Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Master Plan Update

Electoral Area C
Village of Pemberton

The Pemberton Valley and its surrounding hillsides are home to a popular collection of recreational trails used by locals and visitors alike for activities like hiking, biking, walking, running and horseback riding (to name just a few!). These trails form a key part of the identity of the Village of Pemberton and SLRD Electoral Area C.

In August 2017, the Squamish-Lillooet Regional District (SLRD) initiated an update of the Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Master Plan. Updating the Master Plan is an opportunity to develop a long-term vision and strategy for recreational trail use and development within the plan area, and to reflect and take into account the current levels and types of trail usage, among other objectives.

Whistler-based recreation planning firm, Brent Harley & Associates (BHA) was selected to work with a project Steering Committee to update the plan. The committee is made up of representatives from BHA, the SLRD, Village of Pemberton, Líl’wat Nation, Pemberton Valley Trails Association (PVTA) and Recreation Sites and Trails BC (RSTBC), which is a division of the provincial Ministry of Forests, Lands, Natural Resource Operations and Rural Development.

Community Engagement

Preliminary recommendations were received in early April 2018, and following this, the project team met with community stakeholder groups to share the findings and invite feedback. Two Community Open Houses were also held to provide residents with an opportunity to learn more about the project, review preliminary findings, ask questions and share feedback with the project team. 

The first meeting took place on Monday, April 9, 2018 from 6 - 9 pm at the Pemberton & District Community Centre (Download the Agenda). A second meeting was held on May 23, 2018 in Mount Currie for Líl'wat Nation members.  

For those who were unable to attend an Open House, the storyboards, presentation and map package are linked below: 

From April 9 – May 24, residents were invited to provide input via an online survey, which was available on both the SLRD and Líl'wat Nation websites.

Feedback received through the two Open Houses and the online survey has now been compiled, and will be integrated into the draft of the updated Master Plan. 

Next Steps

A draft of the updated Master Plan has been shared with staff from the SLRD and Líl'wat Nation for review, and has also been shared with the Pemberton Valley Trails Association for its review. Once final feedback from the project stakeholders has been received and incorporated into the draft, the updated Master Plan will be presented to project stakeholders for their approval.

Following this, the updated Master Plan will be submitted to the Province for approval, with the project completion now targeted for December 2018.

We will continue to share project updates on this web page and through social media as the project moves forward. 

Project Timeline

A tentative timeline for the process of the update is below. Please note, this timeline is subject to change and should be viewed as a working guide.

DateDetail
November 2017Summary report, including background information and research into the existing recreational trail system submitted to Steering Committee for feedback
December 2017SLRD staff and consultant meet with members of Líl'wat Nation for mapping review
January 2018Draft site and context analysis prorvided to Steering Committee for feedback
March 2018Steering Committee meetings to refine site and context analysis and develop draft plan
April 2018Stakeholder meetings
 April 9: Community Open House meeting in Pemberton 
 April 9: Online survey available for public comment
May 2018May 23: Community Open House meeting for Líl'wat Nation members (Mount Currie)
 May 24: Online survey closes
June 2018Draft Master Plan Update due to Steering Committee for feedback
July/August 2018Master Plan Update to SLRD Board and Líl'wat Nation Chiefs and Council for approvals
August/September 2018Master Plan UPdate to the Province for final approval

Funding

The budget to complete the update is $42,000. Partial funding for the project is being provided by Recreation Sites and Trails BC ($15,000) and the PVTA ($5,000), with the balance being allocated from the Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Service, which is one of several shared services of the Village of Pemberton and SLRD Electoral Area C overseen by the Pemberton Valley Utilities Service (PVUS).

Project Background

In 2009, the SLRD Board adopted the Pemberton Valley Recreational Trails Master Plan. The plan focused on linkages of the trails system and its development, and provided an overview and action plan for trail implementation.

The plan now requires an update to develop a long-term vision and strategy for recreational trails use and development in the plan area. Current levels and types of trail use and sites of user group conflict, overuse and neglect or those posing a challenge to maintenance also need to be identified and incorporated into the plan.

The update will also address unauthorized trail building, one-off trail referrals and opportunities for collaboration between the various different organizations that are working on trails management.

Questions or Concerns?

Contact Allison Macdonald, SLRD Parks & Trails Coordinator:
Telephone: 604-698-6158
Email: amacdonald@slrd.bc.ca