Partly taken from original post on www.nsmba.com
The 2014 Metro work plan has been officially released. This will affect trails in the LSCR. This plan will also directly affect the Muddbunnies Riding Club’s TAP trail plan for 2014 on Dale’s. We felt that the whole story should be shared openly so everyone is up to date on why and how things are happening. Please read on for all the current information.
From Metro Vancouver:
” We understand the desire for a variety of riding experiences on the North Shore including expert level lines. We are actively working with the other North Shore land managers and the mountain bike community to achieve this within the confines of a legacy of degraded trails and our management plans.
We have developed a 2014 work plan as per below:
LSCR staff will be undertaking trail maintenance on the following trails over the next 4 months. CBC ,Circuit 8,Baden Powell Trail (section down to pipe bridge near Riverside Drive),Baden Powell Trail (Bridle up to power line),Dog Mountain Trail, Bottle Top, Forever After, Bridle Trail, Mystery Creek Trail, Fisherman’s Trail, Greenland, TNT, Dales, HSL, Corkscrew and Neds. May to Aug
Wills’ Way
Trail has been decommissioned to bikes. HSL has provided a successful alternative.
Lola
Lola has many safety, environmental and liability concerns that cannot be mitigated. Decommissioning  this trail is part of our 2014  work plan. May /June
Dirty Diapers and Lumpy Gravy
These two trails have many safety, environmental and liability concerns that cannot be mitigated, we will be assessing alternative access to Cambodia which may include using and /or decommissioning portions and/or entire sections of these trails over 2014/2015 as the alternate route is established. May to Sept
Dale’s Trail
Dales Trail has been adopted by the TAP program for 2014 and in going through the work plan with TAP we have had adjust a piece of the plan. Riders over the years have created a ride around on one of the cliff faces and we are going to make a permanent ride around, this will also be the only trail. We are attempting to ensure that a mature fir tree growing on the face is not impacted further and we are not able to accept the safety issues associated with the original line. We have discussed with the adopter and NSMBA. LSCR staff will take on the re route. May to Aug
2015 Trail Maintenance Plan
Metro will be working on a 2015 maintenance plan that will address a large majority of the Seymour trails in the LSCR . The goal will be to bring the trails to a sustainable standard, initiate a annual maintenance plan, that incorporates annual budget, LSCR crews and volunteer organizations this will help coordinate work and priorities. Until the trails have been brought up to a sustainable standard, we will not be entertaining new trail development. Aug to Oct
Cabin Trail
NSMBA is looking at getting an engineered drawing for a potential bridge on Cabin Trail, depending on scope and budget LSCR will initiate in 2015.
Ned’s
An inventory of structures and environmental issues will be completed in 2014 and Ned’s will be a focus for trail maintenance in the 2015 maintenance plan. Aug to Oct. “
From NSMBA
The NSMBA has voiced objection to the decommissioning of the Dale`s rock face, citing the need for expert level marquee features on the Shore, both natural and man made.
We have also voiced the need of trail entry into Cambodia with the removal of Lola and the work plan to decommissioning portions and or entire sections of Lumpy Gravy and Dirty Diapers.
To provide feedback and share your comments directly with Metro Vancouver, please email:Â
LSCR@metrovancouver.org and cc: info@nsmba.ca
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION
How does this affects the Muddbunnies?
As most of you are aware Muddbunnies and Ryders took on Dale’s Trail under the TAP this year. Â The first we heard about their plan to close down the rockface was when the NSMBA contacted the Board of Directors and asked us to respond. Â Both the Muddbunnies Board of Directors and Ryders Eyewear have already responded to Metro regarding their plan for Dale’s. Â A good portion of the work that was done on our second trail day is on the line to be shut down.
After much discussion the Muddbunnies Board of Directors, Ryders Eyewear have decided to continue to work on Dale’s for 2014.  Our responses are below:
Muddbunnies Email ResponseÂ
The Muddbunnies Board of Directors has discussed at length Metro’s decision to close down one of Dale’s signature features – the big technical rock roll and the band of rock leading into it.  We are greatly saddened and disappointed by Metro’s decision, as Dale’s is a long-standing classic technical trail on Seymour and is enjoyed by many in the mountain biking community. However, we haven’t given up hope that a mutually beneficial solution can be reached by all stake holders.
The Muddbunnies took on Dale’s because it is an old-school technical trail that is part of the North Shore riding experience.  We were excited to breathe life into this old boy, while staying true to what made Dale’s so much fun to ride in its glory days – roots, rocks, and technical descents.   To take away the rock face is to take away the heart of this trail and deny a part of our community a place they love to play.
It’s important to understand that The Muddbunnies are a strong advocate for making the North Shore accessible to all level of riders, but not at the expense of the more advanced among us.  We are also a very strong advocate for sustainable trail building practices and minimizing our impact on the environment in which we play.
So, it is with a heavy heart that we take the following position:
Should Metro hold firm to its decision to decommission the rock face on Dale’s, The Muddbunnies will fulfill its 2014 obligation to Dale’s (resolve water & erosion issues).  However, we will refrain from work associated with the current rogue ride-around.  We will also seek reassignment to another trail within the NSMBA TAP 2015 program that is in better alignment with our values as a club.
We very much want dialogue & discussion to continue on this particular topic and hope  reasonable solution can be reached for those most affected by the outcome:  the trail users.
Sincerely,
Muddbunnies Board of Directors
Ryders Email Response
Ryders position is that we are obviously disappointed in this change of plans to a North Shore Classic MTB feature. This is one of the original technical lines that started what’s now become one of the worlds most known Mountain Bike locations we proudly call home.
While disappointed, we still remain committed to working on the rest of Dales Trail which is in need of work.
We understand and take full responsibility for not ensuring that we as the approved Trail Adopters did not have Metro’s full alignment in the work around the Rock Face and apologize for any frustrations this has caused. We will in the future ensure that this is in place before launching our eager work crews.
This said we would request that we continue the discussions on how to find a solution that works for everyone and open up the discussion to the people and riders that enjoy and are impacted by this trail. We feel there is a way to maintain the Rock Face and still serve to the needs of Metro and the public.
Its our intention to understand and fully support any recreational land use visions, plans  and trail standards you and metro have for our backyard forests and trails. .
 Your inclusion in the process to date has been greatly appreciated and we look forward to continuing to build off this foundation of partnership through the TAP program.  .
Happy trails,
Brent Martin
What More Can We Do?
Email Metro, it may not be enough to make Metro change their plans,but if we don’t tell them that we are unhappy with what they plan how else are they going to know. Â Commiserating what we have not yet lost seems pointless, it hasn’t gone yet so why not fight to keep it.
Jaclyn Delacroix
