2014 Trails Conference links 150+
“We’re very pleased with the strong show of support at our first conference. We have an ambitious goal – to establish the entire route by 2017 – and to accomplish this, we invited people from across the Island to join this network to help get the job done,” said VISTA President Andrew Pape-Salmon.
Our two day Trails Conference, held at the Kingfisher Oceanside Resort south of Courtenay, brought together over 150 trail users, outdoor clubs, tourism groups, regional and provincial government officials, First Nations members, and landowners to help shape and implement the next phases of the Island-spanning trail.
Day 1 was spent inside building connections, community and capacity; on Day 2 the Network headed outside and onto the trails of Cumberland, led by local builders and believers from what is rapidly become a hotbed of trails-based tourism and activity
The goal of the weekend was to build the community and capacity necessary to bolster progress towards completion of our envisioned Vancouver Island Spine Trail – a world class thru-trails in the spirit of the Pacific Crest Trail, Appalachian Trail and Camino de Santiago routes.
== Day 1 ==
Attendees: over 80 trails folk joined us on Day 1 for presentations, story telling, discussion and networking.
Our speakers
Keynote addresses
Philip Stone, Vancouver Island adventurer & guidebook author
Trisha Kaplan, Trail Development Manager, Western & Northern Canada, Trans Canada Trail
Panel discussion presentations
Tom Cameron, Gabriola Land and Trails Trust & formerly with Alberta TrailNet & TransCanada Trail Foundation
Amanda Ridgway, Founder & Managing Director of Drift Mountain Biking, & Director of the Mountain Bike Tourism Association
Martin Littlejohn, Executive Director, Western Canada Mountain Bike Tourism Association
Rachel Forbes, Sharp Six Services, Aboriginal & environmental lawyer
Scott Glaspey, Sunshine Coast Trail & Powell River Parks & Wilderness Society
Robert Gunn, Alberni Valley Outdoor Club
Danica Rice & Cameron Fulton, Valhalla Trails
Terry Lewis, The River Rats
John Hawkings, Manager of Trails, Ministry of Forests, Lands and Natural Resource Operations
Kevin McPhedran, Parks & Outdoor Recreation Coordinator, Village of Cumberland
Leon Lebrun, Vice President and Southwest Regional Director, Trails BC
Dr. Nicole Vaugeois, BC Regional Innovation Chair in Tourism and Sustainable Rural Development, Dept. of Recreation and Tourism Management at Vancouver Island University
Ken Melamed, Sustainability Champion, former Mayor of Whistler, former board member of Tourism Whistler, Whistler Chamber of Commerce
Speaker highlights
2014conferencespeakers
Speaker presentations
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== Day 2 ==
We hiked, biked and ran around Cumberland in the sun !
Photo links
Day 1 – Charles Burnett
Day 2 – Charles Burnett
Day 1 & 2 – Route2
Thanks
Conference organizers and facilitators: Rachel (Sharp Six) and Rumon and Naomi (Route 2 Projects)
Conference supporters: BC Hydro and Vancity
Trails Day Out organizer: Heather (Prairie Inn Harriers)
Trails Day Out leaders: Terry Lewis (River Rats), Martin Ready (Island Mountain Rides)
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See more photos here here:
Day one: https://picasaweb.google.com/110525442517388442436/2014VITrailsConferenceDay1
Day two: https://picasaweb.google.com/110525442517388442436/2014VITrailsConferenceDay2