook Drive.

So, I’m thinking about petitioning the City of Penticton to look at constructing a small foot-bridge that crosses the creek at a point near the existing city bus stop along Penticton Ave., about 250m west of the new foot-bridge into Pleasant Valley / the old golf course.

What I need to hear is A) are you folks behind this idea? And B) would you be willing to show up at a City of Penticton council meeting in order to show “the powers that be” that you support the project?
I’ll not mince words here; the eternal problem with hikers / bikers in our area is that they all “want stuff”, but never step-up and actually make a 15 minute effort to demonstrate their convictions.

No matter how many times I present myself to council or sit down with city engineering staff - it’s completely irrelevant if it’s only my lone voice. Working with the city is not like working with the Crown or BC Parks; with the city, faces and voices have to make an appearance at council meetings.

So there you have it, that’s the deal. I’ll lobby the City of Penticton for a small footbridge over the creek, get it onto the docket for presentation to council in a public venue and create a small Powerpoint of the concept for them - but I’ll only do so if I can be assured that at least 50 people will show up in council chambers and back the play.

What say ye?

Andrew

I will show up to a council meeting with you. I think this is a great idea.

Gary

I am definitely a supporter of this idea and think that location would work great. I would join you and Gary at City Hall, and I believe that there is a ready-made bridge we could acquire for free, so it would simply be the install the City would be on the hook for.

Let us know if you need any help and what time to be at the meeting.

I'll be there.

Keep us posted on the status of this.

Have you had a chat with anyone over at the City yet about this? Have they said what they think the feasibility is?

We need to get this area designated a park, then maybe some funds would be thrown at it...

Just got confirmation that the bridge is indeed still available. Maybe we can arrange a time to go have a look at it, and take a pic or two to provide to city councill at the presentation. It will be pretty hard for council to thumb their noses at such a plan, given that there is certainly a need for proper access on Campbell's south end. Particularly if there is already earmarked $$, an available bridge (seriously, how often does THAT happen?), plus willing and able PACA folk to help augment the trail if needed! Sounds like a no-brainer to me.

Dave

I'm going to approach city staff tomorrow, who will hopefully be convinced to refer it to council.

The bridge that you are referring to is the Greyback bridge? If so, city won't (likely) accept it because they seek to keep a homogeneous look and feel to all of the new bridges across Penticton Cr. - which are, to date, glue-laminate works of art -- but since Greyback owns Structurelam anyway...

I'm sure that you've seen the other bridges that cross Penticton Cr., so know what I'm talking about. Its not a logistics thing, its more of an aesthetics / tourism thing.

Check out the "WaveDeck" that they built in (for) Simcoe Ontario:



Andrew

This week I had a very positive discussion with Jake Belobaba - (Planner, City of Penticton, Current Planning) about placing a new footbridge near the bus stop on Penticton Ave., directly across the creek from where the existing "new" trail begins its ascent.

Jake was very positive about the concept! I provided him the GPS tracks for the new switchback and he will get back to us with info' on any potential route / property issues along the route.

Next up is to approach the Kenyon brothers with the proposal and see what they can do for us in the way of a poverty-priced glue-lam bridge structure...

If this project manages to reach fruition, we'll still have to do some work on the section of trail which runs adjacent to the deep washout about 1km up from the creek; its deep and wide - and getting more so after every torrential deluge.

Interestingly, Jake also informed me that the bridge & stairway project behind the water treatment plant isn't dead in the water, its just on the back-burner due to the 150k price tag. He further suggested that he would, personally speaking, (also) like to see it built a few years down the line, as that would enable a circle route on the south-southeast slopes of Campbell Mt.

All in all, great news. I'll provide an update after I speak with the Kenyon Bros. next week.

Andrew
www.southokanagantrailalliance.com

A few days ago a fellow by the name of Robert (Bob) Stathers contacted me 'out of the blue' regarding trails. He had been given a copy of SweetSingletrack as a gift and was curious as to what kind of person would take the time to write such a tomb of trail info'.

Lucky for me, as Bob turns out to be a major force in establishing local trails in the valley. That amazing trestle over the canyon along the KVR, on the way to Poplar Grove - that was Bob and friends. The KVR trail through much of Penticton; Bob and Co. again!

His stories of dealing with disgruntled land owners far overshadows anything that I've ever had to deal with, and his resourcefulness in organizing funding (about a half million dollars!) and manpower was a real educational experience.

Better yet; Bob feels that a bridge over Penticton Creek and onto Campbell Mt. - where he had dug many a trail over the years as well - is a fantastic idea, and he's good bud's and next door neighbors with the Kenyon boys; owners of Structurelam - the cats who will end up assembling any bridge that we put in place! Wow - the amazingly good things that one can glean through buying a guy a beer!

In related news' City of Penticton staff got back to me today to inform me that the GPS track that I sent them doesn't appear to infringe on much more than 100 lineal feet of private property - which we can 'trail-around' pronto.

This is looking better and better all of the time! Will keep ya' posted as this unfolds.

Andrew

Hey Dave. I'm noticing that the new Campbell Mt. 'Ridge Trail' is gaining additional jumps on an almost weekly basis. While that's cool and fun, I'm doubting very much that the liability-adverse City of Penticton parks and planning departments will care to sanction a DH jump-trail.

If they are asked to build a bridge at the foot of this trail, one can be sure that they'll hike the trail in order to discern exactly what they are building a bridge to...

Your thoughts?

Andrew

Hey Andrew. First off- great work in taking the reigns and getting the networking aspect of this project underway- that is awesome. I am happy that the response thus far has been positive. I've noticed the jumps on the trail, and have hit them a few times. Fun stuff. I do see your point. Do think it makes any difference if they are simply dirt & rock as opposed to wooden, ladder-bridge types of things (the latter of which I haven't seen up there). Regarding liability the law differentiates between "natural" and "unnatural hazards". I'll dust off some occupier's liability texts and do a little research project. I'm sure that there is a solution that will accommodate both thrill seekers and the risk-averse. We should meet up and have a beer. There are other discussions afoot about a large undertaking to build a "green belt" trail around Campbell's- a multi- use, hiking / biking kind of a thing. A man of your diplomatic talents and knowledge of the lay of the land up there would be indispensable in this endeavour. It will necessarily involve meeting with landowners, chatting up the city, and perhaps seeking out some grant money. This in addition to the obvious hiking/biking/surveying and spade work. There is definitely a grass roots movement afoot to get this going, and I think it would be great for Penticton and area, and that the cost - benefit analysis supports such a project. I think it dovetails beautifully with the idea of some day perhaps having a park up there. - Dave