WELCOME TO OUR SITE                                                  

Thanks for visiting our website -- we hope you find some things of interest and learn more about what mountain biking in the Bow Valley in Rocky Mountains of Canada is all about. We want to provide you with sound information about the sport we love and area we love to ride in. It is a remarkable part of the Rocky Mountains and we hope you get the opportunity to ride here some day if you live far away and if you live nearby, well we know you love the riding here!
If you find things on the site that you think need updating or correcting we'd appreciate an e-mail from you. We want the site to be current and accurate. Any contributions you have that you think we may want to post on the site are welcome as well. Should we think your contribution has merit we will feature it on this site. Send it to us at info@bvmba.org.

 _____________________________________________________________________________

                                    Banff National Park  Management Plan Update -- 2009

In 2009 Parks Canada began to update and indeed re-write the Management Plan for Banff National Park. This Plan is a significant document in helping guide the policy decisions for the next 5 year or more. The BVMBA made a submission to the Plan writers on behalf of all mountain bikers. Doug Topp took the lead for us in developing and writing the submission with input from all our Directors. The complete submission has been posted on our website with a separate webpage if you'd care to read it. We have given it its own menu button on the home page and will likely take this down when the new Plan is written and sent to Ottawa for approval sometime in the late spring 2010.Thanks Doug!!

A smaller submission was sent to Parks Canada on behalf of the Lake Louise area but that submission has not been posted here. It mainly relates to asking Parks to agree to investigate a new mountain bike trail for the Lake Louise area and work with the BVMBA to explore the possibilities. No particular trail is being envisioned, we just want the door left open to look at options should a possible trail plan be identified.

February 20, 2010

 

--------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- 

                            EXCITING NEWS FOR NATIONAL PARKS RIDERS

There has been a rumour circulating for some time about the following story and we, as an advocacy group in a national park in Canada, are thrilled to have the rumour confirmed. At the same time we recognise the loss this means to IMBA Canada and look forward to working with Lora Woolner in the future. Congratulations to you on your promotion Lora!
We feel this move by Parks Canada recognises both the integrity and committment of IMBA and Mark Schmidt to the future of sustainable mountain biking. More than this we hope it signals an interest by Parks Canada, at the highest levels, to continue to promote responsible trail use by mountain bikers within Canada's national parks system.
We congratulate both Parks Canada and Mark on this new move forward for our sport and we are excited about working with Mark in the near future!
Below is the news release article copied directly from IMBA's website.

 

IMBA Canada's Loss is Park Canada's Gain

For Immediate Release 12-18-09
Contact Mark Eller
IMBA Communications Director
markeller@imba.com
303-545-9011

Mark Schmidt will leave his post as executive director of IMBA Canada in January and begin a new career with Parks Canada. With Schmidt's departure IMBA Canada will be led by Lora Woolner, who together with Schmidt started the IMBA Canada office in 2004. Woolner and Schmidt have been involved with IMBA since 2002, when they were hired on to a three year stint with IMBA's Trail Care Crew program in the US.

"Mark and Lora have made invaluable contributions to mountain biking in the States and in Canada," says IMBA President Mike Van Abel. "I'm confident that Mark will be a great addition to Parks Canada in his new role as National Trails Analyst -- there are only a handful of people in the world that can match his experience level in designing and building sustainable trails." In his new role, Schmidt will will oversee policy development and implementation for trails in Canada's National Parks, Historic Sites, and National Marine Conservation Areas. He will continue to work closely with IMBA Canada and other partners to implement trails projects.

Schmidt notched several impressive achievements during his tenure with IMBA Canada:

In upcoming weeks, Woolner will step up from her current role as director of membership and operations and assume the role of executive director for IMBA Canada. She plans to add additional staff in 2010. Learn more about IMBA Canada by visiting imba.com/canada.

         

January 13, 2010     

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

                                                                PARKS CANADA

                                     National Assessment of Mountain Biking Workshop
March 23rd – 25th, 2010
Marriott Ottawa Hotel, Ottawa, Ontario


Parks Canada is pleased to invite the Bow Valley Mountain Bike Alliance to participate in the national assessment workshop of the various mountain biking disciplines.
In 2008, Parks Canada adopted a policy (Management Bulletin 2.6.10) outlining how the Agency
makes decisions related to new or existing recreational activities and special events that present
significant opportunities and/or areas of concern (please see attached Bulletin for additional
detail).
The purpose of a national assessment is to determine whether or not a recreational activity or
special event should occur in any of Parks Canada’s national parks, national historic sites and
national marine conservation areas and, if so, under what national guidelines and/or conditions.
Mountain Biking is a worldwide famous activity, which is currently practiced in close to 50% of
national parks.

  ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

The BVMBA is delighted to have been selected to participate in the above Workshop in Ottawa looking at various aspects of mountain bike use in our National Parks. While we are "cautious" going into this workshop we are also optimistic that the outcome will be good for our sport and good for our National Parks. Doug Topp will be representing our interests and perspective in Ottawa and we know Doug will be a strong and balanced voice for the future of this sport we love so much. We are also encouraged that Mark Schmidt (see article prior to this one) will be there from Parks Canada. Mark has been an outstanding promoter and spokesperson for mountain biking while with IMBA Canada and we feel confident he will bring the same skills and interest to his new position with Parks Canada. We look forward to working with him and having a productive and positive few days in Ottawa.
      

February 12, 2010       

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

          

                Parks Canada Website 

Parks Canada has made their excellent brochure  Mountain Biking and Cycling Guide for Banff National Park available on their Banff National Park website. There are also a number of messages about mountain biking in the park that are worth reading. Maps of the trails are also available from this site both for viewing and for printing. Check it out at :

Mountain Biking and Cycling Guide

Feb 2010


 

Have a look around our site and enjoy your time riding our great trails here in Banff and Canmore -- some of the most beautiful country you will ever see!!

 

The BVMBA -- promoting sustainable socially and environmentally responsible mountain biking in the Bow Valley and Banff National Park since 1997.