UROC Candidate Questions - Sep 3, 2024.

UROC, The United Riders of Cumberland, is a registered non-profit society that manages and advocates for the Cumberland trail network. On behalf of their members, all of the candidates in this election have been asked to respond to six questions. Here are my responses.

1. Please tell us how you currently use the Cumberland Trail Network?

Since moving here in 2009, my family and I have used the trails frequently. I used to ride MTB with friends but no longer do – knowing that my riding style often exceeds my skills, and serious injury would have serious consequences for my family, I now use my ‘quota of risk’ on the volleyball court and at sea. I do frequently walk the lower trails, the forest network is a beautiful way to relax and I often put my headphones in and do work calls while I walk, it beats sitting at a desk. We’ve been known to cross-country ski on the trails too.

2. Why do you feel that the Cumberland trails are an important community asset/amenity for ‘Cumberland’ and the broader Comox Valley?

This question assumes that I do feel that way, but yes, I do agree our trails are an important community asset. Trails obviously provide recreation opportunities for riders, runners and walkers, and training and development for competitive athletes. The network creates economic opportunities for guiding, equipment supply and service, and world-class events. There is also a stewardship benefit because people protect what they love, and they come to know and love a forest by being within it.

The work of the mountain bike community opened up trail access to local residents and visitors alike, and the subsequent work of many organizations, governments and property owners has created a network of legally accessible trails for riders and walkers, and has also brought large areas of the network into protected public ownership. This creates a precious asset with many recreation, economic and environmental service benefits. It’s important to recognise the dedication, passion, vision, and probably millions of hours of service that volunteers have put into creating and protecting the trail network and the lands that cradle it.

3. How do you think that the Village of Cumberland and Comox Valley Regional District should support or collaborate with UROC? Do you propose any changes to the status quo?

Well-managed non-profit groups with a clear vision and mandate are powerful partners for local government. They bring expertise, advice and advocacy. We can see examples of this across the province in recreation, conservation, housing, education and other areas. Locally, the Village’s work with UROC, CCSS, CCFS, Lake Park Society and others are great examples. 

As to how they should work together, partnerships need a clear written framework – usually a Memorandum of Understanding – to provide the ‘black-and-white’ backstop to the relationship, and then need ongoing communication and collaboration between key individuals who understand each other, know how to work together, feel comfortable raising difficult questions, representing their communities, and building something that’s great for everyone. 

I’m not well enough informed about the deep details of the status quo, the relationships, and needs of UROC, the Village and the CVRD to propose any changes. The role of a councillor is rarely to propose ideas, I see it being to consider the ideas brought to council, to offer guidance to staff and partners about how to balance different interests, and to lead the decision making process.

4. What is your approach to balancing economic and social benefits from important community recreational assets with potential impacts from traffic and visitors?

Like many of you, I’ve had the good fortune to travel extensively. As a young family, we lived for two winters in the Caribbean and a summer in Maine and New England. Professionally, much of The Update Company’s work has been in tourism marketing in BC and beyond. I’ve seen the consequences of ‘over-tourism’ and the benefits that appropriate and well-communicated tourism can bring when communities lead, rather than follow, their visitors through smart strategies for visitor attraction, education and even dissuasion.

Tourism is an industry that often consumes its resource; the communities and lands within which it functions. In Cumberland, we know we risk being the victims of our own success and I have confidence that there are smarter minds than me aware of the issues and working to balance different views and interests. UROC is a key player in this because your board, staff and members understand, and love, the forest and trails.

I’ve been knocking on doors, a few hundred so far, and talking with many people since the start of this election campaign. There is a genuine and valid concern among many residents that some in the town ‘care more about the bikers than about those who live here’. It’s important that we don’t deny or make light of these feelings, their observations are real and have basis in things we can all see every day. Together we can listen to each other, understand that at heart, we all care about keeping Cumberland a special place for everyone, and work together to make that an ongoing reality. Sorry to have to remind you, but there’ll probably come a day when you can’t ride the trails anymore, and Cumberland will still be your precious home and will look after you in your later years.

5. A sustainable and functional trail network depends on well planned access/egress and Village/park interface. How do you envision UROC playing a role in Village infrastructure planning and park master planning?

UROC has an important role to play in contributing to planning work. As advocates for a significant user group, your voice matters. In the past decade, the Village has got better and better at community engagement around major planning activities, and I’ve been involved in many of those, including the Village Park Masterplan, the Skatepark (with CCSS), the OCP, Economic Development Steering Group and recently the Advisory Planning Commission.

Groups like UROC need to take an active role in the engagement around infrastructure and park planning and to do so in a public and open way. This allows others to recognize the benefits and challenges of your activities and join in the complex balancing act that these plans require.

In Conclusion

Thank you for asking these questions, and I hope you get answers from all of the candidates. I also hope that I can show that I deserve your vote and that I will represent every Cumberland UROC member as a rider, yes, but also as a citizen of our village. I think you share my love for this place and a desire to support us all as we grow old together and support our kids as they grow into young adults who can choose to live here and thrive as we have done.

Nick Ward

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All Candidates Meeting – 6:30pm, Sept 17th – Cultural Center

Voting Days, all 8am-8pm

• 11th Sept – Council Chambers (Village Office)
• 18th Sept – Council Chambers (Village Office)
• 21st Sept – Cultural Centre (next to the Museum)