Cold Lake looks at Building a Mountain Bike Course

City Councillors & Mayor hear from group wanting a Mountain Bike Course

The City of Cold Lake Council, Mayor and Administration have been presented with an idea to build a mountain bike course. Mayor of Cold Lake Craig Copeland says it’s a fantastic idea and the City will deeply consider it come budget season.

Young mountain bike champions, Chaira and Nathan Harris, representing the Speed Demons Mountain Bike Group, presented to Council their idea to “establish a year round, multi-user (non-motorized) single track trail system focused on mountain biking, along with skills park and jump track features, within a dedicated 120 acre park reserve surrounding our museum.” The teens advocated to Council that a trail system would enhance the City’s livability and increase recreation; to of Council’s main goals. 

Benefits of the trail system include; recreation for all ages, new employment opportunities for contractors building the system and the ability to bring in annual races; which in turn can stimulate the local business economy. The trail encourages healthy lifestyles and gives people an opportunity to explore alternative recreational activities, outdoors, as a family, with friends or solo.

“Basically, what they’re after, is to try to get the land that’s up by the museum. There’s land that’s all treed up, west of the museum. They would build a trail system at different levels of complexity.’ Ideally, the trail system will be used all year long for mountain biking, x-country skiing, snow biking, trail running, geocaching,  snow shoeing. “The land is in a good spot for this type of trail.”

Mayor Copeland says should the trail system be passed by Council for approval, there are some challenges that will need to be addressed, “making sure the quads and the dirt bikes don’t get on it.” The group has a long-term goals of the trail system’s development to integrate picnic sites and shooting range for biathlon. There was even talk in the proposal for summer camps; which would open up opportunities for youth employment. 

“That’ll be in front of us during budget deliberations,” Mayor Copeland says anything can happen during budget season and could not render a guess as to where the table would fall on approving the trail.